The coaches of Port Adelaide and Adelaide agree: the hatred and hype is a figment of AFL fans' imagination.
One the eve of the clash between the South Australian rivals, Port coach Ken Hinkley and his Crows counterpart Don Pyke say the clubs are cocooned from the wider ballyhoo.
"To be honest, the Showdown build-up and everything else is for the fans - and that is what it should be," Hinkley told reporters on Friday.
"For us, it's so much more about just trying to play against a high-quality opponent who we obviously all know are right at the top of the table with the competition.
"We're not here to do anything different because it's a Showdown."
Pyke concurs, saying while the fixtures are billed as a grudge match they carry only a slightly extra feeling for those directly involved.
"It's an external thing," Pyke told reporters on Friday of the hype.
"I think both clubs recognise we are playing for four points.
"And there's a little bit extra on it because it is a local derby game, Showdown.
"But the players don't really go about it any different. They prepare as they normally do, so no real change."
Saturday night's encounter is the first time the clubs have met while first and second on the ladder.
Top-placed Port and second-placed Adelaide are both unbeaten.
"Both teams come in with some good form and some improvement in areas we have worked on," Pyke said.
"But also some learnings out of the first two weeks."
Both clubs made one change at selection with the Crows replacing injured forward Josh Jenkins (bruised ribs) with defender Jake Lever and Port replacing injured backman Jack Hombsch (knee) with Hamish Hartlett.
And both coaches also agreed the match would likely be determined by which team gained a midfield advantage.
"It will be the side that wins the contest, more than anything, to give you the ball where you want it the most," Hinkley said.
Share
