AFL round 7: Adelaide leaves North Melbourne winless with big victory in Tasmania
Adelaide has demolished winless North Melbourne as captain Jordan Dawson continued his resurgence with a commanding display to send a warning to Showdown rivals Port Adelaide.
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Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks has praised his sides’ ability to get back their DNA in Saturday’s win over North Melbourne ahead of a massive Thursday night Showdown against Port next week.
The Crows left Hobart 57-point victors in what Nicks’ agreed was their best four-quarter display of 2024.
“It would be (our best game),” Nicks said.
“I think we got back to what we stand for today. We know what it is we value and we sat together post game and said that the game looked more like us for four quarters. We got back to that pressure, getting at the opposition, our contest and that was really pleasing to watch. It was more of our DNA and the way we play footy.”
Finishing with their highest score this season, Nicks’ lauded the ability of veteran Taylor Walker (two goals) to lead a team-first focus with the former skipper finishing with three goal assists and 12 score involvements in the win.
“The challenge now is to do it again and stay in that space,” he said.
“Even at the start of the game I loved our focus on the team. That was led by Taylor (Walker) ahead of the ball. I thought he was outstanding. It was a focus coming in and it’s something we’ve always done when we’ve played our best footy, but I thought he really led from the front today. He kicked a couple in the end but I don’t know how many he gave off. It was a sign of his leadership and Jordan (Dawson) similar.”
Dawson finished with 27 disposals, three clearances and a goal with the Crows to now turn their attention to an in-form Port Adelaide in four days’ time.
“We’ve celebrated and we’ve moved on already,” Nicks said.
“We have 23 guys now focused on what we are going to do this week because Showdown is Thursday night and we are ready for that.”
Nicks confirmed Luke Pedlar had suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first-quarter but was unsure of the extent of the damage until the side returned home and scans were undertaken.
ADELAIDE DEMOLISHES WOEFUL ROOS IN CROMINATION
North Melbourne’s horror run to season 2024 has continued with the Roos handed a 57-point defeat by Adelaide at Blundstone Arena on Saturday.
The loss now has North languishing at 0-7 – their worst start to a season since 2021’s 0-8 run – and the competition’s only winless side, while the Crows win took their record to 2-5 ahead of next week’s Showdown with Port Adelaide.
Despite glimpses in the 20.18 (138) to 12.9 (81) defeat, Alastair Clarkson would have been left scratching his head as North were once again killed on turnover with Adelaide making them pay for continued poor skill execution – scoring five goals in the opening half from plays started in the defensive end.
Adelaide led at every change, providing every answer for North whose averaging losing margin this season now sits at 52.6 in a worrying sign there may still be pain ahead.
Izak Rankine (four goals) couldn’t be contained while youngster Brayden Cook (three) and veteran Taylor Walker (two) were also damaging inside 50.
Tasmanian Colby McKercher (32 disposals, seven marks) produced his best game as an AFL footballer while Luke Davies-Uniacke (29 disposals, one goal) also battled hard.
The only concern out of the Crows win for coach Matthew Nicks was a shoulder injury to Luke Pedlar who was substituted out of the game at quarter-time.
Pedlar attempted to tackle North defender Aiden Corr late in the first-quarter but appeared to dislocate his shoulder.
SUB CALL
After making a respectable start to life at Arden Street, eyebrows were somewhat raised pre-game with the news that recruit Zac Fisher would start the contest as the Roos’ sub. Heading into the game averaging 20.7 disposals, 4.5 rebound 50s and 5.5 contested possessions, Fisher entered Saturday’s clash late in the third-quarter and finished with 10 disposals and two marks.
DAMAGING DAWSON
It’s been somewhat of a return to form for Crows skipper Jordan Dawson over the last two weeks. The second-year skipper backed up a 31 disposal, two goal game against Essendon last week with 27 disposals, one goal and three clearances. Averaging 22.8 disposals and 0.4 goals in the opening five rounds, Dawson’s numbers – and impact – are back to a place that saw him earn All-Australian selection last year. Dawson was well supported against the Roos by Rory Laird (34 disposals, 13 clearances and one goal) and Jake Soligo (23 disposals).
BLUNDSTONE FORTRESS NO MORE
It was once a successful home away from home for North but given their struggles over the last few seasons, it’s no surprise their once strong record at Blundstone Arena has turned sour. After going 16-6 from 2012-2019, the Roos have won just a further three games in Hobart from 2021. With the all-time record now at 19-1-16, it’s a wonder more teams are not begging to venture south to face North before the Tasmania Devils enter the league in 2028.
CLARKSON URGES ROOS FANS TO ‘STAY THE COURSE’
Alastair Clarkson has urged North Melbourne players and supporters to stay the course despite Saturday’s 57-point loss to Adelaide taking them to a 0-7 record to start 2024.
The Roos competed for stages of Saturday’s clash in Hobart but Clarkson’s young side once again failed to do it for stages long enough to remain in the game.
Still the competition’s only side to not win a game this season, the four-time premiership coach was clear in his messaging post-game that they would need time to turn their fortunes around.
“We have to stay the course and hang in there,” Clarkson said.
“We played against an opponent today who strangely enough the whole footy world was up in arms at where Adelaide was at two or three years ago and we are in a very, very similar boat.
“You can see the evolution of their side. They’ve added to their group over the last couple of years with (Izak) Rankie and (Jordan) Dawson – one ends up being captain of their club and the other is a very, very special player. Probably two of their best five players and they have others that are starting to emerge for them.
“We know where we are at as a footy club and I thought we competed a lot better today and our effort was more consistent across the four quarters. They were just two strong and powerful for us in the air.”
Clarkson highlighted his sides’ inability to half a contest or get out marked inside 50 as areas that needed attention with the Roos now facing their worst start to a season since 2021’s 0-8 start when they face St. Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
“I know the football world – and our own supporters – want results quicker than this,” Clarkson said.
“We were hoping it would come quicker than this but it doesn’t surprise us. You have to do the tough yards and whether it’s what Brisbane have done the past five or six years or what Adelaide has done over the last two or three.
“Before that it was Melbourne, Hawthorn and Carlton. People wondered if they would ever get back up to the top but things evolve and change and as long as we stick fat as a footy club and players, we will be okay.”
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