Liverpool FC visit Adelaide Oval for Aussie Rules clash - plus players meet fans in city

Liverpool FC visit Adelaide Oval for Aussie Rules clash - plus players meet fans in city

Use your head like Sadio and subscribe to the Liverpool FC newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Liverpool's players and staff paid a special visit to the Adelaide Oval to watch a bruising Aussie Rules derby clash.

The Reds got a taste of the kind of reception that awaits them when they face Adelaide United at the historic venue on Monday as a record crowd of 54,468 turned out for the showdown between the city's two sporting giants.

The trip was organised by Darren Burgess, who was Liverpool's head of fitness and conditioning from 2010 to 2012.

Burgess is now head of high performance for Port Adelaide, who were locking horns with rivals Adelaide Crows.

Brendan Rodgers and Sean O'Driscoll sat in the coaching box to observe what a matchday is like for the Port Adelaide coaches, while the Reds' head of performance Glen Driscoll was on the touchline with Burgess and Port's other support staff.

"It was a wonderful experience – my first Aussie Rules game," Rodgers said.

"It was certainly different. The format was really interesting.

"I spoke with the manager at length. You learn from all sports. I look into the experiences of different managers.

"The communication levels that need to go on with 18 players and running subs – it's certainly unique.

"It's an iconic stadium and I was interested in the dynamic of the game. The players seemed to be running and running."

Plenty of the Liverpool squad accepted the opportunity to attend the game prior to training at Coopers Stadium.

WATCH: LFC watch Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Captain Jordan Henderson took a seat in the media centre to watch the action unfold, along with James Milner, Lazar Markovic, Nathaniel Clyne, Mamadou Sakho, Lucas Leiva, Simon Mignolet, Dejan Lovren, Danny Ings, Divock Origi, Martin Skrtel and Adam Lallana.

Henderson said: “It's a fantastic stadium and the atmosphere was brilliant. It's the first time I've watched Aussie Rules and these guys are tough.

“Now we're looking forward to coming back here to play.”

It was an especially poignant occasion with the two teams facing each other just a fortnight after Crows coach Phil Walsh was stabbed to death.

Both clubs paid their respects prior to kick-off as the players ran out under a huge banner with his name on it while his image was on the stadium's big screens.

There was also also an emotional rendition of Port's anthem 'Never Tear Us Apart'.

"I want to pass on my condolences to Phil Walsh's family and the city of Adelaide," Rodgers said.

"As a fellow coach of a different sport I have great empathy and sadness for the events that have happened here."

The two teams served up a thriller with Adelaide Crows running out 116-113 winners.