AFL 2021: What went right and wrong for Adelaide against Sydney in Round 2
With a 1-1 record after two rounds, the Adelaide Crows are hard to gauge. But there’s a number of things that should have fans excited for 2021.
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Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks sometimes tells his players “you’re never as good as you think you are and you’re never as bad as you think you are”.
It can apply to how the Crows have started their season.
Adelaide opened its campaign with a 12-point upset home win over last year’s runner-up Geelong that shocked the football world.
The Crows followed it up with a 33-point away loss to Sydney on Saturday, during which Adelaide trailed by 51 at three-quarter time.
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So, after a 3-14 record and an inaugural wooden spoon in 2020, how much have they improved?
Early signs would suggest quite a bit from the team that started 0-13 and that Adelaide was continuing its positive finish to 2020, which yielded three wins from the last four games.
Plenty more will be revealed in the Crows’ next four games when they play teams that finished 14th (Gold Coast at home), 17th (North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium), 12th (Fremantle at home) and 15th (Hawthorn in Tasmania) last year.
“We’re still really confident in the way we’re going,” Crows halfback Brodie Smith told The Advertiser post-match on Saturday.
“We didn’t play our way in the second quarter for a period and that’s what’s cost us the game.
“It’s about learning about why it happens, where it happens and how we can fix it up a bit quicker next time.”
Here were two things that let Adelaide down and three it was able to back up from Round 1:
Second quarter lapse
Sydney’s five-goal-to-one second term was decisive.
The opening quarter was tight and Adelaide led until a Tom Hickey goal post-siren, but the margin blew out from five points to 30 by the main break.
Although it was not as poor as during some of last year’s heavy defeats, Adelaide’s pressure and aggression dropped, as the Swans began to slice them open on the rebound.
Crows coach Matthew Nicks said his side’s defensive structure was stretched and fell apart in that term.
Smith said Adelaide allowed too many marks.
Sydney led that statistic 104-59 at full-time.
“We had a lapse in the second quarter,” Smith said.
“They were getting us on ground balls, we weren’t defending the way we were last week, we didn’t come up to help each other, we sort of went into a one-on-one style.
“We feel like we fixed that in the second half but we didn’t finish our work.”
Shoddy goalkicking
The Crows had more scoring shots but booted 10.19 to Sydney’s 17.12.
Between Taylor Walker’s goal four minutes into the second quarter to his major 22 minutes into the next term, Adelaide kicked one major — Ben Keays early in the third — and 11 behinds.
In the third period, the Crows registered 2.8.
Veteran Tom Lynch, second-gamer Sam Berry (both 0.4), Rory Laird and Lachlan Murphy (both 0.2) were the most inaccurate on Saturday.
Walker (6.3) and McAdam (4.2) also missed shots they should have kicked.
“We thought our contest was pretty good throughout the day, got the ball forward, had our chances and didn’t take them,” Smith said.
“If we kick a bit straighter in the third quarter, we put some scoreboard pressure on and we’re right back in the game.
“We had opportunities, it’s not like they were tough kicks at goal.
“It (goalkicking) is something we’ve done a lot of work on and we’re comfortable in, but for whatever reason we couldn’t quite execute today.”
Now to the positives:
Won key areas
These are some of the statistics Adelaide finished in: clearances (41-28), centre clearances (16-10), inside 50 efficiency (60-52.5 per cent) and tackles inside 50 (13-10).
It had just four contested possessions fewer than the Swans and six fewer inside 50s.
“We were right in the game and the key stats were good,” Smith said.
“We feel like we did a lot right today, we just had that period we let ourselves down.”
Berry’s hardness
Yes, the 19-year-old midfielder was wayward at goal and he only chalked up five disposals, but his workrate and pressure was outstanding.
After laying a team-high seven tackles against the Cats, the Victorian applied 10 — three more than any other player — on Saturday.
Only two games into his career, he has already brought a tougher edge to the Crows.
