ADELAIDE has held off a late Port Adelaide surge to pip its bitter rival by five points in yet another Showdown thriller.
Five Crows booted multiple goals in a 13.11 (89) to 12.12 (84) victory before a bumper 53,117-strong crowd at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
POWER v CROWS Full match coverage and stats
Adelaide led by two points at three-quarter time and made a defining move with three goals in a four-minute burst in the last term - two in 60 seconds from Izak Rankine.
But just when the Power appeared out, Port booted two late goals - the last from Jeremy Finlayson reducing the deficit to four points with one minute 47 seconds remaining.
The Crows survived the frantic finale to edge the Power 29-28 in the overall record with coach Matthew Nicks praising his players for grinding a win.
"The game wasn't where we wanted it for patches," Nicks said.
"We probably dodged a few bullets ... but when we had our chances, we took them."
The Irishman - who took a courageous contested mark to deny a Port attack in the last minute - pushed out with his legs, connecting with the midriff of Finlayson, in the third quarter.
Adelaide retains a grip on fifth spot with Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty slotting three goals each and Rankine, Josh Rachele and Ben Keays booting two.
Thilthorpe was an immense aerial presence, grabbing 10 marks - half of them contested - while ex-Giant James Peatling (24 disposals) and defender Josh Worrell (23) were influential.
Port skipper Connor Rozee (32 disposals, seven inside 50s, one goal) became the first player to win the Showdown medal outright in a losing side.
The gong was jointly awarded to Adelaide's Simon Goodwin and Port's Shaun Burgoyne in round 20, 2005 but until Rozee, all other medals went to winning players.
"He has had a great year, he has been amazing," Power coach Ken Hinkley said.
"He was the best player on the ground. I don't necessarily like the losing side getting that medal but Connor deserved it, he was outstanding."
Rozee's deputy Zak Butters (33 possessions) was typically busy and Miles Bergman's tag on Jordan Dawson paid off, restricting the Crows skipper to 14 touches.
Finlayson slotted three goals and teammates Mitch Georgiades, Darcy Byrne-Jones and Sam Powell-Pepper scored two apiece.
Adelaide opened with a dominant quarter-hour for a 15-1 lead, but led by only three at quarter-time, 3.4 to 3.1.
An after-the-siren conversion from Crow Josh Rachele gave Adelaide a five-point buffer at half-time, 7.8 to 7.3.
The tide turned towards Port early in the third quarter with Rozee scoring after a 50m penalty against Rankine rapidly followed by a Powell-Pepper strike.
The Power led by nine points before the Crows rallied with the next three goals - the first from Thilthorpe after another strong mark - for an eight-point lead.
But a stunning snap from a tight angle by Jason Horne-Francis reduced Port's deficit to just two points at three quarter-time.
The Crows then kicked three goals in four minutes and were 21 points up before Port's late flourish - Byrne-Jones and Finlayson goaled only for their side to fall just short.
Showdown Medal voting
14 - Connor Rozee
5 - Riley Thilthorpe
4 - Zak Butters
4 - Josh Worrell
2 - James Peatling
1 - Miles Bergman
Connor Rozee's minute of mayhem.
Port Adelaide took the lead for the first time early in the second quarter before a Ben Keays snap appeared to put Adelaide back in front. However, replays showed a magnificent dive from Connor Rozee had put a fingertip on the ball, making the Power skipper the man of the moment. A moment later though and it all turned around as Rozee flubbed the kick out, the ball finishing up back on Keays' boot and this time sailing through for a major.
Even Izak was surprised by this bit of magic
A match that was calling out for a gamebreaker got one in the final term, and there was no surprise who put their hand up. After a relatively modest first three quarters Izak Rankine decided it was Go time, kicking his first goal to stretch the Crows' lead to 15 points, the largest margin of the game to that stage. But it was his second a minute later, a mid-air soccer strike that snuck through a gap that didn't exist, that took the breath away - from the crowd, Port Adelaide and seemingly Rankine himself.
Showdowns rarely disappoint
It's not the oldest rivalry in the AFL but it's definitely the most bitterly fought. The passion is palpable both on the field and off, with every Showdown moment given gravitas beyond its real-world worth and bragging rights not just held, but actively wielded until the next time the sides meet. The Crows now lead the ledger 29 to 28, meaning Port will be breathing fire in the lead-up to Showdown 58 in round 20 - Ken Hinkley's last derby and possibly one with both teams fighting for a finals spot. Bring it on!
PORT ADELAIDE 3.1 7.3 10.6 12.12 (84)
ADELAIDE 3.4 7.8 10.8 13.11 (89)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Finlayson 3, Powell-Pepper 2, Georgiades 2, Byrne-Jones 2, Rozee, Horne-Francis, Burton
Adelaide: Thilthorpe 3, Fogarty 3, Keays 2, Rankine 2, Rachele 2, Neal-Bullen
BEST
Port Adelaide: Rozee, Butters, Wines, Byrne-Jones, Finlayson
Adelaide: Thilthorpe, Fogarty, Keays, Peatling, O'Brien, Keane
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: TBC
Adelaide: TBC
SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Christian Moraes, replaced Jed McEntee at three-quarter time
Adelaide: Sam Berry, replaced Daniel Curtin in the third quarter
Crowd: 53,117 at Adelaide Oval
