Crows must address poor goal kicking record or season 2019 will quickly slip away

In three rounds of 2019 the Crows have kicked more points than goals in every game. On Thursday it cost them dearly as a final-quarter fightback faded out after some poor finishing.

• Match report: Crows shoot themselves in the foot again
• Match centre: All the stats from Crows v Cats

In the third quarter of Thursday night’s loss, stand-in ruck Reilly O’Brien — in only his third game of AFL football and his first since 2016 — stood ready for a set shot on goal, only 20m out directly in front.

Momentum was with the Crows. He breathed deep as he steadied the ball in his hand and took his run up.

This set shot should have been marked down as a gimme, but he shanked it and missed the posts entirely, the ball flying out of bounds on the full.

O’Brien’s kick during Adelaide’s 24-point loss to Geelong, actually summed up the Crows season so far: inaccurate.

In three rounds of football for 2019, the Crows have the unceremonious record of kicking more points than goals in each of their three games.

Adelaide kicked 7.13 in their round one 32-point loss to Hawthorn and then followed that up with a scoreline of 12.16 in their 26-point win over Sydney in round two.

Gary Ablett of the Cats and Kyle Hartigan of the Crows battle during the Round 3 clash at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Image/David Mariuz

To follow that up with 10.15 against Geelong should rightly have the forwards coaches scratching their heads and pencilling in some serious goal kicking practice on the training track.

And they’ll want to reverse the trend quickly: the Crows haven’t averaged more points than goals for a season in almost a decade.

Even in last year’s disappointing season, Adelaide averaged more goals than points — 13.12 a game — and in their stellar 2017 year when they made the grand final, they averaged 16.13.

According to AFL Tables, the last time the Crows averaged more points than goals for an entire season was in 2010 when the side finished 11th with a 9-13 win-loss ratio.

Last night, points were scored by Taylor Walker, Eddie Betts, Rory Sloane, Paul Seedsman, Brodie Smith, Tom Lynch, Rory Atkins and Josh Jenkins.

Then, with just over 10 minutes to go in the last quarter, Brad Crouch missed a snap on goal and Geelong seized the opportunity to get the ball quickly into their own forward line and Gary Ablett kicked truly and put the Cats further in front.

Up until this time, the Crows had some serious momentum and got within five points of Geelong. It was a costly miss.

Paul Seedsman of the Crows is taken of the field with a suspected ACL injury. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Seedsman’s night took a turn for the worst when he hyperextended his knee in a marking contest and suffered a suspected ACL injury, likely to sideline him for the rest of the 2019 season, joining teammate Tom Doedee on the sidelines with a similar injury.

Lynch — who kicked 2.3 for the night — kicked the final behind for the Crows and was his side’s only multiple goal-scorer.

The Crows had more scoring shots than Geelong in the first quarter — nine to eight — but Adelaide’s six points couldn’t compete with the Cats’ six goals.

With accuracy in front of goals aside, in all other facets of last night’s game, the Crows and Cats were fairly evenly matched, with Adelaide winning the disposals count (369 to 349), clearances (37 to 31), inside 50s (53 to 49) and tackles (66 to 48).

But goals win matches. Pure and simple.

FOURTH QUARTER

Crows: 10 15 75

Cats: 14 15 99

Geelong has beaten the Crows by 24 points at Adelaide Oval. The Crows fought valiantly to get within five points, but three unanswered goals all but sunk Adelaide with 10 minutes to go. The Cats had 10 individual goal kickers, including Gryan Miers with three.

An update on Seed 😢 #weflyasone

— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) April 4, 2019

It was an inaccurate display by the Crows. Despite this, midfielder Brad Crouch led the game’s disposal count with 35 for the night and was arguably one of the best on ground.

But Patrick Dangerfield was the star with 32 disposals, seven tackles and one goal.

Crow Paul Seedsman was stretchered from the oval after hyper-extending his left knee in a marking contest.

THIRD QUARTER

Crows: 9.12 (66)

Cats: 10.9 (69)

The Crows came out firing after half time and stunned Geelong with contested, fast-running football and got within eight points of the Cats after a stirring goal from co-captain Taylor Walker.

