Fast and furious Adelaide too hot for Greater Western Sydney at Adelaide Oval
ADELAIDE has thrown off the burdens of an injury-riddled summer and the pre-match withdrawal of captain Taylor Walker to destroy Greater Western Sydney — and send a message to its rivals.
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NO Tex, no problems.
An impressive Adelaide on Sunday put an injury-riddled pre-season behind it — and the late withdrawal of inspirational captain Taylor “Tex’’ Walker — to send a message to its rivals that it will have a big say in this year’s premiership race.
The Crows not only upset flag favourite Greater Western Sydney at Adelaide Oval but they did it in emphatic fashion.
Don Pyke’s side’s 56-point demolition job on the Giants — a team touted as being on the verge of an era of domination — was built on swarming defensive pressure, being stronger at the contest and newly-found, lightning-quick run through the middle of the ground.
The Crows’ score of 22.15 (147) was the biggest GWS has conceded since coughing up 154 points against Richmond in Round 10, 2104.
Adelaide — playing an underdone Rory Sloane — overcame a dangerous 21-point deficit in the second term to rip highly-rated GWS to shreds.
In front of the club’s premiership-winning AFLW team, the Crows fought back with intense pressure all over the field, starting with their smalls inside 50, which forced the Giants into costly turnovers, and then blew the game wide open with an eight-goal third quarter, which illustrated the Crows’ premiership credentials.
Adelaide’s summer focus on improving its contested ball, defensive pressure and flexibility all passed their first important tests, with the home side winning contested possessions by 19, dominating disposals 416-349 and inside 50s 65-48
Playmaking defender Rory Laird (a career-high 42 disposals), speedy Charlie Cameron and midfielders Rory Atkins (three goals) and Richard Douglas starred for the Crows, who won without four important players — injured Walker, Jake Lever and Brad Crouch (hamstrings) and Scott Thompson (shoulder).
Significantly, Troy Menzel and Curtly Hampton, playing their first AFL games for Adelaide, and defender Andy Otten, in his first premiership season match for 960 days following two knee reconstructions, played important roles in the win.
The Crows’ victory continued their dominance of the Giants, who were guilty of some howling turnovers.
Adelaide has now won seven of their eight matches against the league’s newest club and has never lost to them at home.
The Crows were dealt a body blow before the game when Walker ended two weeks of speculation about his tight hamstring by being a late withdrawal.
Pyke said “Tex” was “close’’ to playing but that the coaching staff were not prepared to risk one of their most valuable assets so early in the season.
Betts — Adelaide’s leading goalkicker in all three years he has been at the club — took no time in kickstarting his season, winning a free for a hold against Adam Kennedy and goaling with a left-foot snap.
The Giants then took control, with midfielders Josh Kelly (11 disposals) and Tom Scully (two goals) exerting a strong influence on the game and igniting their team’s run-and-gun game through the middle of the ground.
GWS skipped away to a 21-point lead early in the second quarter when star forward Jeremy Cameron kicked his second goal
But just when the game appeared to be slipping out of the Crows’ grasp, Atkins put his mark on it.
One of Adelaide’s most exciting young players and star pre-season performers, Atkins kicked two classy goals in four minutes to haul his side back into the contest.
The first was from a brilliant left-foot snap and the second was on the run after a superb 50m pass from forward Mitch McGovern.
When key forward Josh Jenkins booted his second major after the halftime siren with a long bomb from outside 50 the Crows had edged to an eight-point lead.
They extended that to 24 midway through the third term when Menzel showed why the Crows traded for him from Carlton him with a superb 50m goal on the run.
He put 12 months of frustration behind him by celebrating like he had just won the flag.
Devon Smith briefly gave GWS a heartbeat by kicking two classy goals — ending a 34-minute goal drought — in three minutes.
But McGovern’s perfectly executed, dribbling, 35m checkside goal — an early contender for goal of the year — ignited a scoring blitz that saw the home side break the Giants’ resistance.
SCOREBOARD
ADELAIDE 2.3 7.9 15.14 22.15 (147)
GWS 4.5 6.7 11.7 14.7 (91)
BEST — Adelaide: Laird, Cameron, Atkins, Douglas, M. Crouch, Betts, Smith. GWS: Scully, Kelly, Cameron, Williams, Shaw.
GOALS — Adelaide: Betts 4, Atkins, Jenkins 3, Cameron, Douglas, Knight, McGovern 2, Milera, Menzel, Smith, Mackay. GWS: Cameron 4, Smith 3, Scully 2, Lobb, Greene, Patton, M. Kennedy, Johnson.
INJURIES — Adelaide: McGovern (head knock), Walker (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Knight. Fremantle: Mzungu (hamstring), Patton (hip).
UMPIRES — L. Fisher, A. Stephens, S. Jeffery.
CROWD — 43,993 at Adelaide Oval.
MERV AGARS MEDAL VOTES — 5: Rory Laird. 4: Charlie Cameron. 3: Rory Atkins. 2: Richard Douglas. 1: Matt Crouch.
HERALD SUN VOTES — 3: Rory Laird (Adel). 2: Charlie Cameron (Adel). 1: Rory Atkins (Adel).
Originally published as Fast and furious Adelaide too hot for Greater Western Sydney at Adelaide Oval
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