Kane Cornes outlines why Port Adelaide loves to hate Richmond in the AFLKane Cornes,
The Advertiser
27 June 2017IF THERE is one team in the AFL Port Adelaide loves to beat it is Richmond.
Make no mistake these two teams cannot stand one another.
Saturday night’s game at the Adelaide Oval is Port Adelaide’s biggest home and away game in the last two years with the winner in pole position to secure a top four finals berth in 2017.
Seven-time Port Adelaide premiership player Tim Ginever says the animosity dates back to Port Adelaide’s first pre-season game in 1997.
Port enforcer Darryl Poole physically intimidated his Richmond opponents catching them off-guard in the usually bruise-free pre-season match.
Irate Richmond officials contacted Port on the following Monday to complain about Poole’s actions and asked for some background on the aggressive centre half-forward.
The Port officials responded by telling Richmond: “If you don’t know who he is, you’ll soon find out because this guy is seriously tough.”
Word filtered down to the Port Adelaide playing group that Richmond complained and the disdain between the playing groups was born.
When Mark Williams took over he built on the rivalry, rousing his players for Richmond clashes more than any other.
Perhaps dating back to his playing days at Collingwood, Williams felt Richmond had an air of arrogance and walked around like rockstars despite having achieved nothing.
Troy Chaplin’s defection from Port Adelaide to the Tigers at the end of 2012 added to the animosity. Upon his departure he penned an email to the entire Port playing group, criticising the club and its culture.
Not done yet, Chaplin celebrated a late goal in round 17, 2014 with an animated aeroplane and emotional tugging of the Richmond guernsey.
The actions agitated Port skipper Travis Boak who said the next day: “I hope he (Chaplin) is enjoying his season.”
That win over Port was the third of a nine-game winning streak that saw Richmond finish eighth and face Port in an elimination final at the Adelaide Oval.
You know the one, when captain Trent Cotchin won the toss and opted to kick into the breeze. The Power booted the first seven goals to end the contest before quarter-time.
Early in the first term, Chaplin slipped over in the goal square, costing Richmond a goal and the Port players and fans didn’t miss the chance to remind him of his defection, subsequent email and round 17 antics.
The Power group looked on with raised eyebrows the next day as Cotchin fronted a press conference dressed in a Kiss outfit for the team’s Mad Monday celebrations.
It had Port questioning the Tigers’ priorities following a humiliating loss.
Both teams have recorded eight wins for the season and only percentage separates them on the ladder. Defensively the two sides are ranked number one and two in the competition.
Port concedes only 77 points per game which ranks them first in the competition. Richmond is ranked second conceding 78.
Paddy Ryder has had a major influence around the stoppages with the Power giving up just 24 points from stoppages which is the fewest in the competition.
Conversely Richmond ranks number one in the competition for forward-half turnovers.
Richmond has been my surprise-packet of season 2017, with Damien Hardwick reinventing himself as a coach and rejuvenating his side’s game plan.
Similar playing styles have the making for an epic battle.
Both teams are delivering manic pressure and have the ability to lock the ball in their forward line. They are both experts in creating forward-half turnovers.
There are tantalising match-ups across the ground headlined by Alex Rance and Charlie Dixon, Brad Ebert and Dustin Martin and Tom Jonas taking on Richmond spearhead Jack Riewoldt.
Richmond has not won a final since 2001 and would be treating this game as a dress rehearsal should it qualify in 2017. Port Adelaide still has not beaten a team perched in the top-eight this year.
The gloves are off, bring on Saturday night.
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