Adelaide coach Matthew Clarke and Port Adelaide coach Lauren Arnell ahead of the R1 AFLW match. Picture: Adelaide FC

ADELAIDE won't make the mistake of writing off expansion club Port Adelaide when they face off again.

The Crows won by 60 points against their cross-city rivals in the first AFLW Showdown in 2022, with Port kicking only three behinds.

With the second iteration of the derby to be played on Saturday, Crows coach Matthew Clarke says he doesn't expect another easy win over Port Adelaide.

"In the history of Showdown, that one will be the aberration," he said on Friday.

"Port were coming off with a really limited preparation with a really young squad.

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"They've added an amazing amount of experience since the game last year.

"It'll be what we'll see from here on forward in terms of the rivalry and competitiveness.

"For those coming along, expect a fierce contest."

With a full pre-season under its belt, Port Adelaide will walk into the opening derby with two 30-point wins over St Kilda and GWS.

The Power struggled in their first season, managing to snatch only one win after scrambling to put together a team in four months.

But 10 months on, the side boasts some of the biggest gains across the player-trading season.

Former Crow and 2022 League-leading goalkicker Ashleigh Saint and Fremantle's All-Australian Janelle Cuthbertson are among the new recruits at Port.

Ashleigh Saint in action during a practice match between Port Adelaide and St Kilda at Alberton Oval on August 18, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Two-time All-Australian Gemma Houghton will also play in her first Showdown for Port, after an ankle injury limited her to just four games last season.

"We feel we've made a lot of progress off the back of last year," Port coach Lauren Arnell said on Friday.

"Particularly for those experienced players last year, having two seasons in 12 months was pretty challenging for them.

"We've added eight new players to our team, we got three club debutants and an AFLW debutant tomorrow so why not test it against what's been one of the best sides in the competition for eight years now?

"Having a Showdown in round one is just exciting."