Stung by a rare series of missed tackles, Adelaide captain Rory Sloane is hell-bent on nailing a few Port Adelaide rivals in the expected "finals-like" intensity of Showdown 50.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 31-year-old midfielder averages 5.5 tackles a game across 13 seasons but failed to register a single one in the Crows' comprehensive 49-point defeat to the Western Bulldogs last week.
It was the first time in more than three years Sloane had put up a "big nought" in that category and just the third time in 226 career games.
To say it's a sore point is an understatement.
"I think I laid a couple of tackles but they were all broken," Sloane said on Tuesday.
"It upsets me, trust me, it upsets more than anyone else, having a tackle broken.
"I think that was the Doggies; they were too strong and a lot cleaner than what we were.
"But that one definitely stings, the big nought on the old tackle stat, and that will be a big focus for our whole team on the weekend."
Key forwards Taylor Walker and Elliott Himmelberg also failed to land a tackle against the Bulldogs and 15 Adelaide players had two or less.
Collectively, the Crows were out-tackled 68-57 despite having far less of the ball.
It's an area they'll have to fix if they're to get anywhere near fourth-placed Port, who have won the past three Showdowns by an average margin of just over 10 goals.
"We definitely haven't performed the last few Showdowns and we know they're big games, they're finals-like games, so not performing in those games absolutely stings," Sloane said.
"We know where we stand at the moment but for us it's focusing on the big lessons we learnt from the Doggies game on the weekend and how we're going to finish the season.
"The Showdown is the perfect lead-in for these three weeks."
Sloane expects Himmelberg (knee contusion) and Chayce Jones (corked quad) to be cleared to take on Port Adelaide after they were hurt during the Bulldogs game.
The skipper said ball magnet Matt Crouch may return in the SANFL this week after recovering from groin surgery in May.
"He pulled up pretty well from (a big training session over the weekend) so he wants to have a crack and play some footy throughout the end of the season," Sloane said.
"It's been a pretty tough and long season for Matty without playing much football and that's what we all want to do."
Australian Associated Press
