Adelaide midfielder Matt Crouch booted multiple goals for only the second time in his career in an impressive, yet unfamiliar performance against the Saints
Matt Crouch led the way for the Crows on Saturday night but the ball-magnet’s numbers were unlike what were used to seeing. And it highlighted his ability to have an influence in other ways.
- Eddie’s back and so is Adelaide’s forward pressure
- Finally, Crows find something to love
- The win Port Adelaide had to have
Despite, again, losing the clearance battle, on the back of a dominant performance from St Kilda big man Rowan Marshall, Adelaide’s midfield fought back on Saturday night after last week’s horror show at the MCG.
The Crows lost the clearance and contested possession counts but excelled away from the stoppage and, more importantly, were efficient when they won it back.
Adelaide was careful with its ball movement and made it count going forward, recording four more goals from two less inside 50s.
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“We were a bit more deliberate with our ball use, which enabled us to set up score from transition versus from stoppage,” coach Don Pyke said post-match.
“But that’s two weeks in a row from a stoppage viewpoint we’ve lost those numbers, so that’s not sustainable, but we found a different way tonight.
And leading the charge was ball-magnet Matt Crouch, who, like his side, found a different way to have an influence, finishing with 35 disposals in a somewhat unfamiliar performance.
At a time when his ability to hurt the opposition had come under question, the 24-year-old delivered, booting multiple majors for only the second time in his 106-game career.
Prior to Saturday’s 22-point victory, Crouch had 23 goals to his name – two against North Melbourne in 2016 and the rest singles.
Crouch took his 2019 tally to six after kicking just nine majors in the previous two seasons combined.
While Adelaide was patient with the ball, often kicking backwards and sideways until the right option presented itself, Crouch was more direct with his 343 metres gained the most in a match since Round 6.
In this past three weeks, the left-footer has gained 133, 242 and 225 metres in each match respectively despite finishing with disposal tallies of 24, 33 and 36.
While his brother Brad tallied six and the returning Bryce Gibbs five, in another unusual stat, Crouch failed to record one clearance against the Saints.
This has only happened once in the 2017 All Australian’s past 70 matches and just four times over his six-year career.
Instead, Crouch finished with a game-high 27 uncontested possessions as his side dominated in this area, finishing with a +57 differential
Crouch also tallied 20 handball-receives, an equal-team-high nine score involvements and five inside 50s to finish with 118 Champion Data ranking points – the third-most on the ground.
It started in the first term with Crouch bursting out the blocks to give his side the ascendency, recording eight effective disposals, two score involvements and goal by quarter-time.
The younger of Adelaide’s Crouch brothers isn’t known for his closing speed but his chase-down tackle on young Saint Nick Hind late in the opening quarter signalled the Crows’ early intent and led to Eddie Betts’ second goal of the night.
And after the Saints wrestled back momentum before the main break, Crouch’s 12-disposal third-term, which included a running goal on his non-preferred foot, saw Adelaide take a three-goal lead into the last change.
Crouch’s role has been evolving in Adelaide’s engine room all year and with Brad and Rory Sloane leading the way, Crouch has taken a back seat when it comes to first-possession.
The 24-year-old’s contested-possession rate is the lowest it’s been since his debut season of 2014.
But as he showed on Saturday night, he does have more to offer.