Eddie Betts mark ensures Adelaide win over North Melbourne but finals gone for both teams
ADELAIDE went into the game knowing it won’t see September. But some bright moments — and another win — will give supporters hope that the team they came to know and trust last year can be resurrected.
IF ANYONE’S form has mirrored Adelaide’s frustrating season this year it has been the mercurial Eddie Betts and so it was fitting that when they needed a hero to salvage something from the year he would rise above.
With North Melbourne threatening to steal the game in a frantic final minute, Betts’ spectacular mark and goal with 15 seconds to go saw them win by nine points and was a reward for simply sticking at it.
The win was also thanks to four intercept marks from Mitch McGovern in the final term after the Kangaroos came from 30 points down at three-quarter-time and got to within three after kicking four goals in four minutes.
DRAFT OVERHAUL: MORE PICKS FOR STRUGGLERS?
LIVE LADDER: WHERE LIKELY FINALISTS SIT
While the result ended North Melbourne’s season, it was no comfort for the Crows missing finals. But if they can back it up against Carlton next weekend it will at least give supporters hope that the team they came to know and trust last year can be resurrected.
The usual suspects Matt Crouch (career-high 46-disposals), Rory Sloane (29) and Rory Laird (41) were dominant but the new guard led by Wayne Milera and Tom Doedee in defence were just as impressive.
The unexpected hero was veteran Andy Otten who was a late call up from outside the emergency list and kept North Melbourne spearhead Ben Brown goalless.
More than that he kept Brown to just four touches and if that is Otten’s 105th and last AFL game given he hasn’t got a contract for next year then it was one to savour.
One player who has played himself into a new contract this season is Paul Seedsman and he returned to the team with his trademark run from the wing.
Bryce Gibbs continued his solid season with a diving smother on Shaun Higgins to save an early goal and then kicked one himself.
Hugh Greenwood started on the ball and drifted forward as he’s done in the second half of the season and finished with two goals, while Josh Jenkins ensured he would be the Crows’ leading goal kicker this year with three to take his season tally to 39.
Doedee enhanced his rising star prospects by overcoming a nervous start on Jarrad Waite to take repeat intercept marks but was however helped from the ground in the third quarter after a heavy knock from Jed Anderson.
Adelaide looked like a team that knew it wasn’t playing finals in the first quarter, playing slow and reactive footy which meant North Melbourne seemed to have a lot of loose men.
Waite had a hand in North’s first two goals before the Crows’ midfield slowly turned the tide back in their favour.
Goals to Riley Knight, Jenkins and McGovern to open the second quarter put them 22 points up as the Kangaroos lost their way with Kayne Turner running into an open goal and hitting the post.
The Crows led by 30 points at three-quarter-time but North kept coming and four goals in four minutes to Jack Ziebell, Shaun Atley and two to Waite made it three points with six minutes remaining. But they just couldn’t find the knockout blow.
Trent Dumont was North’s best, Waite pressed his claims to go on next year with a lively performance across half-forward and even in defence at times, and Majak Daw showed his rapid improvement deep in defence and pinch-hitting in the ruck.
ADELAIDE 3.5 7.9 10.13 12.14 (86)
NORTH MELBOURNE 3.2 3.5 6.7 11.11 (77)
BEST - Adelaide: Crouch, Laird, Otten, Milera, Sloane, Gibbs, Greenwood
North Melbourne: Dumont, Daw, Atley, Higgins, Goldstein, Waite.
GOALS - Adelaide: Jenkins 3, McGovern, Greenwood 2, Gibbs, Knight, Gallucci, Lynch, Betts
North Melbourne: Waite 3, Goldstein, Atley 2, Walker, Simpin, Wood, Ziebell.
INJURIES - Adelaide: Doedee (collarbone). North Melbourne: Walker (knee).
UMPIRES - C. Donlon, R. O’Gorman, R. Findlay.
CROWD - 41,444 at Adelaide Oval.
VOTES
3: Matt Crouch (Adelaide)
2: Rory Laird (Adelaide)
1: Trent Dumont (North)
Watch every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. SIGN UP NOW >