3QT: Tom Lynch's goal after the siren brings us back to within 3 points! BRING IT HOME BOYS! Much better quarter 💪 #weflyasone pic.twitter.com/iUndDk0pTG

— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) April 4, 2019

But Geelong responded with two quick goals inside a minute thanks to two of their most experienced: Tom Hawkins and Patrick Dangerfield.

After that, though, it was all the Crows and they piled on three of their own thanks to Brad Crouch, Lachlan Murphy and then Tom Lynch with a long-bomb after the three-quarter siren.

The Cats are still leading, although their lead has been cut significantly, to only three points.

Crouch has been firing in the midfield, and now has 29 disposals — the most of anyone on the ground — and kicked a goal from straight in front.

SECOND QUARTER

Crows: 4.9 (33)

Cats: 8.8 (56)

The goal-fest at Adelaide Oval has subsided with three kicked this quarter, compared with nine in the first term and this time it’s Geelong ruing inaccuracy with six behinds of their own. But they lead the Crows by 23 points.

Adelaide have struggled going inside their forward 50, missing their targets. Geelong midfielder Patrick Dangerfield was calm across the ground and continues to lead the disposal count with 20 along with Adelaide’s Brad Crouch.

Junior trying to create a spark against the Cats 💥 #weflyasone pic.twitter.com/EqkcLVvbIn

— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) April 4, 2019

Crows defender Rory Laird, who was uncharacteristically quiet in the first term recording only one disposal, has increased his tally to 14.

Reilly O’Brien, playing only his third game of AFL and taking on the ruck left vacant by injured Sam Jacobs, seems to be holding his own after a tough first quarter where he won only 25 per cent of his ruck contests: at half time, the Cats lead the hit-outs 16 to 23.

Daniel Talia spent time on the bench after a knock to his shin, while Eddie Betts copped a knock to his face.

FIRST QUARTER

Crows: 3.6 (24)

Cats: 6.2 (38)

In a goal fest of a first term, Geelong are 14 points in front of the Crows at quarter time.

The first two majors of the match were kicked in the first four minutes by two forwards named Atkins: Rory for the Crows and Tom for the Cats.

These goals were followed by a seven-minute stretch where the Adelaide Oval crowd were put into booing frenzy — and coach Don Pyke must have been shaking his head — as three of the most experienced Crows, including co-captain Taylor Walker, gave away three 50m penalties and two goals.

Brad Crouch running hot early, already up to 10 disposals 🔥 #weflyasone pic.twitter.com/0NAyyATet1

— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) April 4, 2019

The Crows steadied to kick two more goals thanks to the boots of Tom Lynch and Riley Knight, but free-flowing Geelong won the hit-outs and kicked three straight.

Brad Croach has been busy early amassing 10 disposals, but Patrick Dangerfield is leading the disposal count with 12 at quarter time.

The Crows are ruing their six behinds.

ADELAIDE v GEELONG

Thursday 4 April, 7.20pm

Adelaide Oval

TV: Channel 7, Fox Footy

RADIO: FIVEaa, TripleM, ABC891

LIVE STREAM: Kayo

WEATHER: Fine, max 31C

CROWS

B: Jake Kelly, Alex Keath, Rory Laird

HB: Brodie Smith, Daniel Talia, David Mackay

C: Paul Seedsman, Matt Crouch, Riley Knight

HF: Rory Sloane, Taylor Walker, Rory Atkins

F: Chayce Jones, Josh Jenkins, Eddie Betts

FOLL: Reilly O’Brien, Bryce Gibbs, Brad Crouch

I/C: Kyle Hartigan, Tom Lynch, Wayne Milera, Lachlan Murphy

EMG: Myles Poholke, Andy Otten, Cam Ellis-Yolmen, Darcy Fogarty

CATS

B: Mark O’Connor, Mark Blicavs, Tom Stewart

HB: Jake Kolodjashnij, Harry Taylor, Luke Dahlhaus

C: Joel Selwood, Patrick Dangerfield, Jordan Clark

HF: Mitch Duncan, Esava Ratugolea, Brandan Parfitt

F: Gary Ablett, Tom Atkins, Gary Rohan

FOLL: Rhys Stanley, Tom Hawkins, Tim Kelly

I/C: Lachie Henderson, Sam Menegola, Charlie Constable, Gryan Miers

EMG: Ryan Abbott, Jordan Cunico, Zach Guthrie, James Parsons