AFL round 3 Adelaide v North Melbourne: All the news, analysis and fallout from the Crows’ third-straight win

Adelaide’s win over the Roos wasn’t as pretty as their first two victories in 2025, but Matthew Nicks has praised his troops - plus giving an update on Josh Rachele.

Adelaide is bracing for scans to reveal that Josh Rachele has suffered fractured ribs after he copped a knee to the side from North Melbourne ruckman Tristan Xerri in the first quarter of the Crows’ win over the Roos.

It comes as Adelaide senior coach Matthew Nicks said his side was able to find “another way” to defeat North Melbourne, paying tribute to the maturity of his players as the Crows continued their perfect start to the season.

The Crows sit 3-0 for the first time since 2017 as they were able to defeat the Kangaroos by 36-points on Sunday at Adelaide Oval.

The only sour point of the win was Rachele suffering a rib injury in the first quarter of the game, when he was involved in a heavy collision in a marking contest in which he copped a knee from Xerri.

Nicks said they didn’t know the extent of the injury yet.

But it is suspected that Rachele has suffered fractured ribs, which would rule him out of action for at least one week.

“He’s a little ginger, he’s a bit sore. We don’t know exactly yet (the extent of it),” Nicks said. “But it was quite a collision, probably the biggest bloke on the ground.

“So we will have to wait and see.

Matthew Nicks speaks to his troops. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“He was in the rooms, probably not singing as loud as the others but he is in good spirits.”

The game was momentarily stopped after the collision, with the Christian Petracca incident in last year’s King’s Birthday clash still fresh in the memory for many.

AFL Players Association boss Paul Marsh has been pushing for club doctors to start making more conservative calls on players with suspected rib or internal injuries.

While Rachele stayed at the ground and did not go immediately to hospital, Nicks said he was comfortable with it.

“I think we back the experts in, we have some really good people in that space that know their stuff and they would have done everything to make sure his health and safety is a priority,” he said.

There has been plenty of external praise coming the Crows’ way so far this season given the way they were able to blow St Kilda and Essendon off the park with their attack in their previous two wins.

But while it was ultimately comfortable on the scoreboard, it wasn’t a virtuoso performance by the Crows.

Nicks said just finding a way to win was the most pleasing part.

“It is encouraging, yeah you have to find ways to win sometimes,” he said.

“We played some of our best footy in the first two rounds, where we weren’t doing a lot wrong especially with the ball in hand.

Josh Rachele after a heavy collision at the Adelaide Oval. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images./

“Today was one where we didn’t get it right so there needed to be another way and we found it and did that.

“That is the most pleasing part, in the rooms our players are showing a much higher level of maturity at the moment.

“The understanding that it wasn’t our best but it was a great win.”

In particular the Crows’ kicking skills were not at the level they had been in the big wins over the Saints and Bombers.

And North challenged the Crows in the third quarter, getting the margin back to just over a goal at one stage.

Josh Rachele after being subbed out. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

But Nicks said his side’s maturity was crucial.

“To show the maturity that we did under pressure, especially in that third quarter to battle our way through it,” he said.

“Even though we weren’t playing our best footy when it comes to our execution with the ball, our kicking skills seemed a bit off but that might have been their pressure.

“But we were able to show enough maturity to come out with the result so a great result.”

The win will further fuel the hope and expectation of fans, while the Crows will be hoping to keep their focus narrowed like they have done so far this season.

Nicks said he was confident they could continue to do it.

“It is not hard for us when we have had lessons like we have had over the last few years, it is not hard to stay focused,” he said.

“Famous last words but that is what we are striving to and I’ll back the boys in.”

DRAPER DELIGHT AS CROWS GO THREE FROM THREE

Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker wound the clock back to produce an inspirational third term and lead the Crows to a hard-fought 36-point victory over North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

It was a high-pressure, fast-paced contest for the majority of the four quarters with both sides suffering spurts of errors and unable to gain any major ascendancy.

A gutsy North Melbourne side would eventually succumb to the Crows’ quick ball movement, the hosts running over the Roos in the latter part of the third term and through the fourth quarter to win 17.12 (114) to 12.6 (78)

Rory Laird of the Crows chaired off by Brodie Smith and Taylor Walker. Picture: Matt Turner.

The visitors refused to lay down for much of the game, with stars Tristan Xerri and Harry Sheezel, forward talisman Nick Larkey, swingman Caleb Daniel and budding star Luke Davies-Uniacke all stamping their print on the contest in the third term to cut a four-goal Crows lead to just two kicks.

It was not enough for the improved Kangaroos however, as Adelaide’s usual suspects stood tall.

Rory Laird was enormous in his 250th game, amassing 32 touches off of half-back, Mitch Hinge provided important run and damaging disposal, while Izak Rankine and Jake Soligo were both key through the midfield but it was champion veteran Walker who took the game by the scruff of the neck.

First, halfway through the third term, Walker showed strength to beat out North Melbourne defenders, collect a ball on the half volley and set-up Keays with a crafty kick to extend the lead back out to 15 points.

Following two big contested ‘get out of jail’ marks, Walker again stepped up with just two minutes remaining in the third term to outmuscle Xerri in a ruck contest and snap a game-breaking major to put the Crows up by four goals, and the floodgates would then open in the fourth quarter.

The young Roos gave their fans a lot to be happy about and matched the Crows in most statistical categories, but were second in the contest when it mattered most and outdone in contested possessions 138 to 125.

While Adelaide would be feeling positive with three strong wins to begin the season, the club will be sweating the fitness of livewire small forward Josh Rachele, who was subbed off in the second quarter after receiving a Tristan Xerri knee to his ribs.

ROOS RESILIENCE ON SHOW

North Melbourne struggled to overcome Adelaide’s pressure but impressively fought back into the game after going down by four goals early in the first term.

Paul Curtis first forced a turnover and registered North’s opening goal, and Nick Larkey then added to the momentum with two late majors to get his side well and truly back in the contest.

Sid Draper celebrates his first goal in the AFL. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

DRAPER’S BIG MOMENT A CATALYST

Crows Rookie Sid Draper had his biggest game of the season after subbing on for the injured Rachele and produced a moment of magic to give his side a three-kick break, exploding from the contest in the third term to snap home an impressive first AFL goal.

Caleb Daniel had the most touches for the Roos but was inaccurate at times. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

O’SULLIVAN’S COSTLY ERROR

Youngster Finn O’Sullivan’s wayward kick in the back 50 halfway through the third term was a costly one for his North Melbourne side, the Kangaroos allowing the Crows a breather on the scoreboard through an easy Curtin goal after just cutting the lead to nine points.

The goal handed some momentum back to the Crows and set-up a painful final period for the visitors.