‘We didn’t play the way we wanted’: Adelaide Crows defender Jake Kelly says approach, not game style to blame for Brisbane Lions loss

They only lost by a point on Saturday but Jake Kelly said the Crows didn’t play how they wanted — and know where they have to improve.

Jake Kelly of the Crows kicks the ball away against Brisbane. Picture: Jono Searle/AFL Photos/Getty Images

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Adelaide defender Jake Kelly says the Crows way back to its winning form is simple — it begins with mindset.

Kelly and his fellow backmen had a hard afternoon at work on a muggy and overcast Gabba, with the ball coming into their area frequently and being sent back there as soon at it was shipped out.

Daniel McStay of the Lions is challenged by Jake Kelly of the Crows at The Gabba on Saturday. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

There was only one 10-minute period when the Crows were on top against Brisbane — a blueprint for how they would like to play this week against West Coast.

But Kelly said for that to happen they had to turn up to the match more switched on.

Just being a fraction off would mean another game of chasing backs.

The Crows only lost by one point, but Kelly said even if the result had gone the other way there would be matters to address for the team.

“We didn’t play the way we wanted, I didn’t think,” Kelly said.

“I think they beat us quite convincingly in contested possession, at some stages, and tackles.

“Contested we made up but they beat us in the midfield in the first half in that aspect and tackles is another indicator.”

It led to a concerning pattern for the Crows.

Brisbane got the ball into their attacking zone through their pressure on the ball and the Lions then managed to lock possession inside forward 50 more often and for longer, more punishing periods.

“I just found it that they got it quite deep into their forward line and then when we tried to exit it they set up really well behind the ball,” Kelly said.

“Their repeat entries, the fact that we kicked it out and it came back in, we kicked it out and it came back in … it was quite relentless in that aspect.

“As soon as you kicked it out the forwards were outnumbered so they lost that next contest and when it came back in they took some easy marks inside 50.”

But Kelly said the solution was simple. It was about the team’s approach rather than its game style.

“I think contested ball and tackles is all mindset,” Kelly said. “It shouldn’t change on a weekly basis.

“But if you don’t come mentally on, ready to compete in the contested aspect you find yourself second to the ball and behind.

“That’s why the competition is so great at the moment; if you don’t come switched on the bottom team can beat the top team on any given day.

“It didn’t feel like we ever had the game in control except for about 10 minutes in the second quarter, when we locked the ball inside-50.

“In that 10-minute space we actually did what they did for the majority of the game.

“That 10 minutes was the only space when we played how we wanted to play.”