Adelaide’s cursed season finally runs its course as injuries and form issues take their toll
THE Crows season ended in Canberra on Saturday night in much the same way it started, with injuries and setbacks to star players that hurt them all year.
ADELAIDE’S season died in the nation’s capital last night and it was a death by the same thousand cuts that had slashed the Crows all season.
The injuries curse had just about been lifted at West Lakes as the list was gradually whittled down towards the end of the season and most of the big names were available as the magnets were moved on selection night.
But then the curse returned for a final hello against Greater Western Sydney. All-Australian full back Danial Talia was sorely missed against a Giants side that has so much scoring potential.
And captain Taylor Walker’s testing season continued. The forward has struggled since his interrupted pre-season, had a couple of weeks off mid-year in a bid to build up a bit of fitness and, on top of that, has had a couple of issues with the match review system.
It continued last night.
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He had just two disposals by half-time, a shadow of the influence he has at his best, and one of his tackles may come under scrutiny as match review officer Michael Christian considers his notes from the weekend.
Talia and Walker were reminders of a year that was meant to be a make-up season from last year’s grand final appearance, but was hit by challenges as early as the pre-season camp on the Gold Coast.
Injuries are considered an easy excuse and one football clubs are loath to use, but how’s this for an assortment of top Crows who have spent time on the sidelines this season – Walker, Talia, Rory Sloane, Tom Lynch and both of the Crouch brothers, Brad and club champion Matt.
For all that, the Crows continued a brave but unlikely fight to keep alive its faint finals chances last night. In the first quarter they had the ball in the right area more often than not – it had the ball in the forward half for 62 per cent in the first half.
Even with Walker having a quiet night, the forward line had multiple threats with Josh Jenkins, Eddie Betts and Lachlan Murphy having their moments.
But just like the injuries were there to illustrate both the night and the season, there were lingering issues that would not go away.
The season ended the same way it started, with injuries and the setbacks to Adelaide’s stars that cut the Crows up all year.
FIVE THINGS WE’VE LEARNED
1 THEY first started in the pre-season and were a hurtful season of the year — fade-outs. If the Crows want to get back to being flag contenders they must learn how to limit the amount of goals the opposition kicks in a short period of time when they are on the roll. Too many time a game is lost in 10 to 15 minutes and it happened again last night.
2 THE Crows are slow to react. The Giants cut up the Crows in the early part of the third quarter and it was all about what happened on the outside of the contest. At one stage, they had 27 to four uncontested possessions.
3 SAM Jacobs’ ruck craft is among the best in the competition but he needs a bit of help to carry the load. He had Rory Lobb covered in the hit-outs but struggled to contain him around the ground.
4 CAPTAIN Taylor Walker has fought against the odds and a bad hand of cards all season and doesn’t need to be slammed for having a quiet night. All he needs is a good pre-season ahead of next year.
5 ALL-AUSTRALIAN Brodie Smith, playing in just his second AFL game after knee reconstruction a year ago, was a treat to watch and his contribution underlined how he is another star who had been missed this season.
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