Western Bulldogs opening onslaught shows why Adelaide Crows need to make some drastic changes
Captain Taylor Walker implored them to play with ‘heart and a bit of passion’. But the Crows’ final showing of 2019 would not have filled fans with hope unless big changes are made, as several AFL greats have suggested.
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Don Pyke reckons the Western Bulldogs are back to the level they were are when they won a premiership three years ago.
Crows fans will be feeling the next time they contend for a flag is a while away after their season ended in such a disappointing fashion against the finals’ bound Dogs on Sunday.
Hawthorn’s shock win over West Coast on Saturday night meant the Crows’ season was all but done even before they took to the ground in Ballarat - needing to beat a rampant Bulldogs outfit by about 95 points to be any chance of playing finals.
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Pyke said he just hoped his side would finish the season with a good performance, but in a game that was simply for Crows pride Adelaide crumbled under an early Bulldogs onslaught that showed why changes to the playing list and the game plan are urgently required at West Lakes.
Ahead of the game co-captain Taylor Walker challenged his teammates to “roll their sleeves up” and “play with a bit of heart and a bit of passion”.
But save for a 20 minute period in the second quarter, and a margin-saving fourth, the Crows’ final showing of 2019 would not have filled fans with hope going forward unless big changes are made in the off-season.
Two-time premiership player David King said the performance by the Crows - especially in the first quarter when they conceded six straight - was “damaging for the brand”.
RE-CAP THE MATCH QUARTER BY QUARTER BELOW
Premiership coach Paul Roos said it showed that not only a major overhaul of the playing list was needed but Pyke’s system also had to be looked at.
When the Bulldogs get the ball every player becomes an offensive weapon, too many times when the Crows attack they look stagnant and one-paced.
Again the pressure was lacking, the Crows had just the two forward 50 tackles compared to 13.
And while veteran Sam Jacobs’ 58 hit-outs helped the Crows to 64 compared to the Bulldogs’ 29, the finals-bound side was only five behind in the clearance count and even edged the stoppage battle.
The Crows’ coaches spoke about how it was important not to focus on just one of the Bulldogs’ dangerous midfield trio of Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae and Josh Dunkley.
But for a side that prides itself on its contested footy, the Crows just got out-hunted at ground level.
Bontempelli ended up with 31 disposals and 10 tackles, Macrae 36 touches and Dunkley 33 as the Crows decision not to try and take away one of the Dogs’ key weapons hurt them.
Chayce Jones - 18 disposals, seven marks, four tackles and two goals - was a positive and raised the question why has he played so few games in 2019?
He was even shifted to be on the ball as his influence on the game became clear, and surely as a result of the impending shake-up at the Crows the youngster gets his chance to shine.
FOURTH TERM
Bailey Dale continued his fine form in recent weeks for the Bulldogs, kicking his fifth goal just before the six minute mark of the third term.
The Bulldogs are looming as a serious threat in September and goals to their rising stars in Josh Schache and Naughton showed just how dangerous they could be.
On a terrible day for the Crows, Brodie Smith at least gave them something to stay about with an outstanding goal from the byline to potentially put his name forward for a goal of the year nomination while Taylor Walker ended up with five goals.
THIRD TERM
Back with the wind behind them, the Western Bulldogs were again rampant in the opening exchanges of the third term — smashing the Crows in the clearance battle.
Wayne Milera summed up the Crows’ afternoon, kicking the ball straight to Aaron Naughton instead of teammate Alex Keath and conceding a goal.
Tom Lynch registered his first of the afternoon for the Crows eight minutes in, and Taylor Walker soon added his third, but the Bulldogs were still dominant.
Toby McLean kicked his second after the ball spilt from Sam Jacobs’ hands on the goal-line, summing up the Crows’ afternoon.
SECOND TERM
The Crows kicked with the wind in the second term, and while they upped the ante the Bulldogs were still able to hurt them — although nowhere near as much as they did in the first.
Bailey Dale kicked his third of the game just three minutes into the quarter, and Patrick Lipinski registered his second soon after.
Rookie Chayce Jones continued his impressive game for the Crows, and kicked his second of the day following a brave mark — and after Dale kicked his fourth.
Two late goals to Crows captain Taylor Walker and Matt Crouch cut the margin to 28 points at the break to give them a faint pulse.
The Crows need beat the Western Bulldogs, and make up 5.7 percentage points, some margin, if they are to book a spot in this year’s finals series.
That, roughly, equates to a 15-plus-goal win.
FIRST TERM
Hawthorn stunning upset of West Coast on Saturday night had already made the task awaiting the Adelaide Crows a near impossible one, and the Crows didn’t need a slow start to the match.
But against a red-hot Bulldogs outfit that was exactly what happened as the Dogs made a quick-fire opening to the match.
After all the talk of stopping the Bulldogs midfield, the Crows lost the first clearance of the game and Bailey Dale kicked the match’s first goal within seconds.
It was one way traffic from there, with Dale adding his second of the game and he was joined by Sam Lloyd, youngster Rhylee West, superstar Marcus Bontempelli and youngster Patrick Lipinski in pilling on six unanswered goals until Chayce Jones finally kicked the Crows’ first 28 minutes into the quarter.
The Crows need beat the Western Bulldogs, and make up 5.7 percentage points, some margin, if they are to book a spot in this year’s finals series.
That, roughly, equates to a 15-plus-goal win — a tough ask for a side which booted just six majors in the 66-point loss to the Magpies last week.
With the Hawks requiring the Crows to win to play finals, Adelaide defector Jack Gunston took to Instagram on Sunday wearing one of his former guernseys.
WESTERN BULLDOGS v ADELAIDE CROWS
Sunday August 24, 12.40pm at Mars Stadium, Ballarat
Weather:
TV: Fox Footy, Kayo, Seven (live)
Radio: Triple M, ABC, FIVEaa
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TEAMS
BULLDOGS
B: T. Duryea, Le. Young, H. Crozier
HB: J. Johannisen, Z. Cordy, E. Wood
C: L. Hunter, M. Bontempelli, E. Richards
HF: B. Dale, J. Schache, S. Lloyd
F: B. Smith, A. Naughton, T. McLean
FOLL: T. English, J. Dunkley, J. Macrae
I/C: M. Suckling, R. West, P. Lipinski, W. Hayes
Emerg: J. Trengove, C. Porter, B. Williams, R. Smith
IN: T. English, R. West
OUT: T. Dickson (injured), J. Trengove
CROWS
B: R. Laird, D. Talia, L. Brown
HB: B. Smith, J. Kelly, W. Milera
C: P. Seedsman, B. Crouch, D. Mackay
HF: C. Jones, T. Walker, T. Lynch
F: E. Betts, D. Fogarty, R. Douglas
FOLL: S. Jacobs, M. Crouch, R. Sloane
I/C: H. Greenwood, R. Knight, B. Gibbs, A. Keath
Emerg: A. Otten, R. O’Brien, L. Murphy, K. Hartigan
IN: H. Greenwood, R. Knight, A. Keath
OUT: R. O’Brien, L. Murphy, K. Hartigan