Bloods running hot early, with win over Crows leaving 2-0 record

WEST Adelaide has started 2015 with a bang. The Bloods have been in hot early season form, storming with a 2-0 record with a 29-point win over the Crows reserves.

West Adelaide v Adelaide at St Kilda Oval. [PIC] West's Joshua Schiller is tackled by Adelaide's Mitchell Grigg pic by Bianca De Marchi - 17.4.15

WEST Adelaide has started 2015 with a bang.

A year after the Bloods were left in the starter’s box, coach Mark Mickan is making good on his promise to have the Bloods primed and ready to go early in 2015, and they got their season off to a 2-0 start on Friday night with a 29 point win over the Crows reserves.

West started last season 0-4 and Mickan – who was only appointed coach midway through that pre-season – was left to lament the club’s poor preparation.

But the Bloods circa 2015 look organised and ready to make a mark, even if Friday night’s win against an undermanned Crows reserves side wasn’t one for the archives.

The Bloods were slow out of the blocks and spotted a Crows side featuring only nine AFL-listed players a four goal start before settling down to work.

West’s midfield, led by left-footed wingman Taite Silverlock on Friday night, runs deep and got further on top of the Crows as the match wore on.

West’s younger brigade also contributed and it’s forward line also looks more potent with Shannon Green (three goals) playing the defensive role and Jason Porplyzia adding class.

The signs weren’t all bad for the Crows either.

Jarryd Lyons both a strong game, Jake Lever got through his first match against men OK, and project player Jack Osborn (two goals) continues to develop.

Adelaide’s top-ups are noticeably better than last year when they would have been thumped if they only had nine AFL players available.

Charlie Molyneux, Matt Spenceley and Nick Mott are among those who are showing they’re up to the level.

Adelaide was cleaner and played the more purposeful football early.

Mitch Grigg was influential and Lyons hit the scoreboard with two first term goals.

West Adelaide kicked its first major 24 minutes through Kaine Stevens and had another a minute later when Porplyzia took a trademark pack chest-mark and goaled.

The industrious Schiller began winning the ball in the second term and Silverlock provided drive as the Bloods took the lead seven minutes into the term.

But the momentum would shift again. The Crows kicked the next two goals, Grigg bagging the second after Daniel Webb gave away a pair of 25m penalties.

Porplyzia kicked a classic crumbing goal from 45m to trim the margin again but the Crows grabbed the halftime lead after Mott finished a classic corridor goal from the kick-in.

The Bloods took the lead in the opening minute of the third term when Green capatalised on a turnover and finally began to gain control late in the quarter.

They kicked five goals to two in the final term and had noticeably more run than the Crows.

West Adelaide 2.4 5.10 10.12 15.13 (103)

Adelaide 4.3 7.3 9.5 11.8 (74)

BEST – West: Silverlock, Schmidt, Beech, Schiller, Keogh, Green, Fielke, Helbig. Adelaide: Lyons, Mott, Crouch, Callinan, Pfeiffer.

GOALS – West: Green 3, Porplyzia, Stevens, Helbig, Fielke 2, Tuck, Webb, Beech, Haysman. Adelaide: Lyons, Osborne 2, Grigg, Spencely, Mott, Molyneux, Ramsay, Callinan

UMPIRES: Sobieraj, Haussen, Schramm

CROWD: 1875

INJURIES – Nil