Should the Adelaide Crows be worried after back-to-back defeats before finals?
THE Adelaide Crows enter this year’s finals series with back-to-back defeats. Should they be worried about their September form? And is Rory Sloane in trouble at the MRP?
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DON Pyke has delivered a premiership vista from the shattered souls who walked off Subiaco with uncontrolled tears two years ago regardless of a superfluous loss to West Coast in Perth.
Adelaide enters the finals with consecutive losses which shouldn’t rock Adelaide boss Pyke’s hierarchy but there are areas for finetuning headlined by slow starts. Western Bulldogs lost its final round trip to Perth last season before its drought breaking title.
What Adelaide will be sweating over is an errant knee from club champion Rory Sloane on Luke Shuey on the stroke of three quarter time. Sloane (38 touches) was full of grunt — epitomised by a brilliant 10 contested possession third term — and remains one man Pyke must have in September.
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West Coast coach Adam Simpson got what he required — brave, run and carry football with high pressure acts, 152-142 contested possession superiority and seven first term intercept marks that thwarted an Adelaide attack dearly missing Taylor Walker.
It wasn’t a day for the key forwards but Mitch McGovern (two) made the Eagles sweat with his second, followed by Paul Seedsman and Charlie Cameron — reducing the deficit to 17 points and lifting the prospect of missing the finals on tiny percentage. It took a moment of magic for Lewis Jetta to swoop on a Jake Lever clearance and kick the goal that put the Eagles into September. Jack Darling followed with the sealer against an exhausted Crows defence.
The result of the final minor round clash was immaterial for Adelaide having secured a second McClelland Trophy and comfort of home finals. The Eagles had no option but to win in the last game by four goals in Subiaco’s farewell to extend the careers of Matt Priddis and Sam Mitchell through September. Priddis and Mitchell (34 touches) unfurled some vintage influence while the workrate of Jack Redden, Shuey and Andrew Gaff proved decisive.
Pyke had cited two takeaways from the contest — exhibiting “finals brand” football and rectifying the tardy openings that had proven Adelaide’s downfall across five losses and a draw this season. The Eagles got the jump as Sydney had in a close win a week earlier — booting four goals from turnovers to one into the breeze and dominating tackles 16-5 in the first term. Adelaide backs itself to get out of any situation but there’s few second chances in finals.
Incredibly Matt (45 touches) and Brad Crouch (43) on Sunday night broke the record for most disposals in a season by brothers and broke free of Patrick Dangerfield’s shadow. However there were too many passengers.
Adelaide’s performance was marked by wasteful forward 50 entry (53-50) and conversion which was also an issue Pyke wanted ironed out after a wasteful showing against Sydney.
Walker’s true worth is often underappreciated as a hit up forward with presence while a defence without Daniel Talia sometimes appeared vulnerable with space opening on Subiaco’s vast expanses.
There was no Walker leaving McGovern more space and responsibility but still nothing like being the spearhead at wobbly Fremantle hounded by premier defenders each week should he return home next year.
Mitch McGovern had the chance to showcase his assets — explosive take off and contested marking — but life was tough against a miserly Eagles defence marshalled by brother Jeremy and Shannon Hurn.
Sam Jacobs (51 hit outs controlled the airways against Nathan Vardy and Adelaide dominated key indicators including clearances (49-33), ground ball gets but couldn’t cash in. Adelaide’s forward entry and inaccuracy undermined its efforts while its entire attack went cold.
Adelaide appeared within striking range with a 17-point half time deficit but was hurt by a West Coast side that slotted six goals from eight inside 50s.
Josh Kennedy — assigned to Kyle Hartigan — fell well short of the five goals required for a third consecutive Coleman Medal but finally struck along with Drew Petrie after the break. However it was the Eagle runners who troubled the Crows all day with Mark Le Cras booting two in the third term.
Simpson had noted his unit was second only to Adelaide for time spent in front this season but with divergent reward, losing five games by 10 points or less. This time the Eagles didn’t let their advantage slip.
The second term turned into a shootout with Adelaide only making a one point inroad on an 18 first term deficit.
Rory Laird is the heart and soul for Adelaide, losing possession on the grandstand wing but laid the bump on Jamie Cripps that saw Tom Lynch and Josh Jenkins combine in a chain that set up Mitch McGovern’s first goal. However Cripps responded from just the Eagles’ third inside 50 when released by Le Cras. West Coast’s fifth straight goal from turnovers was giving Pyke a headache until the run and rebound of Wayne Milera and Brodie Smith pierced the Eagles. A Gaff, Mark Hutchings and Luke Shuey cut up Adelaide before Jenkins slipped out the back for Adelaide’s fifth.
Originally published as Should the Adelaide Crows be worried after back-to-back defeats before finals?
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