Adelaide coach Don Pyke heaps praise on the Crows after spirited win over Richmond

A NORMALLY very measured and reserved Adelaide coach Don Pyke has poured praise on his side saying he could not be prouder of the players who responded to a horror week with a six-goal win over reigning premier Richmond.

Crows coach Don Pyke with Josh Jenkins after the win over Richmond. Picture: Sarah Reed.

A NORMALLY very measured and reserved Adelaide coach Don Pyke has poured praise on his side saying he could not be prouder of the players who responded to a brutal week with a six-goal win over reigning premier Richmond.

After a final-quarter fadeout in Round 1 and a week in which they were repeatedly questioned over a pre-season mind training camp and leaks from inside the club, Adelaide responded in the only way it could - on the field.

“I’m just super proud of the team tonight, circumstances leading into the game, their ability to turn up with a great attitude and bring the effort they brought was pretty visual and I’m just super proud of them,” Pyke said.

“It continues to build the belief, I thought we played okay last night without hitting our straps and tonight given the circumstances and a couple of injuries on the way through, their ability to really dig in, and the way we won, can only be good for our group.”

“I couldn’t be prouder of the group and the way they came out tonight and played, given the circumstances.

“For us it was pretty much white noise (media hype surrounding the camp) but from a coaching viewpoint you don’t know how much of that infiltrates into players’ minds.

“But they’re a really proud group our guys, they won a lot of games of footy in the last couple of years and they came here tonight with some real resolve about them and I think we saw that.”

Matt Crouch (hamstring), David Mackay (concussion), Daniel Talia (hyperextended knee) and Rory Sloane (foot strain) will all be assessed this week, but Crouch and Mackay were unable to play out the game.

Still, Adelaide won contested ball by +47 which was a dramatic improvement on the -27 in last year’s grand final.

“I said that yesterday pre-game, that’s clearly an area which is pretty pivotal in any game let alone when you’re playing a top side like Richmond,” Pyke said.

“That was clearly a focus going into the game and both in the air and on the ground I thought we were really strong.”

Josh Jenkins’ five goals and the way he took Alex Rance out of the game in the first half also drew wide praise from Pyke.

“I thought his first half in particular was outstanding, it’s great to see, it’s great reward for the work he’s been doing.”

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