Crow Hugh Greenwood looms as another forward option after shining in Brisbane
HUGH Greenwood has become known among Crows fans for his efforts as a hard-bodied midfielder. But on Saturday he reminded Don Pyke why the Crows recruited him in the first place.
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ADELAIDE utility Hugh Greenwood has emerged as another viable forward option as the Crows continue its late run for a finals berth.
Greenwood kicked a matchwinning four goals in the Crows’ five-point win against Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday night.
He should have had a bag of five majors, but he hit the post with in the last quarter — and more than made up for a quiet night from the returning Mitch McGovern.
“I’m sort of embracing a different role the past couple of weeks with Knighter (Riley Knight) coming into the side and doing some tagging,” Greenwood said.
“I do my best work on the inside but I’m embracing my role as a forward.
“I enjoy getting on the end of them.”
Greenwood’s heroics came just 14 months after Greenwood debut at the same venue with three goals, but since then he has been cast more as a big-bodied midfielder and a utility who can play a range of roles rather than one of the side’s spearheads.
But his career-best haul in Brisbane — which also helped make up for the absence of captain Taylor Walker to suspension — reminded coach Don Pyke of why the Crows had first recruited the former basketballer.
It also gave him another area in which to place Greenwood’s magnet on the whiteboard.
“When we first recruited Hugh he came in as a forward,” Pyke said.
“But through the period of his time at the footy club (we’ve) sort of been able to develop him into a guy who is capable of winning his own ball and be pretty effective around the stoppage.
“But we know that he can play forward and we saw that tonight.”
Greenwood said the Crows have their finals hopes in their own hands and can make a powerplay towards September in the next fortnight at Adelaide Oval.
“We can only control what we can control and get wins on the board,” he said.
“We control our own destiny.”
Adelaide host Melbourne next Saturday night before Showdown 45 against Port Adelaide.
Greenwood’s effort also caught the eye of Brisbane coach Chris Fagan, whose team had been on a hot three-game winning streak.
Fagan conceded he had almost overlooked Greenwood’s attacking potential after spending much time dealing with how to best negate recognised forwards such as Eddie Betts, Tom Lynch and Josh Jenkins in the lead-up to the match.
“He’s a good player,” Fagan said of Greenwood.
“We did a lot of homework on Eddie and Jenkins and Lynch and, you know, they were serviceable but they didn’t dominate the game.
“But yeah, he popped up.
“He’s a good player, that bloke.
“We’ll have to make sure we clamp him down the next time.
“He’s good in the air, he’s good at ground level and he’s slippery around the stoppages.
“I think he might have got goals from all of those different scenarios and we were unable to contain him.”
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