ADELAIDE coach Matthew Nicks has brushed aside suggestions a youthful, flu-hit Port Adelaide will be vulnerable in Saturday's Showdown at Adelaide Oval.
The Power, without suspended goalsneak Willie Rioli for the clash, have rested ruckman Scott Lycett in favour of second-gamer Dante Visentini, while club games-record holder Travis Boak has been relegated to the substitute role.
With Dan Houston, Sam Powell-Pepper and 2021 Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines all missing Friday's captain's run with flu symptoms, Port's depth could be tested.
But Nicks isn't anticipating a smooth ride.
"Age and experience is one area, there's also speed, power, talent," he said.
"Port Adelaide's is a very, very high-end midfield.
"By no means do we come into this game thinking we'll get a massive advantage there.
"We're confident with the style of footy we're playing but we're coming up against a very good midfield."
Reilly O'Brien will ruck for Adelaide's more seasoned on-ball division, piloted by captain Jordan Dawson alongside Rory Laird and Matt Crouch.
"We're definitely a much younger team around the ball," Power coach Ken Hinkley conceded.
"That's OK, we've been quite a bit younger all the way through this year.
"If you look purely at age, we're four-to-five years younger than the Crows' mids, which is a significant difference but one we're happy to take on."
Hinkley and Nicks, in their joint press conference on the eve of their round three clash which the Crows won by 31 points, didn't disguise the fact they openly barracked against their hometown rivals most weeks.
It's been a different story of late.
Adelaide cheered on Port in recent clashes against Carlton, Gold Coast and Essendon - all bidding for finals berths - while the Power did likewise when the Crows almost pinched victories against Port's top-four co-inhabitants Melbourne and Collingwood.
"We've been barracking for them over the last six weeks," said Nicks, whose 13th-ranked team sits six points outside the top eight.
"We want them to beat every team they play against because (their opposition) are fighting for spots where we're trying to get in, that (top) eight.
"We've got to win every game we can out of this next five and it starts with tomorrow night.
"This is a huge game for both teams."
The second-placed Power have followed their club record 13-game winning streak with back-to-back defeats over the past fortnight.
"We're both chasing our own seasons in different ways," said Hinkley ahead of the 54th Showdown between the two sides, which Port enters with a narrow 27-26 head-to-head edge.
"We're right in the heart of trying to qualify as high as we possibly can and the Crows are doing exactly the same thing, right in the heart of trying to qualify to play for finals.
"I get that it's a Showdown and they are big games regardless.
"This one is big for both teams in terms of the current positions."
