It’s Don Pyke against Chris Scott as coaches box battle real win spot in the AFL big dance

ADELAIDE faces its demons on Friday night. There is a jinx to wipe away after falling short in the Crows’ past four preliminary finals (2002, 2005, 2006 and 2012), Chris Scott looms as Adelaide’s kryptonite, writes Kane Cornes.

Adelaide Crows coach Don Pyke with captain Taylor Walker. Picture: SARAH REED

ADELAIDE faces its demons on Friday. There is a jinx to wipe away after falling short in the Crows’ past four preliminary finals (2002, 2005, 2006 and 2012).

And there is Geelong. The Cats have won five of their past six clashes with Adelaide.

A bogey opponent in the game that has tormented the Crows since their last AFL premiership in 1998.

This is some test of Adelaide’s state of mind as much as a challenge to its pacesetting football.

Adelaide did beat Geelong by 21 points in Friday Night Football at Adelaide Oval in July.

The Crows were good, but the Cats could not have played much worse. So which side has the greater upside this Friday?

Cats coach Chris Scott with Sam Menegola at Geelong training at Simonds Stadium.

Adelaide did finally crack the Geelong code.

There was the physical work of the Crouch brothers, Matt and Brad, in standing up to Geelong’s midfield masters, Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood.

Finally, the Crows coaching staff accepted the need for a tagger. It had Riley Knight the job on Selwood.

And the Crows leaders took charge, in particular captain Taylor Walker and vice-captain Rory Sloane while veteran Richard Douglas appeared rejuvenated in a meaningful display.

If Adelaide is to end its grand final drought, the Crows need many of its players to stand up - again.

COACH v COACH

GEELONG coach Chris Scott is coming off the best week in his seven seasons in charge of the Cats. He came up with match-winning moves to dismiss the biggest threat in the AFL finals pack, Sydney, in the semi-finals.

Scott recently was judged by his peers as the hardest coach to work against. He scored a 20 per cent vote.

He challenged Sydney rival John Longmire by working Dangerfield as a deep forward, Mark Blicavs tagging Josh Kennedy and Harry Taylor in defence, albeit after losing Tom Lonergan to illness. So does Taylor remain in defence?

CROUCH BROTHERS-SLOANE v DANGERWOOD-DUNCAN

WITH Joel Selwood admittedly playing through ankle pain and below his best, the Crows hold the advantage in the midfield. But what does 26 days without a game do to Sloane?

History points to Sloane playing well after injuries.

One man left out of the crucial three-on-three battle is Blicavs, but after he kept Josh Kennedy to 20 possessions and only seven kicks, will he get another run-with role?

Former Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd labels Mitch Duncan as the AFL’s most underrated player.

With all of the focus on Dangerfield and Selwood, the Crows would do well not to let him slip under their guard.

SKIPPER V SKIPPER

WALKER has his peers’ vote as the AFL’s best captain. But Selwood is clearly the best skipper.

Walker is far from 100 per cent with an injured finger and foot troubles. Like Sloane, the key forward has played only one game in four weeks. Will that help or hinder him?

Selwood is battling his own fitness issues, but if any player could push through, it is the Cats’ leader.

MIND GAMES

ADELAIDE will first have to conquer its own expectation with the unavoidable pressure that comes with a dominant season, the club’s poor preliminary finals record and an impatient supporter base that has not seen its team in a grand final in 19 years.

Josh Jenkins added fuel to the fire with his barb directed at close friend Dangerfield saying last week that “there’d be nothing better than beating him and reminding him that perhaps he should have stuck around with us and he could be a Brownlow Medallist and a premiership player.”

Dangerfield says he will use this as motivation.

Will the Crows repeat their national anthem silent haka against a more experienced team than GWS - and a unit that is harder to intimidate.

TIP

GEELONG might challenge the Crows, but the Cats won’t be able to kick a winning score.

ADELAIDE by four goals.

Originally published as It’s Don Pyke against Chris Scott as coaches box battle real win spot in the AFL big dance