Excuses can be made for Geelong but the scoreboard is undeniable, writes Mark Robinson
THE Cats have now failed to stand up to the heat in back-to-back preliminary finals. MARK ROBINSON gives his take on the Cats’ slow start and the stunning Crows.
IT was the Crows at the Colosseum.
Not bloody, but brutal and clinical and once again Geelong couldn’t match or deal with a blistering first quarter in the second most important game of the season.
In last year’s preliminary final, against Sydney, the Cats trailed 7.2 to 0.5 at the first break. On Friday night, at Adelaide Oval, it was 6.3 to 1.2
In both games, the Cats regathered and even threatened, but giving a five-goal start in a first quarter in a preliminary final in two consecutive seasons means they have a problem with nerves or pressure.
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Excuses can be made, but the scoreboard is undeniable.
The Crows maintained the lead throughout and extended it in a waltzing final quarter.
When Josh Jenkins kicked the first goal of the final term, to make the margin 40 points, the Crows were marching to the MCG next Saturday.
They won by 61 points.
It will be a new game against new opposition, but Adelaide will go in confident its game style will deliver goals — it kicked 21 on Friday night — the midfield will win enough ball and apply enough pressure, and the defensive six will stand strong under siege and dissect the opposition with slick ball use if given time and space.
It was Exhibit A of Adelaide’s most punishing football.
Outside that first-term blitz by the Crows, it was a furious game, but when the Cats came within five goals during the second and third quarters, the Crows had a response.
If imagery is reality, a contest between Rory Sloane and Patrick Dangerfield just before halftime was a defining moment and outcome.
Dangerfield, at full-forward, gathered the ball from a contest, spun to his left to shoot at goal and was clobbered by Sloane front-on.
Arguably it was a free kick to Dangerfield for high contact — it wasn’t paid — but the contest left Dangerfield on his back and hurt, while Sloane was back on his feet, chasing the ball.
The good mates, ferocious competitors, collided at pace and Sloane was the survivor.
It was a barbarous hit without any fear from either player.
The potential goal to Geelong was replaced with a goal to Andy Otten just before the halftime siren. The margin was 35 points when, if not for Sloane, it could have been four goals and game on.
The Crows were clinical with the ball. They went short and wide out of the back half, which was Geelong’s tactic against Sydney last week, and then they were too explosive forward of centre.
Charlie Cameron kicked the first goal of the game and another four in his best game for the club. Eddie Betts kicked the second goal and another from the boundary line near quarter-time.
The big guns stood up when it counted. Betts, the Crouch brothers in the middle, Sam Jacobs in the ruck, Rory Laird out of the back half and the running machine that is Tom Lynch as the high half-forward was seemingly in every foray towards goal.
Lynch is an extraordinary player. He had 20 disposals, kicked two goals and had a game-high 10 score involvements.
Whichever team wins through on Saturday surely has to have a strategy to limit his involvement.
The depth of the Crows’ team was never more evident than last night and the emotion surging through the club is equally as evident.
It will be the first Grand Final for all the Crows, off the back of remarkable adversity that has been well documented.
Coach Don Pyke deserves the credit, while former coach Phil Walsh will be remembered for his inspiration, both in life and death.
What a week it will be in Adelaide town.
Originally published as Excuses can be made for Geelong but the scoreboard is undeniable, writes Mark Robinson