With a four-goal final term to bring home a 32-point win against GWS at Unley Oval, the Crows cement themselves as masters of the last-quarter

Adelaide Crows beat GWS by 32 points at Unley Oval on Sunday. The win not only to go top of Conference A again, but cements them as masters of the final quarter.

Crows Ebony Marinoff kicks during the Round 6 AFLW match against the Adelaide Crows at Unley Oval in Adelaide. Picture: Sam Wundke/AAP

In their quest for their second AFLW premiership, Adelaide has become the competition’s masters of the fourth quarter.

In their last five games, the Crows have kicked 19 of their 47 goals all in the final term.

So in yesterday’s 32-point win over Greater Western Sydney, when Adelaide went into three-quarter time only eight points up, head coach Matthew Clarke probably wasn’t too nervous.

And rightly so, the Crows superior fitness and run meant they were dominate in the final term, kicking four unanswered goals.

“Over the last month, our last quarters have been strong, so I feel they should have confidence in that,” Clarke said post-game.

“But clearly it was a great contest and it wasn’t just going to happen, so I just acknowledge that GWS brought a level of intent and energy that was going to be a challenge, but fortunately we were able to match them in that space and we ran out the game pretty well, so it was good.

Ebony Marinoff kicks during the Round 6 AFLW match between the Adelaide Crows and the GWS Giants at Unley Oval on Sunday. PHOTO: AAP Image/Sam Wundke

“We have been able to run out games pretty well, I don’t think they dropped off, I think we maintained a level … perhaps we found a little bit extra.”

Midfield gun Ebony Marinoff was again impressive with her 24 disposals and 10 tackles and Clarke praised her “exceptional talent”.

“Ebony’s becoming a young leader of our group,” he said.

“She’s really maturing and adding elements to her game each week which we’re really pleased about.”

Stevie-Lee Thompson and Danielle Ponter combined for five goals between them. Picture SARAH REED.

GWS coach Alan McConnell praised Adelaide as having had “the better of moments in the first three quarters’.

“We probably got a little bit lucky,” he said.

“We didn’t generate enough inside-50s, but in the end, the weight of numbers and the lack of rotation on the bench catches up with you.”

It was an injury-riddled game for the Giants, with Nicola Barr tearing her hamstring, Jacinda Barclay breaking her collarbone and Alyce Parker having whiplash, which means the side will be severely depleted coming into their final game against Geelong with only a five-day turnaround.

The Crows meanwhile have a six-day break before taking on Melbourne in Victoria.

Deni Varnhagen, who collected 16 disposals (11 kicks and five handballs) and took six marks said the side was pumped to play AFLW for the first time on Unley Oval, particularly after injured vice-captain Courtney Cramey pumped up the squad before the game.

“She really pumped the team up, this is a special oval for her,” she said.

More than 7700 people attended the first game of AFLW to be held at Unley Oval when the Adelaide Crows took on the GWS Giants. Picture SARAH REED.

Clarke agreed that the venue worked well and praised the 7725 who attended.

“It being a long weekend and so forth, to get the turnout that we did was really pleasing and clearly our supporters are a huge part of what we’re trying to do, we want to put on a good show for them and I thought the girls did that really well today,” he said.

And while Adelaide snuffled out GWS’s last-ditch finals’ hopes with the win, the Crows’ are still burning brightly.

But the only way the team can guarantee itself a finals berth — without having to rely on its percentage and other results — is by beating Melbourne at Casey Fields in a twilight game on Saturday.

Their destiny is in their own hands.

Originally published as With a four-goal final term to bring home a 32-point win against GWS at Unley Oval, the Crows cement themselves as masters of the last-quarter