Power captain Travis Boak and Crows co-captain Rory Sloane. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: Sarah Reed / News Limited
PORT Adelaide captain Travis Boak has credited the Power's strong finishes as much to a wave of confidence as the fitness regime instituted by internationally regarded high performance manager Darren Burgess as the Power prepare for their first AFL away game at Adelaide Oval. Port, undefeated at the rebuilt ground, will face being outnumbered on the terraces against the Crows on Sunday.
But Boak spoke of the self-assurance from repeatedly running out games rather than being overly concerned with a few slow starts, one of which came against the Western Bulldogs last week before the Power ran over the top of them.
"There's certainly the belief there and I think in footy confidence is a huge thing,'' Boak said. "And we've certainly got that confidence that we're able to run out games really well.
"It does show that our training during the week, our training in the pre-season is really standing up to that.
"But it certainly has a lot to do with confidence and we back ourselves in at three-quarter time no matter the position (we are in).''
Book was not overly concerned about the slow stars against the Western Bulldogs last week.
It had been an issue last year which was widely addressed, but Boak had seen an improvement this season.
"I don't think it's been too often this year; I think it's only been a couple of games,'' Boak said. "It all depends on the opposition as well. I think the Bulldogs came out really strong and were up and about.
"For us it's all about holding the momentum but there are going to be momentum swings; sometimes it's in the first quarter and on the weekend it was.
"But we were able to withstand that pressure and go on from there. We're not always going to have perfect starts and we're not always going to have perfect last quarters.''
Port Adelaide's leaders have urged their teammates to embrace the buildup to Showdown XXXVII rather than trying to hide from the spotlight and treat it like any other game.
It comes as the Power enter the Adelaide Oval clash on Sunday as heavily-backed favourites — Port was $1.36 to the Crows' $3.15 by TattsBet on Tuesday — and Boak said there was no way to hide from the hype as it builds up during the week.
It is why he has told his teammates to soak it up and use it as a learning tool; there is no match more similar to a finals match than Showdowns and it should be used as a learning tool to prepare for the finals.
"I think you've got to embrace it,'' Boak said.
"We definitely speak to our young guys who have just to take it all in and embrace it.
"It is sort of like a final and you can't really hide away from it. It's in the papers and it's on the news.
"But once it comes to game day, you just go out and play footy and that's what we do.
"But you can't hide away from it.''
Adelaide co-captain Rory Sloane acknowledged the importance of the game as the Crows attempt to even their win-loss ledger at 7-7, but doesn't believe its season over if his team loses.
"It will certainly be hard (to play finals) if we lose this week but I don't think it's out of the question," Sloane said.
"We know if we can string a few games together than jumping into the eight is a possibility and obviously that's where we want to be."
The key to winning for Adelaide could be as simple as naming Sloane as captain on its teamsheet.
The Crows are 5-1 when Sloane is the official captain this season and 1-6 under Patrick Dangerfield.
"That's just on the teamsheet. We share the load during games," Sloane said.
"Maybe if we just write it down there every week, there might be a little bit in that."
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