Bone’s Adelaide Crows fast five and player ratings
ADVERTISER AFL expert Chris McDermott has run his eyes over Adelaide’s efforts in Alice Springs and come up with his key points and player ratings, with only one Crow rising above the pack.
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ADVERTISER AFL expert Chris McDermott has run his eyes over Adelaide’s efforts in Alice Springs and come up with his key points and player ratings.
Crows fast five
1. Five embarrassingly easy goals to Melbourne to start this game as the Crows looked completely disinterested. They laid only four tackles in this time and it was game over in the Alice before quarter time.
2. With so many quality players missing it is easy to make excuses for the Crows but to be -24 for contested possessions at the halftime break is unforgivable. It blew out to -44 by three-quarter time. Contested possessions will always be the litmus test for teams and the Crows failed badly in this department.
3. This is the moment in 2018 for the Adelaide Football Club. Round 10, May 27. Any team can lose a game but it is how you respond. The Crows have just had their worst-ever loss under Don Pyke. Next week against GWS will say plenty about where they are as a team and a club, injuries or not.
4. Darcy Fogarty has officially arrived. If he hadn’t already. It wasn’t how much he did, but what he did and how he did it. Big, imposing, impressive and intimidating, in a team that was soundly beaten. That was good.
5. Jake Lever was always going to be the story in this game. Richard Douglas let him know very early it was going to be a physical day for him but it wasn’t from that moment on. Lever was a star. He would have been handy in a Crow.
Crows player ratings
Greenwood
Quiet start like many of his team mates but gradually worked himself into the game without having a major influence in it. 10 tackles the highlight but little offence to speak of. 6
Jenkins
Liked his attack on the ball early but he just didn’t get enough of it in his area Looks to be in good nic but had few opportunities in this one. 5
M. Crouch
One of only a few to get his hands on the ball but his usual creativity was missing. Too much of his ball went sideways and lacked the urgency his team needed. 6
Gibbs
Some good but not enough from him in the opening half and even less after the half time siren in a day to be forgotten. 5
Talia
Solid defensively and a couple of smothers and spoils that saved certain goals. The Crows best payer by a street and while he gave limited rebound his defensive work was faultless. 8
Mackay
A day to be forgotten from the veteran with a fumble in the Demons goal square that gifted a goal to Melksham summing up his poor day. 4
Hartigan
Struggled early in a match up with Hogan and had three kicked on him by the long break. Better after the break until the floodgates opened and Hogan cashed in on a flood of ball in his area. 4
Brown
Looked a little sluggish after a week off and under pressure from the Demons smalls gathering only two possessions in an open first half. Benched for the rest of the game after a head knock that may see him miss another game. 4
Betts
Sensational goal just before quarter-time but little else to speak of until he chipped in with another beauty just before full time. 4
Atkins
No run or carry and little life from the wingman in a tough game for all until a few late possessions made his game look better. It wasn’t. 5
Douglas
Started aggressively with a strong tackle on Lever but despite leading the Crows goal kickers for the day with 2.1, he did little else. 5
Lynch
Had Bernie Vince as his minder and as a result had a very quiet day. Never stopped trying and picked up a few possessions late but not a good day from the stand-in skipper. 4
Jacobs
Well beaten by Gawn in the first half at stoppage an did little around the ground as he too looked a little lethargic for a rare time. Failed to raise a gallop after the break and appears to be hanging out for a rest after a very busy few weeks. 4
Ellis-Yolmen
His first poor game in several weeks but for a rare time was well beaten in congestion and could find no ball anywhere in this one while his opponents got plenty. 4
Laird
Some nice rebound as per usual but little intercept work or strong defence in the first half. Numbers read OK and he tried hard but nowhere near the impact he normally has. 6
Doedee
Quiet start but found his feet quickly to amass 16 disposals in the first half. Second half similar and while his game looks good on the stats sheet it doesn’t fully show his limited influence. 5
Milera
Cruised around in defence and had a couple of nice passages of play but must keep on the edge and play at speed at all times. Not bad but must push himself to be much better. 5
Gallucci
Nice goal after classy sidestep but another to be quiet in the first half of this clash. Very quiet second half and he is not winning enough ball to cement his spot in this team. 4
Kelly
One of this man’s quietest games all season. Hardly sighted at any stage in a very rare poor outing. 4
Gibson
Sixteen disposals in the first half and plenty of ball but he was another to find it difficult to get value from his possessions. Almost disappeared off the ground in the second half and lack of game time shows. 5
Fogarty
The Crows best player by a street in the first half rotating from forward to defence and marking strongly on a couple of occasions. Faded significantly after the long break but the signs of a quality young man are clear. 6
Poholke
Got to make every opportunity count and he is not. 4
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