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Sport Nation
Find your Sport Nation frequencyIn the gun: King calls on Crows coach ahead of must-win Showdown
Jaiden Sciberras • May 10th, 2025 5:53 pm
SEN's David King has thrown Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks in the gun ahead of Showdown 57.
With Showdown history sitting at 28 wins a piece, the Crows enter the Saturday night clash as favourites to claim top spot on the mantle in South Australia.
Off the back of Adelaide’s 60-point dismantling of Carlton in Round 8, the Crows have cemented their position amongst the competition’s best, and as Port Adelaide continue to struggle for form, King believes that Matthew Nicks’ men should get the job done with relative ease.
“I’m putting Matty Nicks in the gun,” King told SEN’s Fireball.
“I want Nicksy just to attack this game like no other. I think sometimes in this build up to the showdown can consume both parties, and they’re getting so nervous and pent up a bit about what’s coming that they don’t play their best footy.
“I want the Crows to release the shackles and blow Port Adelaide to the sheizenhouse.
“I think if Adelaide are a serious football team, they put 10 goals on them.”
Beyond the result, King has demanded that Crows captain Jordan Dawson should continue to be deployed in the front half.
Rotating through the forward-line against the Blues, Dawson was unstoppable, booting three majors to go with 22 disposals, seven marks and eight tackles.
“I’m putting Nicksy in the gun because I reckon, they’ll get the job done convincingly, but I want to see more of Jordan Dawson in full forward.
“I want to see him playing the new role that (Patrick) Dangerfield and Marcus Bontempelli are working their way.
“So, for me, sold on Matty Nicks getting the job done by no less than eight goals.”
Showdown 57 kicks off on 8:10pm AEST this Saturday at Adelaide Oval, with the winner claiming bragging rights in South Australia.