“For him to be able to put pressure on the way he is, he’s bringing a real aggressive attitude to the team,” Smith said.
“I couldn’t be more impressed with what he’s doing.”
Nicks called Berry a smashing machine.
“His game was probably a pretty good indication of how we played as a team,” he said.
“I thought the effort was outstanding, we fought it out, never gave up, we just didn’t finish in front of goal.”
Tex stars again
Walker was arguably Adelaide’s best player during pre-season and definitely its standout against the Cats, when he kicked five goals and had 18 disposals.
Saturday was the first time he had booted six majors since Round 1, 2015.
His best haul last year, albeit in shorter quarters, was three.
“With his workrate on the track, his leadership with the young guys and the standards he’s setting every single session … he’s gone to another level,” Smith said.
“We’re moving the ball a lot better, which helps big Tex, but we’ve got full confidence we can just kick it down to him one-on-one and he’s going to get the job done more than often.
“It’s just really awesome to see Tex get rewarded for all the effort he’s put in and probably silencing a few critics as well.”
Buddy show is back, and so is the leading forward
The Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin show is back.
It took 581 days for Franklin to make his return for the Sydney Swans but just 20 minutes for him to kick his opening goal.
Playing his first match in red and white since Round 23, 2019, and the 301st of his career, ‘Buddy’ made up for lost time at the SCG as the centrepiece of a powerful Swans performance.
The 34-year-old slotted 3.2 in Sydney’s 33-point win and finished with nine disposals.
“Our expectations were very low,” coach John Longmire said post-match.
“(We told him to) just come in and play a role and hopefully things work out for you.
“To be able to get through the game (was pleasing).
“I thought he was pretty good and moved quite well. I mean he’s pretty hard on himself and sets high standards.
“He’s not a bad player.
“The good thing is he feels good now so it’ll be interesting to see how he pulls up this week.”
Longmire joked that Franklin’s status made it tough for some of Sydney’s youngsters during the game, but given the amount of footy he’s missed, it was always going to take time for the four-time Coleman medal winner to settle back into the team.
“I know when I was in a forward line with (Wayne) Carey, you could lead all you like, but sometimes it’d just end up with him,” he said with a grin.
“It is what it is.
“When the big fella comes out with his arms out and you’re a young fella looking at him, he tends to draw your attention.
“It’s not always the best option but that’s OK.”
All of his goals delighted the crowd that had waited so long for his comeback after he missed last season with soft-tissue setbacks and Round 1 with calf tightness.
His first came from a 55m set shot during the first quarter.
Then he kicked the opening goal of the third term after Tom Papley hit him up on a lead before Buddy converted from about 40m.
Not often we'll post a set shot in the first quarter, but geez it's good to have Buddy back!@ColesGoals | #AFLSwansCrowspic.twitter.com/YDoJp4hKs1
— AFL (@AFL) March 27, 2021
When Franklin booted his third – from the goal line, after an assist from first-year key forward Logan McDonald, on the three-quarter time siren – it put the Swans 51 points ahead.
Early in the last term, he pulled down a crafty one-handed contested mark, only to miss his shot from 30m.
There were a few signs of rust from the superstar.
He was caught holding the ball 15m from goal in the second quarter while trying to swing onto his right boot.
A trademark shot on the run from 55m, after wheeling around onto his left foot, did not quite make the distance.
Buddy came off the ground with 10 minutes remaining in the match and did not return.
Fox Footy commentator Jordan Lewis, a former teammate of Franklin’s at Hawthorn, said everyone was happy to see him get through the game unscathed.
Franklin himself said he had a few cobwebs and was “excited, nervous all of the above” coming into the match.
During the week, he and wife Jesinta welcomed their second child.
“To miss 18 months was obviously disappointing for myself but to get back out here in front of a huge crowd was just amazing,” Franklin told Fox Footy.
“I loved every minute of being out here today.
“It’s been an amazing week … and I’m just looking forward to getting home to the wife and kids tonight.”
