Crows coach Matthew ‘Doc’ Clarke orders his players to soak up their big prelim final win as they head into grand final week

Crows AFLW coach Matthew ‘Doc’ Clarke has told his players to soak up their preliminary final win and lap up everything grand final week has to offer ahead of Sunday’s clash at Adelaide Oval.

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For first-year coach Matthew “Doc” Clarke, it will be business as usual as he and his Crows players attempt to win the 2019 AFLW premiership together on Sunday.

As the players gathered around him after Sunday’s rampaging 66-point preliminary final win over Geelong, he told them to enjoy the week leading up to the grand final against Carlton.

“It’s a pretty unique experience,” Clarke said.

“I (told them) to enjoy it. As has been highlighted, there’s not that many games (in the AFLW season), there’s not that many opportunities, so you should absolutely soak this up and enjoy what was a great day for our footy club.

“So, absorb it … the week will be what it is. There’s lots of time to get ready for Carlton, so enjoy the moment.”

Crows defender Sarah Allan in action during her side’s demolition of Geelong by 11 goals, to advance to next Sunday’s grand final against Carlton. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Crows players Jenna McCormick and Deni Varnhagen celebrate their preliminary final victory. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Clarke is already planning his team’s preparation to face the Blues, who come into the grand final on a four-game winning streak.

But he believes most of the work has already been done.

“The reality is that whatever we do in this last week will be of minor consequence,” he said. “Essentially, you set up every performance from the start of pre-season and to the players’ enormous credit, they’ve trained at an exceptionally high level from day one. We’ve got two (training) sessions to go and we’ll try to do that again, to train at a really high level.

“But ultimately, they’ve done the work. Now it’s about physically getting themselves ready and being thorough in our preparation around what Carlton may bring.”

Defender Sarah Allan — last week one of nine Adelaide players to be named in the 2019 All-Australian squad — said the side was pumped to have made the grand final. “It’s an honour to do it in our guernsey with the team we’ve got,” she said.

“I can’t wait to play next weekend and do our fans and family and the club proud.”

Allan was an intrinsic part of the Crows’ backline that held Geelong to seven points, the lowest-ever AFLW score.

Crows coach Matthew Clarke before the start of the AFLW preliminary final match between Adelaide and Geelong at Adelaide Oval. PHOTO: AAP Image/David Mauriz

Clarke praised his side’s defensive game.

“Our defence over the last two weeks has been at a really high level,” he said. “The back five held it together really well.

“The few times that we were in a little bit of strife … Sarah (Allan) and a few others were able to solve the problems.”

The Crows downed Carlton at Ikon Park in Melbourne in Round 2 by 13 points.

“The game last time against Carlton was a really strong game as well,” Clarke said.

“Carlton have improved steadily throughout the competition. Hopefully we’ve done the same. We feel like we certainly have played a little bit better as the season’s worn on.”

Clarke said he couldn’t yet determine whether his side was the competition benchmark, despite its dominance and the fact it was heading into the grand final on a seven-game winning streak, after two wins of more than 10 goals.

“I think it will be a great game next week and everyone will really see a great contest — and whichever team comes out on top will be the yardstick,” he said.

In something of a relief for the AFL — whose conference system has come under fire for its lopsided nature — Sunday’s grand final will pit the top team in Conference A against the top team in Conference B, after Carlton cruised past Fremantle on Saturday. But the fact Geelong could only score seven points will have critics asking whether the conferences should be scrapped next year.