Reigning premiers Adelaide likely to miss AFLW finals after loss to GWS at empty Richmond Oval
Reigning AFLW premiers Adelaide looks almost certain of missing this year’s finals after being upstaged by GWS in a hard-fought, low-scoring contest at an empty Richmond Oval on Sunday.
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Barring a miracle, the Adelaide Crows’ hopes for back-to-back AFLW premierships are now nothing more than pipe dreams after losing to Greater Western Sydney in a low-scoring match at an empty Richmond Oval on Sunday.
The 4.2 (26) to 3.3 (21) defeat is their third straight and unless the winless Richmond can beat Brisbane next weekend, the reigning premiers look unlikely to make finals.
“I think it will be really challenging for us to make the finals from here,” Adelaide coach Matthew Clarke said.
“If you do the maths there might be a 0.05 per cent chance, but ultimately that was our opportunity to put ourselves right back in the mix.
“The third quarter was frustrating, particularly the front end of the quarter we were playing the way we wanted to play, we were creating opportunities, but we weren’t able to take them.
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“When you don’t get reward for effort and (GWS) are able to use their handball effectively, take it down the other end, and take the chances they did get, that obviously had a large impact on the outcome.
“Obviously, it’s going to be challenging for us to make the finals, but it’s very important for us as a club to finish out in a really professional manner and attack those next two games with vigour.”
Adelaide kicked only three goals for the game, two in the opening term and one in the last and managed only two points for the middle terms after being outplayed by the Giants almost from the first bounce.
It looked ominous when Cora Staunton got the Giants off to a flyer, kicking the first goal of the game inside two minutes.
At the opposite end, as the Crows scrapped and tried moving the ball forward, it took them until the seven-minute mark to register their first inside-50.
But as it gained control with the aid of a slight breeze, Adelaide ended the first term ahead in that count 7-5, as well as six points clear on the scoreboard.
Erin Phillips (returning after a week’s rest) and veteran Courtney Gum combined for the home side’s first goal – with Phillips sending a precise pass into Gum who marked and kicked from 40m out.
Then, as she celebrated her 31st birthday, Marijana Rajcic started in the forward line and kicked her second career goal in the first term.
It was a beauty, plucking the ball one-handed after Phillips sent it high into the square – where it bounced off the pack – and then quickly snapping the goal around her body.
And as she ran from the field, Rajcic cupped her ear and cheekily egged on her teammates on the sidelines to make some noise.
Marijana Rajcic snaps the Crows' second, on the end of a classic Erin Phillips move... 👀#AFLWCrowsGiants pic.twitter.com/Be9fsERt3d
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 15, 2020
But after taking a one-goal lead into quarter time, the Crows were held scoreless in the second term and kicked only two points in the third going with the breeze.
And when Staunton booted her second goal in the opening minutes of the final quarter, Adelaide’s finals hopes slipped away.
A late goal to Gum brought the Crows back within five points, but too many balls went out of bounds on the full, a couple of undisciplined 50m penalties proved costly, and targets were too hard to find up forward as Giants midfield gun Alyce Parker had a staggering 30 touches (21 kicks, nine handballs) and proved too much for Adelaide to handle.
With this win, the Giants seem all but certain to qualify for their first AFLW finals campaign.
Crows stars return
Adelaide headed into this game with its best team on paper all year, but not even its stars could get the team back in the winners’ books.
Deni Varnhagen was welcomed back into the side for the first time this season with open arms, having injured her left knee in a practice game in late January.
She played out the game on the wing, and seemed untroubled by her injury, which had been a feared ACL at the time.
She ended the match with six touches.
Most important of the inclusions was co-captain Phillips, and she was, as usual, important for her side.
She was key in both Crows opening-term goals and her fight and fierce nature were important as Adelaide staged a mini-fightback in the final minutes.
But it was the workhorses in the middle – Anne Hatchard (20 touches) and Ebony Marinoff (21) – who were best for the home side.
The crowd
As a public health emergency was being called in SA, Richmond Oval was eerily silent with fans locked out to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
It was so silent you could hear from the back row of the grandstand the slaps of the players’ hands as they tagged each other on and off the field.
So silent, you could hear the instructions being yelled by the runners.
If there was any crowd advantage, it swung the way of GWS, which had been granted permission for a handful of players’ parents to attend after they’d travelled from as far as Victoria and Perth.
It was a picture perfect autumn day for footy at Richmond Oval – just not a picture perfect game for Crows fans, regardless of them being present or absent.
Staunton magic
The legend of Ireland sport that is Cora Staunton put on a star turn, kicking the first goal of the game as well as her side’s last, which essentially put the nail in the Crows’ coffin.
Whenever the Giants went forward, she was there, taking strong marks and kicking long.
Whenever the Crows went forward, she seemed to be there fighting defensively around the packs as well.
Staunton finished the game with a relatively low 12 disposals, including 11 kicks – compared with teammate Parker who finished the game with 30 – but every time she touched the ball, it was in an important moment.
Finals chances
There are now two more games left in the season (barring any virus-led changes): the Crows play Gold Coast away on March 22 and then their final game will be against Richmond at Unley Oval on March 29.
But with their third-straight loss putting them at 2-4 and out of the top-three by one win, it will mathematically be difficult to come back from here.
SCOREBOARD
GWS : 1.1 2.2 3.2 4.2 (26)
Adelaide: 2.1 2.1 2.3 3.3 (21)
Best:
GWS: Parker, Staunton, Beeson, Tully
Adelaide: Marinoff, Hatchard, Gum, Phillips
Goals:
GWS: Staunton 2, Hicks, Tully
Adelaide: Gum 2, Rajcic
Injuries:
GWS: Jess Allen late withdrawal with cold-like symptoms.
Adelaide: Sophie Li (shoulder)
Umpires: Mitchell, Bryce, Lewis