Crows defender Rory Atkins says simple plan paid off for Adelaide in the rain against Fremantle Dockers

ADELAIDE half-back Rory Atkins believes a simpler and grittier approach was a key plank in Adelaide finally starting and playing out a first quarter with authority against Fremantle last night.

Rory Atkins of the Crows battles Docker Brady Grey in the rain at Adelaide Oval. Picture: David Mariuz (AAP)

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ADELAIDE half-back Rory Atkins believes a simpler and grittier approach was a key plank in Adelaide finally starting and playing out a first quarter with authority against Fremantle last night.

Atkins, who collected a team-high 37 disposals in an outstanding contribution, said the rain had simplified matters further — there’s no room for finessing when it’s pouring.

But another major factor had been a tweak in approach and a preparedness to simply do whatever it took to win the ball and get it into the forward half.

“It’s a willingness and want to win that contested footy early,” Atkins said. “It doesn’t have to be pretty football; you just need to get the game on your terms early.

“And then once you get the game on your terms that’s when it starts to open up and that’s when we can move the ball which is when we play our best footy.

“It shouldn’t take those conditions for us to play that way but it did this week.”

Rory Atkins of the Crows battles Docker Brady Grey in the rain at Adelaide Oval. Picture: David Mariuz (AAP)

Atkins said the back-to-basics approach in slippery conditions centred on the task of winning the game’s accepted key statistic.

“With the conditions tonight contested ball was a big one and we thought we put our foot down early and established ourselves in the game that way,” he said.

“And we just kept going in that regard.

“We played the game in our half of the ground, got good position and then it was easier to defend after that.

“And as soon we kicked the ball forward we wanted to get up there we wanted to get up there as quickly as possible to lock the ball in our forward half or forward 50.

“We have one of the best forward lines in the competitions so we might as well let them have the first crack at it.”

Atkins was typically modest about his own match, which aside from the high disposal count included five inside 50s, four clearances and four tackles.

“I got a few stats, which was good,” he said with a smile.