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Port confident AFL Showdown will be in SA

3 minute read

Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies says playing GWS in Melbourne instead of Queensland is a "good outcome" for his AFL side.

Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Port Adelaide are confident next week's Showdown against Adelaide will be played at Adelaide Oval, despite Australia's COVID-19 outbreak wreaking more havoc on the AFL's fixturing.

The announcement on Saturday of a three-day lockdown in south-east Queensland forced the AFL to shift three round 20 matches out of the sate.

The Power were originally scheduled to take on GWS at Metricon Stadium on Sunday, but that match has now been moved to Marvel Stadium.

Both Adelaide and Port were forced to flee South Australia on July 20 after the state went into a seven-day lockdown.

The Showdown between the arch rivals is scheduled for next Saturday, but the AFL is yet to lock in a venue.

Port's general manager of football Chris Davies is confident the game will be played in Adelaide.

"We're certainly going home on Monday. So on the basis they (Adelaide) are too, I think the game most likely is going to be in Adelaide," Davies said.

"The first thing we'll have to do when we get home is spend a period of time in our houses isolating - only coming out to go to the club for rehab or training purposes.

"Then I'm sure SA Health will look at whatever needs to happen from there, if we're able to spend time in the community or not.

"First and foremost is to make sure we can at the very least leave our houses in order to go to training and then return - as any professional sporting team needs to do.

"That's the reason why we left Adelaide in the first place - because it wasn't granted to either Adelaide or us.

"But right now when we get home, it's been confirmed we'll be able to isolate, go to training and then come home."

The AFL's fixture switch on Saturday has ended up benefiting the Power.

Instead of having to fly to Queensland on the day of the game to face the Giants, the Power have been able to remain in Melbourne.

"We're fine from our perspective to not have to get up and fly in on the day of the game, it's a good outcome," Davies said.

Sunday's match will be crucial for both GWS and Port.

The Giants started the round just half a win ahead of a bunch of teams, while the Power (13-5) are attempting to lock down a top-four spot.

GWS have been boosted by the return of star forward Toby Greene after his two-match stint in isolation, while Port welcome back forward Orazio Fantasia after his recovery from knee surgery.

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