Round by round: What the Crows’ AFLW premiership defence looks like in 2020
The Adelaide Crows will be chasing history in 2020: to become the first team in AFLW history to win back-to-back flags. Here’s their season round by round.
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Adelaide’s bid for historic back-to-back AFLW premierships begins this weekend, when the 2020 season officially gets underway.
Here’s how the Crows’ path to glory looks like this year.
Round one:
Saturday, February 8
Adelaide v Brisbane
Hickey Park (Qld)
4.40pm
Conference A clash
* The Crows kick off their campaign by facing the Lions in Queensland. Last season, Adelaide lost its opening game by one point, but then recovered to win eight straight including the grand final. Brisbane finished its disappointing 2019 season with a 2-5 record in conference B. They Lions look set for another tough year, particularly considering they’ve lost captain Leah Kaslar and assistant coach David Lake to expansion team Gold Coast, while five other players have also left for expansion teams. Former Crow Rheanne Lugg has been picked up by Brisbane.
Round two:
Sunday, February 16
Adelaide v St Kilda
Richmond Oval (SA)
4.40pm
Cross-conference clash
* The Crows’ first home game of the season will not only see a special unveiling of the team’s 2019 AFLW premiership flag, but will also see Richmond Oval host its first game of AFLW. Richmond Oval will be the Crows’ home ground for three of their four SA-based games. This match will see the happy homecoming of Crows premiership winner from 2017, Jess Sedunary, who was sidelined for Adelaide’s 2019 triumph with a foot injury. She’s made a fresh start at expansion club St Kilda and has been named in its inaugural leadership group for 2020.
Round three:
Sunday, February 23
Adelaide v Geelong
GMHBA Stadium (Vic)
4.40pm
Conference A clash
* There’s one player who could make or break this game for the Crows: Nina Morrison. At this point of the season, Cats star defender Meg McDonald will most likely still be out of the team with a broken finger, but Morrison should be firing in the midfield. The last time these teams met was in the preliminary final at Adelaide Oval where the Crows were 66-point victors, but Geelong’s No. 1 draft pick was sidelined with a torn ACL. One of the highlights of season 2020 will be seeing Morrison back in action.
Round four:
Sunday, March 1
Adelaide v Carlton
Richmond Oval (SA)
12.40pm
Cross-conference clash
* The long-awaited grand final rematch. If they are not already back in the team, expect co-captain Erin Phillips, high-marking forward Chloe Scheer and ruck Rhiannon Metcalfe to be pushing for selection around this date. Should Phillips and Scheer return in this game, it would be fitting considering this is the grand final rematch (and both tore their ACLs in the GF last year) and the Crows are playing at home. Scheer suffered a setback in early February requiring an arthroscope on her right knee to relieve swelling, so her return is more clouded.
Round five:
Sunday, March 7
Adelaide v North Melbourne
North Hobart Oval (Tas)
2.40pm
Conference A clash
* Most footy experts expect the Kangaroos to be one of the most competitive teams this season. The side was last year too, but because they were sitting in the strong conference A, they narrowly missed out on making finals by one win to Adelaide and Fremantle (for the record, North had one more win than either Carlton or Geelong who both qualified for finals from conference B). This will be a pivotal clash between two competitive teams that could set the course for the end of the season. A big away trip for the Crows, but this is a tight-knit side that enjoys being on the road together.
Round six:
Sunday, March 15
Adelaide v GWS
Richmond Oval (SA)
2.40pm
Conference A clash
* At their pre-season trial game on this same oval in January, the Giants were 17-point victors, but Crows coach Matthew Clarke wasn’t keeping score and the result is no indication of how this game will play out. Giants midfielder Cora Staunton – who has stunned the football world with a big return from a double leg-break in May last year – remains their danger player, and will likely give headaches to the Crows midfield.
Round seven:
Sunday, March 22
Adelaide v Gold Coast
Fankhauser Reserve (Qld)
12.40pm
Conference A clash
* The Crows return to Queensland for the second time to face expansion team Gold Coast. They will also be playing against two of their former teammates, Jasmyn Hewett (sidelined last year with an ankle injury) and their much-loved former vice-captain Sally Riley (who is now in the Suns’ leadership group for 2020). Gold Coast has poached a number of players from clubs including North Melbourne and Brisbane, but are as yet an unknown opponent.
Round eight:
Sunday, March 29
Adelaide v Richmond
Unley Oval (SA)
12.40pm
Conference A clash
* Last season’s game at Unley Oval was a highlight of 2019: more than 7000 people packed into the ground to watch the Crows beat GWS. Expect there to be even more fans this time around considering Richmond has such a strong supporter base. With only eight minor rounds, every win is crucial in making finals. The Tigers might have only 11 players in their squad of 30 with AFLW match experience, but they are good: inaugural captain Katie Brennan is one of the best in the league, along with Monique Conti (both left the Bulldogs for the Tigers).
How will the finals play out?
The top three sides in each conference will qualify for finals, with the teams who finished first in each pool given a bye in the first week of finals.
CONFERENCE A
Adelaide (first in A in 2019, premiers)
North Melbourne (third in A in 2019)
Geelong (second in B in 2019)
Greater Western Sydney (third in B in 2019)
Brisbane (fourth in B in 2019)
Gold Coast (new team)
Richmond (new team)
CONFERENCE B
Fremantle (second in A in 2019)
Melbourne (fourth in A in 2019)
Western Bulldogs (fifth in A in 2019)
Carlton (first in B in 2019)
Collingwood (fifth in B in 2019)
St Kilda (new team)
West Coast (new team)
FINALS STRUCTURE
Week one, April 4-5
Semi-final one: A2 v B3
Semi-final two: B2 v A3
Byes: A1, B1
Week two, April 11-12
Preliminary final one: A1 v winner of B2/A3
Preliminary final two: B1 v winner of A2/B3
Grand final, April 18
Originally published as Round by round: What the Crows’ AFLW premiership defence looks like in 2020