Adelaide overpower Carlton in the second half to run away as big winners at Adelaide Oval
DON Pyke says injury creates opportunity and Adelaide has responded to a mounting casualty ward to find a way to 5-2 this season and discover a couple of young gems in the process.
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DON Pyke says injury creates opportunity and the Crows have responded to a mounting casualty ward to find a way to 5-2 this season - and learnt a lot more about their list in the process.
Saturday night’s 55-point win over Carlton came without their captain and vice-captain but not without adding to their worrying injury toll with Wayne Milera sidelined after half-time.
Milera appeared to point to his hamstring after leaving the field and did not return in the second half in a blow after his breakout game last week.
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It was far from Adelaide’s best footy but the Crows are now just one win behind last season’s 6-1 start and can expect Taylor Walker, Rory Sloane and Riley Knight to all return for next weekend’s Showdown with Port Adelaide.
The Blues kicked the first goal and were competitive in the second quarter when Adelaide appeared to fall asleep but the result was never in doubt.
The regulars were all solid led by Richard Douglas, Hugh Greenwood, Rory Laird, Matt Crouch, Bryce Gibbs and Sam Jacobs, but it was the contribution of either the next wave or those who have struggled for form this season that will please supporters the most.
Mitch McGovern, who missed last year’s Grand Final, has had a slow start to this season but arrived with a bang.
He kicked five goals for the game and in the third quarter when the contest needed a lift he provided a trademark hanger by rising above two Carlton defenders.
With his confidence right up, minutes later he charged out of full forward and took another strong mark to suggest he’s getting back to his best. His fellow tall forward in Josh Jenkins was also solid.
Jenkins kicked two goals in the first quarter and relieved Jacobs in the ruck before even pushing into defence and finishing the game with 3.2 and seven marks.
Highlighting Adelaide’s transformation, Jordan Gallucci, Paul Seedsman, Cam Ellis-Yolmen and Tom Doedee played eight games between them for the entire of 2017, and Darcy Fogarty wasn’t even on the list yet all look more than comfortable in the current team and are having an impact.
Fogarty’s first involvement was 10 minutes in when he led from the goalsquare and with one hand holding off Liam Jones, used the other to pluck the ball from the air.
He then led up to half-forward, marked and hit McGovern lace-out with the type of skill that suggests he could also pinch hit in the midfield.
That’s where Crouch, Gibbs, Greenwood and Ellis-Yolmen went to work and helped the Crows win contested possession.
Even without Brad Crouch and Sloane, Adelaide still has the luxury of starting Greenwood on the bench and injects him into the game with maximum impact.
It was Greenwood’s repeated attacks on the ball just before quarter-time that led to Eddie Betts’ first goal and his tackle on Matthew Kreuzer on the fast break stopped one at the other end.
The Blues were horrible early, kicking out of bounds on the full without pressure and fumbling the footy in the goalsquare.
But they had a real purple patch in the second term with three goals in a row to challenge the home side.
They kicked four goals to two for the quarter on the back of Ed Curnow and Patrick Cripps winning inside ball, while Zac Fisher showed dash and Kade Simpson racked up possession.
The Blues were hit by injury late with Levi Casboult taken to hospital after suffering a rib injury.
But that was the wake-up call Adelaide needed and the home side kicked two goals in two minutes to start the third term, regained control and weren’t threatened again.
ADELAIDE 7.2 9.3 15.8 19.11 (125)
CARLTON 2.1 6.4 7.8 10.10 (70)
BEST
Adelaide: M.McGovern, H.Greenwood, R.Douglas, P.Seedsman, M.Crouch, S.Jacobs
Carlton: E.Curnow, K.Simpson, P.Cripps
GOALS
Adelaide: M.McGovern 5, J.Jenkins 3, H.Greenwood, R.Douglas, T.Lynch, E.Betts 2, R.Laird, B.Gibbs, D.Mackay
Carlton: L.Casboult 2, M.Kreuzer, A.Phillips, H.McKay, P.Dow, L.Jones, N.Graham, M.Wright, E.Curnow
INJURIES
Adelaide: W.Milera (suspected hamstring)
Carlton: L.Casboult (ribs)
UMPIRES: M. Stevic, N. Brown, D Harris.
CROWD: 47,422 at Adelaide Oval.
VOTES
3. Mitch McGovern (Adelaide)
2. Hugh Greenwood (Adelaide)
1. Richard Douglas (Adelaide)
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Originally published as Adelaide overpower Carlton in the second half to run away as big winners at Adelaide Oval
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