Buddy kicks his third of the day right before the three-quarter time siren!#AFLSwansCrowspic.twitter.com/3i4luSV6zm
— AFL (@AFL) March 27, 2021
After beating Geelong star Tom Hawkins in Round 1 and signing a new two-year contract this week, fourth-gamer Jordon Butts was given the task on Franklin.
Lewis said Butts did not do a lot wrong.
At the other end of the ground, former Crows captain Taylor Walker backed up his five-goal haul against the Cats by kicking six against the Swans to again be Adelaide’s best player.
It was the first time Walker had slotted six majors since Round 1, 2015.
Franklin said the new man on the mark rule was providing space for spearheads.
“The leading forward is back, that’s for sure,” he said.
Franklin is in the penultimate year of his nine-year, $10 million contract.
He needs 53 more majors to become the sixth VFL/AFL player to reach the 1000-goal mark.
YOUNG SWANS SHINE
Gone are the days of the dogged, in-and-under Swans.
They’re still a tough footy side and attack the footy with ferocity, but John Longmire’s men have got some run and stun about them in 2021.
There’s little doubt the return of one of the game’s greatest forwards Lance Franklin, was the highlight of the Swans’ 18.13 (121) to 11.22 (88) win over Adelaide at the SCG on Saturday, but what would have pleased the coach even more, was the way his team got the four points.
Franklin finished with three goals for the day to be a strong contributor, with Isaac Heeney (three) also brilliant.
The left boot of Errol Gulden, the poise of Logan McDonald, along with the excitement of Tom Papley, Chad Warner and Oliver Florent, means that Sydney are now must-watch.
Adelaide booted the opening two goals of the game to keep the massive crowd silent, but gave up 11 to two in the second and third terms, in a disappointing effort.
The Crows’ butchered countless chances in front of goal after the Swans had taken control of the game, and gave up bunches of four and six goals in a row either side of the first two breaks.
The visitors fought out the game but coach Matthew Nicks will want some answers.
Rejuvenated Tex needs some help
After his five-goal effort in last week’s upset win over Geelong, Taylor Walker continued his outstanding form at the SCG.
The former skipper booted two quick goals in the opening term, and added a third not long into the second quarter opposed to Sydney’s best defender and co-captain Dane Rampe.
Walker kicked a fourth in the third term and finished with six, but with Billy Frampton and Tom Lynch providing little scoreboard assistance, it was a one-Crow show.
High-flying Heeney ready to break out
Some major injuries have kept Isaac Heeney from ever really developing into a star of the competition, but he might be ready to make 2021 his monster season. Despite the seriousness of his ankle surgery last year, Heeney has started like a man possessed. The 24-year-old is hurling himself at the footy and is almost unstoppable in the air when he gets a run at the footy.
Crows howler summed up afternoon
Adelaide had seized the momentum of the match midway through the third, when Paul Seedsman drew a Sydney defender and dished it to Ben Keays. Instead of coasting into an open goal, Keays needlessly gave it back to Seedsman, who handballed it to Billy Frampton. The key forward spilt the footy and the Crows had blown the opportunity
SCOREBOARD
SWANS 4.2. 9.6. 15.11 18.13 (121)
CROWS 3.2. 4.6. 6.14. 11.22 (88)
CURLEY’S BEST
Swans: Parker, Heeney, Kennedy, Gulden, Dawson, Campbell.
Crows: Walker, Laird, Keays, Sloane, Doedee, Seedsman.
GOALS
Swans: Franklin 3, Heeney 3, Warner 2, McDonald 2, Hickey 2, Papley, Gulden, Reid, Wicks, Parker, McInerney.
Crows: Walker 6, McAdam 4, Keays
INJURIES:
UMPIRES: Haussen, Nicholls, Howorth
VENUE: SCG, Sydney
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CURLEY’S BEST
3: Taylor Walker (Crows)
2: Josh Kennedy (Swans)
1: Isaac Heeney (Swans)
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