Showdown (AFL)
The Showdown is an Australian rules football game played by the two Australian Football League (AFL) teams from South Australia, the Adelaide and Port Adelaide football clubs. The first AFL premiership fixture between the two clubs took place on 20 April 1997.
Players competing in a marking contest during Showdown 53 at Adelaide Oval. | |
| Location | Adelaide, South Australia |
|---|---|
| Teams | Adelaide Port Adelaide |
| First meeting | 20 April 1997 (Adelaide 72–83 Port Adelaide) |
| Latest meeting | Men: 29 July 2023 (Adelaide 112–65 Port Adelaide) Women: 2 September 2023 (Port Adelaide 28–58 Adelaide) |
| Next meeting | AFL: TBC AFLW: TBC |
| Stadiums | Football Park (1997–2013) Adelaide Oval (2014–present) |
| Trophy | Variety Showdown Shield |
| Statistics | |
| All-time series | Men (54 meetings): Adelaide (27 wins) Port Adelaide (27 wins) Women (2 meetings): Adelaide (2 win) Port Adelaide (0 wins) |
| Largest victory | Men: Adelaide (84 points) 6 August 2017 Women: Adelaide (60 points) 30 September 2022 |
| Longest win streak | Men: Port Adelaide (7 wins) 6 August 2000 - 8 May 2004 Women: Adelaide (2 wins) 30 September 2022 - 2 September 2023 |
| Current win streak | Men: Adelaide (2 wins) 1 April 2023 - 29 July 2023 - present Women: Adelaide (2 wins) 30 September 2022 - 2 September 2023 - present |
The South Australian Brewing Company, makers of West End beers, were the first sponsors of the game and decided that the "Showdown" would be an appropriate name as a promotional opportunity for games between these two clubs, since it was the first time two South Australian teams had played against each other in the AFL.
The rivalry between Adelaide and Port Adelaide is often considered the best, and most bitter, in the Australian Football League with Malcolm Blight, Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend, stating in 2009 that "there is no doubt it is the greatest rivalry in football." The head-to-head count between the two clubs only include AFL premiership matches.
"There is a deep presumption today that your football loyalties come from a historical association with Port Adelaide or from one of the other nine SANFL clubs...That rivalry from the SANFL – by being Port Adelaide or not Port Adelaide – is...entrenched with the State's two clubs in the AFL.”
— John Olsen, former Premier of South Australia and current Chairman of the Adelaide Football Club.