Hardened Sturt overwhelm Crows by 37 points
STURT inflicted more early season misery on the Adelaide Football Club with a convincing 37-point triumph over the Crows state league side at Unley.
STURT inflicted more early season misery on the Adelaide Football Club with a convincing 37-point triumph over the Crows state league side at Unley.
The Crows nailed the opening two goals before being overwhelmed by a spirited, hungry Double Doubles outfit which has opened the season with two victories.
It was an impressive performance from the home side and its tremendous work ethic, passion for the contest and team unity drove it to victory.
Crows coach Heath Younie mentioned the word chemistry after the match. The Double Blues had tremendous chemistry while the Crows are very much a work in progress.
''The boys are definitely enjoying playing with each other,'' Double Blues coach Seamus Maloney said. ''We had a really good pre-season and the players are happy with themselves at the moment.
''We had good summer and a lot of work was done behind the scenes to spruce up the place and the players are very appreciative. They are out there playing for each other which is great.''
The Crows took the battle to the Double Blues in the opening 20 minutes and two Shaun McKernan goals in the first five minutes gave them the lead.
But the signs were ominous late in the term when the Double Blues' attack on the body and ball started to have a significant impact. They then went about dismantling the Crows in the second quarter, building a 30-point half-time buffer on the back of relentless pressure and a fierce desire for possession at the contest.
Sturt ruckman Angus Kurtze had a heavy influence, Kory Beard directed the backline and Michael Coad became a headache for the Crows defence. The Crows coughed up too many skill errors, many the result of Double Blues' pressure, and missed far too many targets. And they were punished by the Double Blues, who used pace and composure to inflict plenty of damage on the opposition.
No more glaring was the Double Blues' desperation than John Hinge's pursuit of Tyson Davis-Neale late in the second quarter which resulted in a stray kick for a behind. The Double Blues rushed the ball downfield for Kurtze to goal.
''Chemistry will take some time,'' Younie said. ''If you win the ball and are clean with it, it enables you to put pressure on the opposition.
''We were not able to do that until late in the game. You have to give credit to Sturt. Their pressure in the second quarter when the game was on — they did it really well.''