Power coach Ken Hinkley has had the wood over John Longmire for close to a decade. Sydney, without a win over Port Adelaide in their last eight meetings, has yet to beat them since 2016.
The two sides meet again this Friday for a riveting preliminary final at the SCG, and in a comical twist, it's the minor premier in Sydney who are the comfortable favourites at home.
Port Adelaide's horror home qualifying final loss to Geelong is a large factor for the external doubt facing Hinkley's men, but history suggests they are set for a grand final berth, and with some authority.
Port Adelaide's average winning margin over the Swans since 2017 reads 34 points, and their only meeting this season culminated in a 112-point drubbing, giving the Power a clear edge in the recent history column.
Granted, the eight-game patch includes a four-year absence from the SCG, where the match will be played this week, but the Power still has a proven ability to win on the Swans' home soil.
Looking back at each of their last eight encounters, some trends pop up.
The key forwards often stand up; Charlie Dixon and Lance Franklin booting 3+ on numerous occasions. Franklin has retired and Dixon is well past his prime, leaving few talls to worry about in either front half.
Callum Mills and Dan Houston rank as the two best performers of the last five years when these teams meet. Neither will play Friday night.
Port Adelaide's midfield holds a clear edge; Ollie Wines and Connor Rozee are particularly prone to performing well against the Swans.
Isaac Heeney loves a typical 20+ disposal, 2+ goal outing against the Power despite the poor win/loss record.
Let's take a trip down memory lane and peek at each of their last eight encounters between Ken Hinkley's Power and John Longmire's Swans.
Round 21, 2024 - Port Adelaide (148 vs 36) Sydney,ย AO
This was the low-point of Sydney's temporary collapse in the dying stages of the season, when the eventual minor premier were shellshocked by a clinical fast-moving Power outfit, falling to a 70-point deficit before even registering their first score.
Willem Drew, Ollie Wines, Zak Butters, Jason Horne-Francis and Connor Rozee were left to their own devices all night through the midfield, and all of Charlie Dixon, Mitch Georgiades and Willie Rioli had a field day up forward.
The Swans were deplorable, and coach John Longmire said so afterwards.
Whether the last matchup being a 112-point drubbing boosts Port Adelaide's confidence or shakes Sydney into exerting their full capacity is yet to be known, but a riveting Friday night encounter awaits nonetheless.
Round 4, 2023 - Sydney (64 vs 66) Port Adelaide,ย SCG
This was the famous game-saving Aliir Aliir spoil on the goal-line, knocking Ollie Florent's go-ahead set shot after the siren back into the field of play, saving Hinkley and the Power from a heartbreaking loss at the death.
Chad Warner was best-afield at home, racking up 30 with two goals, while Jeremy Finlayson down the other end proved the difference on the night, booting three pivotal majors including the go-ahead goal 28 minutes into the last.
Florent played one of his best games as a Swan and thought he was the matchwinner with his final kick, while opposing mids Zak Butters, Xavier Duursma, Connor Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis did the bulk of the dirty work for Port Adelaide.
Round 14, 2022 - Port Adelaide (82 vs 59) Sydney,ย AO
Port got 'em again in Sydney's runner-up season, and there were familiar names doing most of the damage.
Connor Rozee and Ollie Wines were clinical, earning 15 coaches' votes between them, while Todd Marshall (4) and Charlie Dixon (2) provided the main goal-kicking threat.
Again, Jeremy Finlayson was impacftul, albeit as the primary ruck.
For Sydney, Isaac Heeney kicked four up forward, while Callum Mills and Luke Parker carried the midfield load.
Round 15, 2021 - Port Adelaide (81 vs 71) Sydney,ย AO
Port Adelaide's last preliminary final year.
Charlie Dixon was the driving force behind this win, earning a perfect 10 coaches votes for his 19 disposals and two goals.
On the other side, it was Lance Franklin keeping the Swans in it, kicking four himself and finishing off the work of Luke Parker, Callum Mills and former Swans Jordan Dawson and George Hewett up the ground.
Travis Boak was Port Adelaide's best on the inside, Ollie Wines, Willem Drew and Dan Houston supported admirably, while a young Connor Rozee was quiet with just 13 disposals and a goal.
Round 14, 2020 - Port Adelaide (73 vs 47) Sydney,ย AO
Plenty of weird went on in the COVID-struck 2020 AFL season, but this result was as expected.
Sydney would eventually miss the final eight while Port ran away with the minor premiership, and it was retired great Robbie Gray who was most prolific in this one; kicking two goals with 27 touches and six tackles.
Dixon booted another four goals in his near-Coleman Medal-winning season, while former Lion Tom Rockliff chimed in with 24 disposals.
Jake Lloyd, Jordan Dawson, Callum Mills and Josh Kennedy were the Swans' best in yet another loss.
Round 21, 2019 - Port Adelaide (103 vs 56) Sydney,ย AO
The first of four straight home meetings for the Power against Sydney after a four-year absence from the Adelaide Oval.
Rookie Connor Rozee stepped up with 20 disposals and three goals in the win, while Darcy Byrne-Jones ran amok off half-back.
Dixon booted another three, Wines kicked two from his 22 touches as the Power cruised home.
Isaac Heeney and Ollie Florent were Sydney's best, the former with a typical 20-disposal, two-goal performance while the latter had 25 kicks.
Round 2, 2018 - Sydney (71 vs 94) Port Adelaide,ย SCG
We're approaching ancient history in this timeline, with by-gone Swans Jarrad McVeigh, Dan Hannebery, Heath Grundy and Kieren Jack featuring in this loss.
Indeed, McVeigh was one of Sydney's best behind Isaac Heeney (22 disp, 1 goal), Luke Parker (27 disp, 1 goal) and Lance Franklin (4 goals) this day, the veteran gathered 28 disposals, next best to Josh Kennedy's 33.
Ollie Wines got the three Brownlow votes with 35 disposals and a goal, while winger Jared Polec did damage with his 21 disposals, nailing two majors himself.
Robbie Gray, Justin Westhoff and Travis Boak rounded out Port Adelaide's best.
Round 1, 2017 - Sydney (82 vs 110) Port Adelaide,ย SCG
This result kicked Sydney into the Port Adelaide spin but also kicked off a start-of-season funk after losing the 2016 Grand Final.
The Swans would go 0-6 to start the season following this opener, before charging into the eight later in the year from a Gary Rohan match-winner from the goal square.
Buddy Franklin was awarded the three Brownlow votes despite the loss, booting four goals from 18 disposals.
Ollie Wines, Brad Ebert and Travis Boak led the Power midfield, while young gun Chad Wingard did the damage up forward, slotting three alongside forgotten forward Aaron Young, who also kicked three.
