There are just four teams left and little is separating Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Richmond and Geelong in the race for the 2020 AFL premiership.
Even the bookies, who make a killing by getting the odds right, are struggling to split the four.
When it comes to tomorrow night's Preliminary Final between the Power and the Tigers, it’s even closer. It’s a genuine 50-50 game.
But what if Port Adelaide could use a significant psychological edge to push them through to its first Grand Final in 13 years?
What if Port Adelaide went rogue tomorrow night and surprised its Richmond opponent, the Port Adelaide fans at home and in the stadium and the whole of the footy world but running out in the famous prison bar guernsey?
They would be unbeatable in that jumper.
Here’s how it plays out...
Port Adelaide keep it a secret by conducting the first warm up in its normal attire. Then just prior to the team entering the arena for the final time before the opening bounce, they place a towel over the change room camera to block out the prying Channel Seven eyes, change into the prison bars and run out onto the Adelaide Oval.
Imagine the roar, it would be deafening form the Port Adelaide army.
Imagine the dread on the faces of their Richmond opponents as the gaze to the other end of the stadium and see the black and white jumper staring at them in the face.
It would be game over before a ball was even bounced.
It would surely bring back memories of that fateful 2014 Elimination Final where Cotchin kicked into the wind and the ferocious Power kicked the first 7 goals of the game wearing the suit of armour that is the black and white strip.
Yes, the AFL would hate it and there would be a significant fine coming the club’s way, but it's nothing a Go Fund Me page set up by the Port Adelaide cheer squad wouldn’t be able to cover in a matter of hours.
Yes, it would damage the club’s chances of wearing the guernsey in future years, but would they really care if it gave the team the boost it needed to win the clubs second flag.
Yes, it would make Collingwood president Eddie McGuire furious.
Port Adelaide needs to channel the master of mind games, Muhammad Ali and use it as a major weapon. Ali knew he was no match for his younger and faster opponent George Foreman in “the rumble in the jungle” so he made his opponent tired and wore him out all the while whispering trach talk in his ear.
“Is that all you got, George? Come on show me something kid, you not doing nothing. Tiredness is a terrible thing, George”.
Ali then flattened Foreman with a quick combination.
Port Adelaide needs to flatten Richmond with mind games on Friday night and turn up ready for a fight in its prison bar guernsey.
You’d just love to see it.