AS FAR as Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is concerned, there's no more fierce rivalry in the AFL than the Showdown.
"I think it's as big as you get when it comes to our competition," Hinkley said ahead of Saturday night's crucial encounter against the Crows at Adelaide Oval.
"I don't think there's a bigger game in the competition than Port Adelaide versus Adelaide, it's a massive game.
"They've been such great games that the rivalry grows."
The Crows hold a slender 23-22 advantage heading into Showdown 46, with both teams winning four of their opening seven matches this season.
Both of last year's encounters went down to the wire – Steven Motlop delivering the match-winning goal with less than 30 seconds on the clock for the Power in round eight, before Josh Jenkins kicked a controversial goal that appeared to graze the post to get the Crows over the line late in the season.
"It's a significant rivalry," Pyke said.
"Last year's games were as good as games of footy as you would've seen.
"It's got a focus for both teams and the town, and it's a great game of footy to be part of."
Injuries have struck both sides hard ahead Saturday's match-up.
The Power are without co-captains Ollie Wines and Tom Jonas, Robbie Gray, Brad Ebert, Charlie Dixon, Hamish Hartlett and Jack Watts, while the Crows are missing Sam Jacobs, Wayne Milera, Bryce Gibbs, Paul Seedsman, Richard Douglas and Tom Doedee.
Pyke said the Crows – who go in as slight favourites having won their past three games – wouldn't be taking the Power lightly despite having Wines and Ebert ruled out this week.
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"I don't buy into that … we've got some guys who are missing as well," Pyke said.
"They'll be 22 for Port and 22 for us who run out.
"The reality is, they're the ones we have to focus on and they're the ones that will be responsible for getting the job done tomorrow night.
"We come up against a Port team disappointed last week in the way they played and they'll be keen to atone.
"We need to keep playing the way we've been playing to keep moving in the direction we want to go on the ladder."
The Power have made four changes from last week's 39-point loss to Collingwood, recalling former Geelong utility Motlop after three weeks in the SANFL, welcoming back defender Matthew Broadbent for his first game in 647 days, and adding speedy forwards Kane Farrell and Aidyn Johnson.
First-year talent Zak Butters and defender Riley Bonner have been dropped.
Meanwhile, defender Luke Brown returns for his first game of the season for the Crows, replacing Gibbs, who has a back complaint.
Pyke said Brown – after making his comeback in the SANFL last week after ankle surgery in March – wasn't underdone.
"He's ready to go," Pyke said.
"I spoke to him during the week and he was confident.
"You get a player of that experience, they know when they're right and he felt like he was right.
"We're excited to have him back in the team."
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