Adelaide to push for AFLW home semi-final at Adelaide Oval after steamrolling Melbourne

Crows coach Matthew Clarke and co-captain Erin Phillips want Adelaide’s first AFLW final to be at Adelaide Oval next weekend.

Adelaide players celebrate their dominant victory over Melbourne which sealed a home semi-final. Picture: Daniel Pockett.

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Crows coach Matthew Clarke and co-captain Erin Phillips want Adelaide’s first AFLW final to be at Adelaide Oval at the weekend.

And they say the AFL should recognise the strong growth in the three-season-old national women’s league by placing the Crows semi-final on a major sporting field rather than in suburbia at Unley Oval.

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The AFL on Monday will decide where and when the Crows will host the second-ranked team from Conference B — either Geelong or 2017-18 grand finalists Brisbane — in the semi-finals series.

There is the option of a double-header at the Oval on Saturday when the Crows men’s team opens its AFL premiership campaign by hosting Hawthorn in the 4.05pm twilight match.

But this might be complicated by the needs of the AFLW television broadcasters, ticketing at the Oval — and Brisbane asking for a seven-day break for a semi-final played on the road for the Lions.

Clarke left Casey Fields in Melbourne — after the Crows overwhelmed Melbourne by 60 points — saying: “Hopefully we play at Adelaide Oval if the powers that be can organise that. It would be an excellent opportunity to showcase women’s footy.

“They have played in a manner that suggests the product is worth getting behind. It would be a great opportunity.”

Crows players sing the team song after their resounding win over Melbourne. Picture: Daniel Pockett.

Phillips described the Crows’ rights to a home final as “huge” and worthy of being presented on Adelaide Oval.

“It is a massive opportunity for us — and we hope to play at Adelaide Oval.”

Adelaide, the inaugural AFLW champions in 2017, has returned to the peak of the AFL rankings by claiming top spot in the tougher Conference A. The 10-goal win against Melbourne marked Adelaide’s first victory against the Demons.

Clarke has revived the Crows in his first season as a senior coach.

Crows players embrace after a goal during their crushing victory Picture: Daniel Pockett.

“We treated this game as a final,” Clarke said. “Had we lost, there was the potential we could have missed out (on the top-two rankings in the conference).

“The team had destiny in its hands and they played an amazing game. We were more efficient (with the ball) — and supported our defence really well.

“The players have done an amazing job to earn a home final.

“We will prepare like every other week, being thorough and as well prepared as we can be. It all starts again at 0-0 next week.”

Crows vice-captain Courtney Cramey noted Adelaide’s return as an AFLW pacesetter is built “with a completely different side to last year playing a completely different brand of footy.”

“We’ve been practising to bring heat to the game since November,” said Cramey of the manic pressure the Crows put on opponents with intense tackling a strong feature of the Adelaide game.

The concerning closing note for Adelaide was the accidental shin that crashed into the face of Crows defender Anne Hatchard as she battled for a ground ball early in the third term. She sat out the last term as the Crows took a no-risk approach.

Originally published as Adelaide to push for AFLW home semi-final at Adelaide Oval after steamrolling Melbourne