Round 18 Power Rankings: Adelaide’s shining Knight emerges
SINCE returning to the Adelaide side from injury, Riley Knight has underlined his importance as an aggressive and disciplined tagger without the ball and attacking, goalkicking midfielder with it. See this week’s Power Rankings here.
- Greenwood haul gives Pyke options
- Rucci’s Rip: Gabba game gives Hocking new headache
- Pyke proud of Adelaide’s will to win
- New knee, same old Smith
RILEY Knight had just kept Dayne Beams to five disposals in the first quarter of their clash at the Gabba on Saturday night when Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko had this to say.
“We’ll just keep hitting Riley Knight if one of our players is getting tagged,” Zorko said.
It’s not a bad plan but it didn’t work. Knight continued his shutdown job on the Lions’ superstar in the second quarter, winning an early clearance and kicking a big set-shot goal just before halftime.
Then he got the first clearance of the third quarter and kicked a brilliant goal off one step in heavy traffic to put the Crows 20 points up nearing three-quarter time.
In the past two weeks since being back in Adelaide’s team, Knight has clearly shown he’s in its best 22 and has underlined the importance of the role he is playing as an aggressive and disciplined tagger without the ball and attacking, goalkicking midfielder with it.
In Knight, Adelaide has its first genuine tagger since former captain Nathan van Berlo and both are elite runners who win the time trials over pre-season training.
So it was no surprise on Saturday night that Knight went to Beams with the Lions on a three-game winning streak.
In Brisbane’s last three victories, Beams had been dominant with 33, 40 and 33 disposals and his inside 50 numbers had been three, eight and eight.
On Saturday night he finished with 26 disposals and just one inside 50 in a game where he accumulated the ball but never had an impact.
Knight had 17 touches, four inside 50s and two goals.
The week before he did a similar job on Geelong captain Joel Selwood who still found enough of the footy with 29 disposals but didn’t punish the Crows like he could have.
Knight loves a scrap and plays with some bravado, has genuine pace and knows where to find the goals.
But like the team he’s had a difficult year.
He had ankle surgery in February which made for a delayed start to the year and after playing rounds 5 and 6, he missed the next 11 weeks with ‘general soreness’ that became a long-term hamstring problem.
He finally returned in round 17 as the Crows beat the Cats and kept their season alive.
You could mount the argument that Knight makes Adelaide a better team.
Since he debuted in that emotional clash with West Coast in Perth in round 15, 2015, the Crows’ record with him is 26-1-8.
Their record without him in that time is 21-20.
The tagger has been back in vogue across the competition in recent years and the Crows are usually on the receiving end of it with Rory Sloane copping all the attention, but now armed with Knight they are able to turn the tables.
GOOD WEEKEND FOR …
Aaron Young. Left Port Adelaide seeking greater opportunities last year and his 17 disposal, four-goal game in Gold Coast’s win over Sydney was one to savour.
ONE TO FORGET FOR …
Melbourne. You cannot surrender a 32-point lead in the final quarter when a top four spot is on the line. Further more with a minute to go they simply had to save the game but coughed it up.
BURNING QUESTION …
Despite what the Blues president says, is Brendon Bolton in trouble if Carlton loses to Gold Coast this week?
POWER RANKINGS
1. RICHMOND (13-4)
The Tigers have won five of their past six against Collingwood and the only one they’ve dropped was by a point. Still, this week’s clash is shaping up as match of the round.
2. WEST COAST (13-4)
That’s three in a row for the Eagles and valuable percentage which will enhance their prospects of a top-four finish and home final straight up.
3. GWS (10-6-1)
They’re back all right. Vintage performance from Heath Shaw off halfback and the Giants have now won six of their last seven to storm into contention.
4. COLLINGWOOD (12-5)
Showed that last week’s slip-up against West Coast was merely a road bump with the way they disposed of North Melbourne. Will give themselves a genuine shot at beating Richmond this week.
5. PORT (11-6)
Staring at a top-four spot and couldn’t take it against GWS who in fairness are probably seen now as the biggest threat to Richmond going back-to-back. Poor ball use and costly turnovers. Slip from second to fifth on the rankings.
6. GEELONG (10-7)
Were staring down the barrel of 9-8 yet with Tom Hawkins’ brilliance and Zac Tuohy’s goal after the siren they’re 10-7 and that was a win that could spark their season.
7. SYDNEY (11-6)
From ecstasy on the road last week to agony at home on the weekend. That was Sydney’s fifth loss at home this season and was the worst of the lot.
8. MELBOURNE (10-7)
Why did Simon Goodwin leave Oscar McDonald on Tom Hawkins for so long when Sam Frost and even Tom McDonald are out there and Hawkins was single-handedly turning the game?
9. ESSENDON (9-8)
Devon Smith making a play for recruit of the season at Essendon. Had 23 touches and two goals in the Bombers’ win over Fremantle on the weekend.
10. HAWTHORN (10-7)
Had a minor scare in the third term when Carlton clawed some of the margin back but the win has seen the Hawks jump from 10th to eighth on the ladder.
11. ADELAIDE (9-8)
Loved the work of Alex Keath in his second game for the season. Won two big one-on-one’s against Eric Hipwood early and marked strongly late in the first quarter. He and Wayne Milera looking very comfortable in defence.
12. N. MELBOURNE (9-8)
After such a promising start to the year the Kangaroos are in free fall having lost four of their past six games. Conceded the first four goals to the Pies on Saturday and were never in it.
13. BRISBANE (4-13)
More than competitive against Adelaide when some were expecting a drop-off from the Lions after their three wins in a row. Very good signs.
14. FREMANTLE (7-10)
More misery for the Dockers but they could win two of their next three against Hawthorn, West Coast and Carlton.
15. GOLD COAST (4-13)
A win like that can make Gold Coast’s season. First time they’ve knocked off the Swans in their history and to do it at the SCG when Sydney had everything to play for was enormous.
16. ST KILDA (4-12-1)
Totally outclassed by Richmond on Friday night and coach Alan Richardson told his players that’s the benchmark and where they need to get to.
17. W. BULLDOGS (5-12)
Allowed West Coast to take 19 marks inside 50 compared to their nine and didn’t take their chances when they did have the footy with 6.10.
18. CARLTON (1-16)
Showed some fight in the third quarter against Hawthorn but they had to after kicking just one goal from nine inside 50s in the first half.