- Crows star fuelled intense rivalry with risky gestureÂ
- It backfired as his team lost match by 22 pointsÂ
Crows star Josh Rachele has left Port Adelaide fans enraged by pointing to his mouth as he celebrated kicking a goal in his team’s loss on Saturday night.
The gesture saw him double down on his controversial pre-match remarks that Power supporters ‘don’t have many teeth’ as he added a new chapter to the clubs’ long and intense rivalry, which splits the city in two.Â
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks urged his players not to become ‘robots‘ despite Rachele’s verbal barbs and goal celebration backfiring in the ill-tempered defeat.
Rachele kicked a brilliant second-quarter goal at Adelaide Oval and goaded Power fans with the teeth display while he celebrated in their faces on the boundary line.
Before the match, he also said he didn’t care if the Power faithful jeered him and followed up with a faux apology on social media before the game.
‘I shouldn’t have said that … I know [it’s a Port home game],’ the 21-year-old told Adelaide radio station FIVEAA after making the teeth remark.
When asked if he expects a hostile reception, the youngster was adamant his comments will add to the sporting theatre.
‘Nah, I’m not concerned if they boo me,’ he said. ‘I love it.’
Crows star Josh Rachele turned half of Adelaide against him by pointing to his mouth after scoring a goal against the Power on Saturday night
The 21-year-old did it to double down after saying Port fans ‘don’t have many teeth’ prior to the match – and some Power supporters brought lolly teeth to the match as a way of hitting back
Rachele’s comments got under the skin of Port premiership player turned media identity Kane Cornes, who suggested the forward better have the game of his life.
Crows captain Jordan Dawson and teammate Darcy Fogarty also taunted Port with provocative pre-match comments that fanned the flames of the rivalry.
But the Power had the last laugh in their 11.14 (80) to 8.10 (58) victory, locking in a top-four finish, while the Crows will miss the finals.
Some Port fans even brought lolly teeth to the game and held them out to Rachele during the action.Â
‘When you’ve got a night like tonight where it’s got everything, part of that is the theatre and part of that’s the adrenaline that’s pumping through people’s bodies,’ Nicks said.
‘People in the stands, their heart rates are through the roof, and from our players and their point of view, they’re doing it as well with physical fatigue and working their way through.
‘So emotions are high. It’s a part of footy and if we stamp that out we become robots, and it worries me.
‘But we can get carried away at times. I think most people in the stadium did tonight.’
Rachele’s gesture backfired as his side lost by 22 points to miss out on the finals – and he was involved in a heated scuffle with Port stars Zak Butters and Connor Rozee (pictured)
Adelaide led by nine points at halftime as they chased a fourth consecutive win over their arch-rivals, but were outscored seven goals to two after the main break.
Nicks conceded Port responded better to a third-quarter flashpoint, when Dan Houston flattened Crows forward Izak Rankine with a high bump.
‘You learn a fair bit from tonight,’ Nicks said.
‘When you look back on the key moments in that second half, some of our guys are still understanding where composure is needed.
‘The emotion’s high but there’s a key to that – you’ve then got to knuckle down and play footy.’
Nicks said Rankine was ‘up and about’ after the game, having been driven off the ground on a medical cart.
Rankine will miss the Crows’ final game of the season when they take on ladder leaders Sydney at the SCG on Saturday night.
