Adelaide Crows fall to third straight defeat to concede premiership defence is all but over in 2020
Season 2020 has been a nightmare from the pre-season to now for the Adelaide Crows, with a five-point loss to the GWS Giants all but ending their premiership defence.
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In 2019, the AFLW premiership-winning Crows outclassed, outplayed and outscored their opponents to storm home to win the grand final against Carlton in stunning fashion.
Adelaide’s team game was built on speed, fitness and superior skills.
But in 2020, it is them who is being outclassed, outplayed and outscored.
Their five-point loss to GWS at Richmond Oval on Sunday was their third straight defeat and with only two wins on the board from six games, their finals hopes are all but sunk.
Crows co-captain Erin Phillips is at pains to explain the difference a year can make.
“It’s a new year,” she said after Sunday’s game.
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“Every team gets better. When you win last year you become the hunted and everyone wants to beat you and you always prepare to get the best game from oppositions.
“You can’t blame injuries, although they do hurt us, but that’s just the way sport is, injuries are a part of it and you’ve got to find ways to win with the players that you have.”
But it is clear that injuries have severely hampered them, notably the loss of co-captain Chelsea Randall to a torn ACL during pre-season.
She is sorely missed in the backlines.
Ruck Jess Foley is also missed after she injured her foot a fortnight ago, while back-up ruck Rhiannon Metcalfe returned from her ACL rehab to play two games, but was dropped back to the SANFLW because of poor form against North Melbourne.
But importantly, gone from this year’s playbook is Adelaide’s prolific scoring.
The 2019 league leading goalscorer Stevie-Lee Thompson (14 goals from nine games), has managed only three goals from six games so far and in Sunday’s loss touched the ball twice.
Danielle Ponter is the Crow’s leading goalscorer so far with five from six games, but four of those came in the one game; Adelaide’s last win which was against Geelong in round three. Last year, Ponter kicked 13 from eight games.
Phillips – last year’s AFLW best and fairest – has played two games after returning from her knee reconstruction and is yet to kick a goal, while the mid-forwards are also missing “ACL-club members” Hannah Button and Chloe Scheer.
On Sunday, Deni Varnhagen returned from a knee injury for her first game of 2020, and played out the game, but another change will likely be forced for this weekend after Sophie Li injured her shoulder.
But Phillips said the constant list changes week-to-week couldn’t really be blamed for any lack of cohesion on the field.
“That’s sport,” she said.
“You’ve got to adjust. That’s what being a pro is, and trying to keep playing your best footy even when adversity comes in and out of your team.
“As a group, we’re a really tight bunch so that part we’ve got right, maybe it is a little bit disruptive, we’ve just got to learn to play through that.”
Despite their 2020 finals hopes being sunk, the Crows will not bow out quietly.
Should the AFLW season progress as scheduled, they will head north to take on Gold Coast in Queensland on March 22, followed by Richmond at Unley Oval on March 29.
Coach Matthew Clarke said it was critical his side held elite standards for the final two games.
“The season is going to be challenge for us to make finals, but it’s really important for us as a club to finish out in a really professional manner to attack those next two games with real vigour and acquit ourselves well,” he said.