MELBOURNE will have to overcome history if it is to beat Port Adelaide in a Friday night blockbuster at Adelaide Oval.
The Demons have never won a Friday night game interstate in eight attempts since 1991, although it is their first interstate Friday night match since 2006.
Between 2011 and 2016, the Power won seven consecutive meetings involving the sides but the Demons arrested that run with wins in each of the last two clashes.
The last time they met Melbourne won by 23 points at the MCG.
In Adelaide, the Demons have won three of six games, but they played against Port in only three of those games, winning once.
Overall the Power has won 19 of the 32 meetings between the sides.
Melbourne’s Oscar McDonald is playing his 50th AFL game while Port Adelaide’s Brad Ebert is playing his 150th for the club after 76 at West Coast.
The teams
Port Adelaide has made just one change to the team which beat the Western Bulldogs last week, with Tom Jonas recovering from a hamstring complaint.
Jack Hombsch has been omitted while Jack Trengove, Jack Watts, Aidyn Johnson and Hombsch have been named as emergencies for the clash.
Melbourne has made two changes, bringing in Timothy Smith and Dom Tyson, the latter for his first match since Round 8.
Charlie Spargo and Cameron Pedersen have been omitted.
The last word
Ken Hinkley
“They’re strong, their contested ball stuff is outstanding inside, and they’ve got some dangers in their front half with Hogan and McDonald kicking goals, running half backs, they’ve just got a good balance.;
“They’re a ready team – I’ll call them a ready team – and they play some high-level football.
“There’ll be some fireworks out there early.
“It’s
“They’re two outstanding rucks - Max is just a great player and Paddy’s in pretty good nick at the moment - so it’s going to be something people will want to come and have a look at.
“If you’re coming for something, come and watch Max and Paddy go at it and I reckon the winner’s probably going to have a pretty big impact.”
Simon Goodwin
"We're not oblivious ... the noise is that we can't play in these types of games, so it's another opportunity for us to grow.
"Those narratives we've changed along the way, (winning) at Etihad, (beating) St Kilda and North Melbourne.
"Our players are looking forward to that challenge.
"How we play won't change how Jack (Watts) plays or doesn't play.
“Jack was a really big part of our footy club for a long period of time.
“He's started a new journey at Port Adelaide and with that takes some time to settle in as well.”
More on portadelaidefc.com.au...
