Crows defender Marijana Rajcic says skills will be finetuned as Adelaide prepares to face Carlton

Crows AFLW utility Marijana Rajcic happy to be playing in the backlines or up forward, as the side looks to put one-point loss behind them.

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She went forward, she went back, but Marijana Rajcic thinks the backlines will be where she finds her home this AFLW season.

Rajcic, who spent 2018 in the Crows’ defence, was given a new role by coach Matthew “Doc” Clarke ahead of the start of the AFLW season: be prepared to head forward.

And she did just that during Saturday’s one-point loss to the Western Bulldogs.

“I started in the backline (but) I enjoyed both ends of the ground and I wish I had a little bit more time forward,” she said.

“I tried to do everything that I could and make the contest … and I think I ticked all those boxes.

“(But) I have a feeling I’m staying in the backs.”

Crows Marijana Rajcic tackles Bulldog Kirsten McLeod. Photo: AAP Image/Mark Brake

Despite the close loss in the opening game of the new AFLW season, Rajcic said there were many positives to take away from the game and she praised midfielder Ebony Marinoff — who starred with 24 disposals and 11 tackles — as setting the standard for the rest of the season.

“She’s the work horse for our team,” she said.

But the one-point loss, Rajcic said, was quickly being put behind the playing group as they prepared to face Carlton at Ikon Park on Sunday.

Like the Crows, Carlton are coming into Round Two on the back of a loss after the Blues went down to expansion club North Melbourne by 36 points (7.10 52 to 2.4 16).

Rajcic said both sides had been dogged by poor skill execution in their opening games, which was a key area the Crows would be looking to improve.

“In moments of (Saturday’s) game I thought we could have had more composure across the board, I felt we lacked that final touch … we let ourselves down, our kicks didn’t hit targets, I even dropped a sitter, so it will be about finetuning those things.” she said.

“I don’t like to lose, a lot of us are very competitive, we don’t like to lose so you take that in and you give that time to yourself after the game and then you move forward, you’ve got to switch your mindset back to the next task, which is Carlton on Sunday.”

After the Crows kicked one goal and 11 points against the Bulldogs, Rajcic dismissed criticism regarding the low-scoring nature of the game.

“I feel like the skill level is getting better and even though our game was low-scoring, I asked people who came and watched and they said it was exciting, they were on the edge of their seats, so even though it was low-scoring, the game was more free-flowing and the rule changes they’ve made will keep the game more open.

“But it was week one, the first game, and even sometimes with the boys’ games in Round One it’s low scoring and once you get your flow and find your feet and get into the groove of it, it will get better.”