PORT ADELAIDE hosts West Adelaide at Alberton Oval in Round 12 of the SANFL Statewide Super League competition on Sunday afternoon.
Port is back in the top five after three consecutive wins over Sturt, Norwood and North Adelaide, and they will be looking to strengthen their position against Westies this weekend.
Ahead of the important clash with the Bloods, portadelaidefc.com.au looks back on the 60th anniversary of the famous 1959 Grand Final, which saw Port Adelaide break the record for the most consecutive premierships - a record that still stands to this day.
Speaking ahead of the club’s 2018 Hall of Fame event - in which the 1954-59 premiership teams were inducted - the legendary Geof Motley said it was an honour to be part of a special period for the club.
“I am unbelievably proud to be a part of those teams, just to be one of them,” Motley said.
“We played on the basis that we could not possibly let down the followers of the Port Adelaide Football Club - the greatest gift we could give them was a premiership.
“All records were made to be broken, but that one I think you will find extremely difficult to break.”
2019 marks 60 years since the Magpies defeated West Adelaide by 10 points in front of nearly 50 thousand fans at Adelaide Oval, to claim its sixth consecutive premiership.
October 3, 1959 will go down in the history of Australian football, and it was Motley who led his team to the record-breaking victory.
He was adjudged best afield in the 10-point win, while Wally Dittmar (four goals) and Peter Obst (three goals) were the most damaging players in the attacking half.
The Magpies shot out of the blocks early with a five-goal-to-one opening term, before they piled on another four goals to take a 36-point lead into the main break.
West Adelaide managed to reduce the margin to 23 points at the final change, and despite a four-goal-to-two last quarter from the Bloods, it wasn’t enough as Port ran out 13.9 (87) to 11.11 (77) winners.
The rivalry between Port Adelaide and West Adelaide was at its highest point in the 50-60s, with the Magpies beating the Bloods in four of the record-breaking six premierships.
Along with the 1959 victory, Port also defeated the Bloods in 1954 (three points), 1956 (16 points) and 1958 (two points).
The two sides also met in 1962 - the last time they met in a grand final - with the Magpies again prevailing by three points.
Sunday will be the 276th encounter between Port and West, with the Magpies holding a 168-105 (two draws) head-to-head record over the Bloods.
At Alberton, the advantage is well and truly in Port’s favour 81-24 with one draw.
The Magpies host West Adelaide at Alberton Oval on Sunday 7 July, with the first bounce commencing at 2.10pm.
