The Lowdown: Matt Turner runs the rule over SA footy in round 2
Two years ago, Covid protocols forced Travis Boak to play his 300th game at an empty Marvel Stadium – but things were very different on Sunday. See all the SA footy likes and dislikes.
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Welcome to SA footy’s new column, The Lowdown.
Adelaide is facing a 0-3 start after another poor showing against the Cats on Friday night, but it was – mostly – all smiles for the Power at the MCG.
Matt Turner sets the SA agenda with his hits and misses from the weekend’s action.
LIKES
1. Travis Boak’s milestone
One of the nicest images from the evergreen Power midfielder’s 350th match was of him hugging his mum, Chicki, as he left the field after his side’s win at the MCG.
Two years ago, Covid protocols forced Boak to play his 300th game at an empty Marvel Stadium, meaning Chicki and the rest of their family could not attend.
She spoke to this masthead during the week about her pride and was beaming when her son came over post-match on Saturday.
Given his career looked to be in the balance at the end of last year, it would have been extra special for them all to be there.
This seems likely to be Boak’s final season and he will be hoping it ends at the MCG with his family in the stands for his first grand final since his debut campaign in 2007, except with a similar result to Saturday.
2. Todd Marshall gets his groove back
The Power forward ranks No.1 in the competition this year for marks inside 50 average with six per game.
He had five against West Coast and another seven versus the Tigers, kicking 4.2 and taking two contested marks.
Marshall was unusually wayward in round 1, booting 0.3, but looked more assured in front of goal at the MCG.
After a nagging hip injury affected the 25-year-old’s form and goalkicking late last season, he looms as a key factor in the Power’s finals tilt this year.
Marshall, who was drafted with pick 16 in 2016, was set to play his 100th game on Saturday night.
And he could have another strong night on Saturday if Melbourne was to be without key defensive pillars Steven May and Jake Lever.
May is sidelined and Lever is in doubt, and without them, the Demons’ backline will be stretched, in good news for Marshall, Charlie Dixon and Jeremy Finlayson.
3. Crouch stands up
Crouch would probably be leading Adelaide’s club champion award after two games.
Fresh off receiving two coaches votes and collecting 33 disposals against the Suns, the midfielder backed it up with a game-high 37 possessions and an equal match-best nine clearances on Friday night.
Early last year, the Crows were reluctant to play Crouch and he looked headed out the door at season’s end.
Now, coming off a strong finish to 2023 and new contract, the 2017 All-Australian has returned near top form.
His ability to win the ball at stoppage and feed it to teammates helped Adelaide to a 47-38 clearance advantage.
And although it might not be reflected in his metres gained (288), he looked to have purpose about what he did with his possessions against the Cats.
Adelaide will be looking to get better value for its possessions after butchering a raft of forward 50 entries on Friday night.
But Crouch played his part in a lot of what the Crows did well, turning the ball over just once.
Crouch, Jordan Dawson and Laird will have their work cut out against an in-form Dockers midfield led by Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw and Luke Jackson.
DISLIKES
1. Fremantle looming as must-win
Lose to the Dockers in Perth on Friday night and Adelaide’s hopes of ending its seven-year finals drought are in peril.
Since the 18-team era began in 2012, only three of the 34 sides to start 0-3 have made the top eight: Carlton in 2013, Sydney in 2017 and GWS in 2021.
And the Blues only got there because Essendon was booted from the finals amid the supplements saga.
Adelaide’s own history also suggests its major-round chances will be hanging by a thread if it cannot beat Fremantle.
The Crows have been 0-3 six other times, making the finals just once – in 2001.
On those other occasions they finished 11th (2000), 12th (2004), 11th (2010), 10th (2014) and bottom (2020).
While it is not time to panic, Matthew Nicks will know his side has to improve quickly.
If Adelaide can win in Perth, it will return home for a crunch Gather Round clash against Melbourne with momentum.
But lose and it will almost be curtains.
The Swans overcame a horror 0-6 start to qualify in sixth spot in 2017, but that was unlikely to be repeated anytime soon and they were one year removed from a grand final.
GWS also had an experienced side in 2021 that had been in a flag decider two seasons earlier.
Adelaide has a young team featuring few finals-hardened players so it will be a long way back from 0-3.
2. Brodie Smith’s kicking
The Crows veteran revealed last week that he apologised to teammates for two poor errors that led to goals in the six-point loss to Gold Coast.
On Friday night, Smith was a long way from redeeming himself, having another disappointing night.
The lowlight was one of the worst shanks you would ever see, one that barely hit his boot and went out on the full at half-back late in the third term.
Smith finished seventh in the Crows’ best-and-fairest last year, playing 22 games and kicking at 73.7 per cent.
This year, his kicking efficiency is just 63 per cent – his worst rating since his debut season in 2011.
Penetration is another of Smith’s main weapons, but his metres gained are well down.
He is averaging 342 after two games, compared to 520, 531 and 616 over the past three campaigns.
Against the Cats, he registered a mere 209 metres gained.
Smith is on 249 games and has been a very good player for a long time so you expect coach Nicks will back the Crows’ vice-captain to respond against Fremantle in Perth.
While the end can come quickly for players at his age, it is still very early in the season.
But, like his team, the 32-year-old will want to turn things around immediately, particularly with Patty Parnell and Luke Nankervis waiting in the wings to claim his spot.
3. Another young gun down?
Port Adelaide is determined to be cautious with Jason Horne-Francis but is hoping the young gun is back sooner rather than later from a hamstring injury.
Horne-Francis was flying during his first full pre-season, starred in the round 1 win over West Coast and was looking set for a really big year.
That could still happen.
With Port saying it is only a slight hamstring strain, hopefully it does not halt the momentum the 20-year-old has been building in a full-time midfield role over the past few months.
But the timeline remained unclear and Horne-Francis’s potential absence for a second week would be a blow to Ken Hinkley’s midfield as it faced its first real test against Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and the Demons on Saturday night.
“We’re optimistic that he’ll be there but we won’t take the risk. It’s too early in the season whether it’s Jason or another player,” Hinkley said on Sunday.
“We have to be cautious that it’s a long season and maybe I’m learning that a little bit better. I think that’s really important. You’ve got to put a price on being healthy at the end.”
THE LOWDOWN ON...
Surely Friday night’s ground invader fiasco will lead to immediate improvements with Adelaide Oval security.
Typically there is a larrikinism to the idiocy of someone running onto a sporting field during games, running well away from the play and players to get their five minutes of fame.
What was alarming in the Adelaide-Geelong clash was how easily and quickly the guy got so close to the action, and how long he was out there before being set upon by security.
Thankfully, he seemed more interested in filming his antics rather doing any harm, which he could easily have given unsuspecting players were following the ball and blindsided that he had entered the arena.
Part of the problem was security also seemed too encapsulated with the match and were far too slow to react – and run – after the culprit.
Deterrents are one thing.
It also should not take for a pitch invader to hurt a player for security protocols to change.
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