THE image of brothers Shane and Troy Bond embracing in the rain after Showdown II is one of the most iconic and enduring images to emerge from the cross-town rivalry between Port Adelaide and Adelaide.

It is then perhaps fitting that it has been chosen to adorn the new Variety Showdown Shield to be presented to the victor when the Power meets the Crows on Saturday evening.

Shane, then with the Power, recalled feeling mixed emotions on that day in August 1997 when his side had just let slip a lead to go down to his brother Troy’s Crows by seven points.

“I remember his big cheesy grin after the siren went but I remember we were in front most of the day and it was a wet day and I remember late in the game I went towards a ball-up and the ball got kicked back,” Shane said.

“I looked behind me and Troy was sitting there with the ball in his arms and a big cheesy smile on his face.

“I think he kicked the goal to put them in front and then they kicked one more and they won the game.”

Shane was a Port Adelaide junior who was drafted by West Coast and went on to win the 1994 premiership there.

He returned to be an important member of the Power’s inaugural AFL list, and said among the good times at Alberton, that Showdown II image of him and his brother lived long in his memory.

“I don’t think we said much,” he said.

“All I can remember is Troy had this big cheeky look on his face and I couldn’t help but smile back and he gave me a hug.

“The next day the image was in the paper and I had a lot of people ring me and tell me how much they loved the picture so it just brings back a lot of good memories.”

Recalling the day conjured similar emotions for Troy – who also rose through the ranks with the Magpies before being drafted to Carlton, and eventually returning to play for Adelaide.

“You’re saying well done to all the other boys but the first thing I saw was Shane,” Troy said.

“As soon as the siren went, I said ‘Bad Luck’, you know we didn’t say that much, and then we hugged and it was captured beautifully.

“I’ve got the picture at home and Mum and Dad have it at home as well, so it’s great memories.”

The brothers only found out on Sunday that they would feature on the new Variety Showdown Shield, part of a new partnership with charity Variety which will also see the Variety Showdown Medal awarded to the best on ground.

“It’s just a fantastic honour and very humbling,” Shane said.

“It’s a little bit embarrassing and very humbling but to have my kids see that and my parents and my community and relatives is just very humbling.”

Troy said Port Adelaide’s Director of Aboriginal Programs, Paul Vandenbergh told him the news by phone. 

“I thought he was mucking around at first,” he said.

“It’s very humbling and a great honour and something the family can look back on with pride.”

Troy said coming up against Port Adelaide was always difficult, not least because of his history of playing with the club and having his brother and Gavin Wanganeen, who he had grown up with, there.

“I started playing here when I was a junior and went up through the ranks to play league football before I was drafted to Carlton.

“I will always love the Port Adelaide Football Club, even to this day, and while I played with the Magpies and not the Power, the club has always looked after me.”

“There were mixed emotions obviously because you want to win with your team but then you think you might cop a roasting from Jack (Cahill), who was coaching (Port) back then, but it was always difficult to play in a Showdown.

“I loved them but it was always hard because I was always standing Shane or Gavin.”

Shane was confident Port Adelaide was due to win on Saturday to end a string of five straight defeats to Adelaide, while Troy wasn’t so sure.

“The Crows are probably in the box seat, but anything can happen in a Showdown and I just love it when it’s a close game, so I just hope we get that.”

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