It wasn’t always pretty but the Crows found a way to upset high-flying GWS at Adelaide Oval

From an attacking force in 2017 to a defensive beast in 2019, Crows coach Don Pyke has swung a huge change in game plan, writes Michelangelo Rucci. Plus: quarter-by-quarter reviews.

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Crows coach Don Pyke may well replace Fremantle and former St Kilda mentor Ross Lyon as the AFL’s most defensive-minded strategist.

To quote Hawthorn premiership forward Dermott Brereton: “They (the Crows) are boring to watch.”

Are they ever! But they also are 7-5 after taking a major scalp — despite conceding a 21-point, third-quarter lead — with the second-ranked Greater Western Sydney at Adelaide Oval in a low-scoring grind on Saturday night.

And they did win by turning on the goals, four of them in the last 10 minutes starting with co-captain Taylor Walker’s momentum-swinging goal.

The question remains, however, with the defence-first theme that gave Adelaide the foundation for this season-defining win. Will this dramatically philosophical change to defence — that contrasts all that Adelaide was as the high-scoring minor premier in 2017 and all that defines SA football culture — deliver a flag to end the Crows’ 21-year drought? It did not deliver the ultimate result for Lyon …

Adelaide’s Brad Crouch celebrates a goal with Jordan Gallucci as GWS defender Zac Williams shows his disappointment. Picture: Sarah Reed

Pyke has made the once-enterprising Crows play to his personality rather than their own. The “cover and intercept” tactics used to slow down and frustrate the Giants in the second term were intense — and enough to make AFL football boss Steve Hocking again rethink his rule changes to create more space and save the game from painful-to-watch encounters.

Crows defence coach Martin Mattner, who learned his craft from the defence-minded, premiership-winning Paul Roos, has indeed set up the Adelaide back half to be exemplary in covering and crowding forward threats.

Pyke can well respond that if an attacking playbook designed to the strengths of his players did not go the distance in 2017, he has every right to live to the concept that “defence wins championships”.

It certainly strangled the life out of the Giants’ game — and threat posed by a genuine top-four side.

The most-fascinating battle within the grind was between novice Crows ruckman Reilly O’Brien and GWS giant Shane Mumford. Despite the inevitable loss on hit-outs, O’Brien frustrated Mumford enough to ensure the Crows — despite having co-captain Rory Sloane heavily tagged by Matt de Boer — were in command of the clearances and contested possessions from the start.

Lachlan Murphy and Taylor Walker of the Crows celebrate a goal against the Giants. Picture: AAP Image/Sam Wundke

In victory, Pyke will avoid any tough questions about his fortnightly decision to keep Carlton recruit Bryce Gibbs out of the AFL line-up. Even with Sloane in doubt by his hamstring concerns, Pyke kept Gibbs in the SANFL and called David Makay and Hugh Greenwood to Adelaide Oval as the emergencies.

So the No. 1 draft pick midfielder who cost Adelaide two first-round draft picks in a deal with Carlton in the October 2017 trade market is not in the Crows’ best 24 players anymore.

Not in question, however, is the worth of key forward Josh Jenkins who had a long stint in the SANFL to be reprogrammed. He is certainly “back in town” with his three goals — one each of the first three quarters.

QUARTER-BY-QUARTER UPDATES

FIRST QUARTER

Crows 2.5 (17)

Giants 1.2 (8)

Business as usual for Ed 🤩 #weflyasone pic.twitter.com/UCYDIFJoXe

— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) June 8, 2019

NO Tom Lynch, after calf problem in warm-up forced the Crows to make a late, late change with Hugh Greenwood. But there was still a big, fast start from Adelaide with the first four shots on goal (for an inefficient 1.3 that became 2.5). Novice Crows ruckman Reilly O’Brien set a grand example in holding ground against Giants giant Shane Mumford.

SECOND QUARTER

Crows 4.7 (31)

Giants 3.4 (22)

Lovely stuff from Josh Jenkins!#AFLCrowsGiants pic.twitter.com/hpzrBywEh0

— AFL (@AFL) June 8, 2019

NO score until halfway through the term with Harry Perryman’s behind for GWS from hitting a post. Adelaide’s ability to frustrate and intercept the Giants’ ball movement was exemplary, but delivered just 2.2 from the rebound starting with key forward Josh Jenkins proving he is back in town.

THIRD QUARTER

Crows 6.7 (43)

Giants 7.5 (47)

Lachie Murphy goes bang!#AFLCrowsGiants pic.twitter.com/ucTtZq4fen

— AFL (@AFL) June 8, 2019

STRONG opening from Crows with Jenkins continuing to add a goal a quarter. And more goals (three) in the first 10 minutes than in any other 10-minute patch in the first half. Adelaide’s strong defensive themes were ultimately broken down by the Giant winning contested football for the first time. GWS took the lead for the first time by clearing away a 21-point deficit with a run of four unanswered goals.

FOURTH QUARTER

Crows 12.10 (82)

Giants 9.7 (61)

Brad Crouch coming through 👊#AFLCrowsGiants pic.twitter.com/D1PbqDkmEz

— AFL (@AFL) June 8, 2019

ADELAIDE again in front after two minutes — again winning the contests and again scoring the first goal of the term. But not for long enough as Jeremy Cameron’s set shot from the boundary 10 minutes in restored GWS’s lead. Crows co-captain Taylor Walker finally scored a goal with eight minutes to play to give Adelaide a momentum-swinging three-point buffer.

Just a couple of Broken Hill boys on the big stage! 🏉 #weflyasone pic.twitter.com/x0SpRQIk7V

— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) June 8, 2019

ADELAIDE V GWS GIANTS

AO, 7:10pm ACST Saturday, June 8, 2019

TV: Channel 7, Fox Footy (live)

RADIO: FIVEaa, TripleM, ABC, SEN

WEATHER: Mainly fine. Max 17C

LIVE STREAM: Kayosports.com.au

ADELAIDE

B Luke Brown, Daniel Talia, Kyle Hartigan

HB Brodie Smith, Alex Keath, Wayne Milera

C Rory Atkins, Richard Douglas, Jordan Gallucci

HF Brad Crouch, Taylor Walker, Hugh Greenwood

F Lachlan Murphy, Josh Jenkins, Eddie Betts

FOL Reilly O’Brien, Matt Crouch, Rory Sloane

I/C Jake Kelly, Paul Seedsman, Cameron Ellis-Yolmen, Rory Laird

EMG, Bryce Gibbs, David Mackay, Sam Jacobs

IN

Kyle Hartigan, Richard Douglas, Matt Crouch,

OUT

Bryce Gibbs (Omitted), David Mackay (Omitted), Tom Lynch (injured)

GWS GIANTS

B Zac Williams, Sam Taylor, Heath Shaw

HB Adam Kennedy, Phil Davis, Nick Haynes

C Brett Deledio, Josh Kelly, Matt de Boer

HF Adam Tomlinson, Harry Himmelberg, Harry Perryman

F Brent Daniels, Jeremy Cameron, Daniel Lloyd

FOL Shane Mumford, Stephen Coniglio, Jacob Hopper

I/C Isaac Cumming, Tim Taranto, Sam J. Reid, Jeremy Finlayson

EMG Jackson Hately, Aiden Bonar, Lachlan Keeffe

IN

Zac Williams, Sam Taylor, Daniel Lloyd

OUT

Lachlan Keeffe (Omitted), Lachie Whitfield (Injured), Toby Greene (injured)

Originally published as It wasn’t always pretty but the Crows found a way to upset high-flying GWS at Adelaide Oval