Crows rookie Patrick Parnell flies for huge mark in thrashing of St Kilda

This unheralded rookie has made sure the footy world will remember his name with this hanger for the ages against the Saints.

Patrick Parnell takes a mark for Adelaide against St Kilda.

An unheralded Adelaide rookie has made his name known to the entire country with a mark described as the “platonic ideal of a hanger” early in Adelaide’s 19.7 (121) to 10.9 (69) win against St Kilda at Adelaide Oval.

With St Kilda’s Hunter Clark clearing a ball down the line to the forward flank, Parnell appeared to be beaten to the front of the contest with Jack Higgins, only to fly up and sit on Higgins’ shoulders for a spectacular mark that sent tongues wagging.

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“Patrick Parnell, where did that come from?!” exclaimed Anthony Hudson on Fox Footy.

Parnell, 21, is one of the shortest players on Adelaide’s list standing at 178cm, but flew higher than anyone imagined as he soared to take a mark of the year contender.

Social media went into meltdown on seeing the goal, with Triple M’s Rudi Edsall describing it as “is the platonic ideal of a hanger.”

“When you spoke about taking speckies as a kid, that was the exact mark you meant,” Edsall said.

The Crows had plenty to celebrate on Sunday. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Barossa Leader journalist Jeremy Nash said he could “watch this again and again”.

Parnell, nicknamed “Pistol”, was recruited out of Albury with the fourth pick in the 2021 mid-season draft, and was at the time playing for the Albury Tigers in the Ovens and Murray League.

He made his debut in Round 7 last year against West Coast, and played most of the rest of the season.

It would be an omen for things to come for the Saints, with the Crows running out to a romping 52-point victory at the Adelaide Oval and continuing to reinvigorate their season as they returned to the top eight.

Ross Lyon was left with his face in his hands at points as the Crows piled on goal after goal. Taylor Walker kicked five goals to break the record for the most V/AFL goals kicked in South Australia (313), and moving into 47th in the all-time goalkickers list with 559.

Well that's one way to do it 🫢

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— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) May 14, 2023

'If you don't laugh, you'll cry'

📺 Watch #AFLCrowsSaints LIVE on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/c5Vwhmfd1e
✍️ BLOG https://t.co/Lu94vwgpiU
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/rJ735lnSKApic.twitter.com/J6NWO9rVqK

— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) May 14, 2023

Crows skipper Jordan Dawson told Fox Footy after the game he was proud of the efforts of his troops.

“Obviously they’ve been playing really good footy and we knew we had to come out and bring the heat, especially around the ball,” Dawson said.

“They pride themselves on some of their contested ball and their pressure so we had to match them and beat them (there) first, and kick straight at goal.”

Asked about recent losses to Collingwood and Geelong, Dawson was optimistic.

“I think it’s frustrating at times but you’ve got to move on pretty quick, we’ve played some pretty good teams, and even to match it with Collingwood here, it’s really important for us to know as a group, our best footy’s good enough.”

Crows fans were inspired by the win, with Age journalist Daniel Brettig praising the team’s “quick hands and running in waves”.

“The Crows‘ quick hands and running in waves in support are part of a beautiful tradition of skilful South Australian footy characteristics,” Brettig said.