Adelaide’s AFLW flag defence on back foot after loss to Brisbane

ADELAIDE’S premiership defence has taken an early blow after the Crows were overrun by Brisbane in the grand final rematch, making next week’s clash against Melbourne even more vital.

Jess Allan, Ebony Marinoff and Georgia Bevan after the loss. Picture: Sarah Reed

ADELAIDE’S premiership defence has taken an early blow after the Crows were overrun by Brisbane by 12 points in the grand final rematch at a packed Norwood Oval.

It came as both of the favourites from this year’s AFLW title, Carlton and Melbourne, recorded wins in Round 1 and now threaten to be bolters in the eight-season competition where every loss comes with the spectre of putting a side out of reach of the final.

The loss will make next week’s away fixture against Melbourne even more important because a loss there and the Crows will have to play catch-up from there.

AS IT HAPPENED: LIONS SPOIL CROWS’ FLAG UNFURLING

The Crows were hurt by the late withdrawal of league best and fairest Erin Phillips, who missed because of quad complaint. She will be assessed on Monday and the club is hopeful she will be fit for Round 3.

But it was an improved Brisbane which paraded a calmer and more even skill set before 11,120 spectators at Norwood.

Adelaide’s Justine Mules is put under pressure by Brisbane’s Emily Bates. Picture: Sarah Reed

It came down to this: they were cleaner with their kicking — hit targets where the Crows turned it over — better at finding space and better at maintaining possession.

There were still highlights that encouraged the Crows. It has found a new crowd favourite in Ruth Wallace, a smooth forward who looked like a veteran on debut at this level.

The mosquito fleet of Wallace and Eloise Jones will prove invaluable this season as Brisbane showed the blueprint in keeping full forward Sarah Perkins shut out of the game with persistent double tagging.

It looked messy and nervous in the opening stages and it was Brisbane that was first to show how it had improved over summer. The Lions had more of the ball and created more space with good use of switches, something that was rarely executed that well in the first season of the competition.

Ebony Marinoff is tackled by Lion Ally Anderson. Picture: Sarah Reed

It took until the end of the first quarter for the Crows to find some of the poise of last season and it came from the old firm of stars; Chelsea Randall gathering a loose ball and taking off at breakneck pace before passing cooly and precisely to rising star Ebony Marinoff, who in turn kicked towards Perkins.

The play didn’t come off, but the Crows were starting to look like themselves again.

Then there was more of the new on display.

Ruck Jess Allan, the club’s top draft pick, tapped elegantly to Wallace to set up the latter’s first AFLW goal and when captain Chelsea Randall, the club’s best player on the night, converted a free kick a little after it looked like the Crows were away.

But Brisbane kept coming, kept getting more of the ball and finally converted enough to make it count on the scoreboard.

BACK TO BASIC FOR CROWS: GODDARD

ADELAIDE coach Bec Goddard has called for her players to go back to the basic and win their individual positions after the Crows looked rushed and panicky as they lost their season opener against Brisbane last night.

Goddard was confident of rapid improvement in next week’s away game against Melbourne, but she struggled to find any player other than captain Chelsea Randall as a clear positional winner against the Lions.

“It was pretty disappointing. We were right in it. Half time up by 10, so to then lose by 12,” Goddard said. “And be really sloppy in the second half.

“Brisbane was terrific, but it was really disappointing.

“But it’s Round 1, without making excuses, and we had five new girls in tonight who are just starting to learn and gel.

Bec Goddard instructing her players at three-quarter time. Picture Sarah Reed

“Across the board we didn’t beat our opponents one-on- one and instead of having a sense of urgency about and be clean about it, with out decision making, we were panicking and just chucking it on the boot without even looking.

“So there are some great lessons in there for us to really look at this week and I think we can clean up really quickly.

“One-on-one across the ground I reckon we had winner tonight and that was Chelsea Randall.

“There’s a lot of work for the other girls to lift and the fact that we were up at half time puts us in a really good position.

“That proves that we can do it — and are able to do it without Erin — but then we faded away pretty sharply.”

The Western Bulldogs and Fremantle play today to complete Round 1.