Adelaide Crows analysis: Crows rue missed chances as they slip to 0-2 with tricky three match stretch ahead
The Crows who told everyone in pre-season they were ready to take the next step find themselves 0-2. As MATT TURNER writes, they’ll have to find a way to dig themselves out of this early hole, and quick.
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Adelaide is suddenly behind the eight-ball in its bid to end a seven-year finals drought.
The Crows are 0-2 ahead of a tricky three-week stretch that starts with Fremantle in Perth next week, before crunch games against Melbourne at home in Gather Round and Carlton away at the MCG.
All the off-season talk from West Lakes was about how the team was ready to take the next step, but right now Adelaide still had the hallmarks of a nearly side.
The Crows have been second-best in their two matches yet had chances to win both.
Friday night is further proof that Adelaide knows how to put itself in positions for victory, but struggles to take its opportunities when matches are on the line.
Last year the Crows were 1-5 in games decided by a goal or less.
This season’s defeats – by six and 19 points – have been more error-riddled than gallant.
Adelaide had 13 more inside 50s against Geelong at home on Friday night, piling on 21 to 8 in the last term, as it pushed hard to overcome a 24-point three-quarter time deficit.
But the Crows only scored from one in every seven of those entries (3.4), compared to the Cats’ 2.5 from limited opportunities.
Matthew Nicks’s side left its charge versus Gold Coast last week too late, kicking just one goal in the first half and trailing by 26 points at the main break, so would have stolen a win if it prevailed.
Against the Cats, the Crows overcame another slow start much quicker to be in front with 13 minutes remaining in the third term.
They could have clawed back within 10 points with six minutes left if not for a Darcy Fogarty howler from 5m.
Somehow he hit the post, so instead the margin was 15.
A hurried Taylor Walker snap made it 14 points and that was the closest it got.
Adelaide’s second quarter told the story of its missed opportunities.
The Crows dominated territory, recording 24 inside 50s to Geelong’s 11, yet only managed to kick 2.3.
Too often, they made bad decisions entering their forward 50, blazing away or kicking directly to Tom Stewart.
Geelong’s pressure was immense for most of the night, forcing errors, but Adelaide played into the visitors’ hands by picking out the star Cats defender regularly.
He had six intercept marks in the first half and finished with an equal AFL record 10.
Plan A for Stewart, which was having Luke Pedlar on him, did not work.
Nor did plan B, which included pushing Pedlar around the ball and leaving Stewart free.
Pedlar did not have a possession until 12 minutes into the second term, before growing into the match, but he was one of those Crows who did not lower his eyes or used the ball poorly in that second quarter when the hosts should have made more with their momentum.
He ended the game with 10 disposals at 30 per cent efficiency.
But plenty of other Adelaide players squandered kicks inside 50.
The Crows finished the match +7 in turnovers.
Not being able to take its chances and win games that were in the balance cost Adelaide a finals berth last year.
It is still very early in the season but the Crows need to find a way to get out of this early hole quickly, otherwise it will be the case again.
Originally published as Adelaide Crows analysis: Crows rue missed chances as they slip to 0-2 with tricky three match stretch ahead
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