Dockers triumph in battle of winless teams

The clash of the AFL’s winless provided a grandstand finish if not thrilling football.

Ben Keays of the Crows kicks during his side’s Round 5 loss to the Dockers at Metricon Stadium on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

In the battle of the two remaining winless teams – and their respective first-year coaches – it came as no surprise that the Adelaide/Fremantle clash at Metricon Stadium deteriorated into a game of turnovers, swayed set shots and poor efficiency inside-50, despite the perfect Gold Coast conditions.

However that didn’t stop it turning into a thriller, with another blinding third quarter to the Crows – kicking three goals to Freo’s one – meant the Dockers (who’d taken a 15-point lead at quarter time) were in front by a solitary point going into the last.

But despite the momentum Adelaide were lacklustre in the final term and brought back their fumbles and were held goalless, while Freo’s Matt Taberner and Michael Walters kicked quick goals before Darcy Tucker put the 20-point win in no doubt.

For the Crows, they remain in uncharted territory: winless and firmly planted on the bottom of the AFL ladder.

The experience of Fremantle’s David Mundy (25 touches and seven clearances) alongside the youth of Andrew Brayshaw (23 disposals) was a bright light for the Dockers especially in the absence of captain Nat Fyfe, while Matt Crouch (27 touches) had a solid return to the Adelaide team.

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Fremantle stamped their authority early, Sam Sturt goaling within the first 90 seconds.

From there, the Crows started moving better and had five inside 50s to Freo’s two early in the term, but they were unable to convert those into scores.

On the other hand, when it went forward for Fremantle, their speed and efficiency inside 50 was far superior, with players like Tucker able to easily shake their defenders and kick truly from their set shots.

At the other end, Adelaide might have been working hard (they won the inside-50 count for the first term 10-9) but too many turnovers, coupled with sprayed set shots meant the teams went into quarter time with the same number of scoring shots – three – but vastly different scores.

The Crows have been criticised in recent weeks for their poor inside 50 differential count (they lost that to the Lions last week by 33). To three-quarter time they were winning that count 33-30 (losing 42-43 in the end), but there’s no point having inside-50s if you can’t convert.

Epitomising their day, hardworking Crows’ forward Lachy Murphy earnt a free kick in the first quarter only 15m out after running down Freo’s Luke Ryan, but then sprayed his kick.

The Crows were held goalless until the dying seconds of the first half, when Reilly O’Brien took an impressive mark on the wing, kicked to Billy Frampton who found Myles Poholke in the goalsquare, who took a strong contested mark and as the siren sounded celebrated the Crows’ finally had their first major.

Freo mid-forward star Walters stepped into Fyfe’s captaincy shoes and was quiet for a half, before finding his feet.

Adelaide’s new midfield recruit Ben Keays – having done solid jobs on Brisbane gun Lachie Neale and Gold Coast youngster Matt Rowell in the previous fortnight – was tasked with keeping Walters quiet and he did just that: holding the 155-game Docker so well, that remarkably he had no touches in the middle of the ground in the first half.

When coach Justin Longmuir sent Walters forward it was with immediate effect, with him taking a clever running mark after breaking free from the three-game youngster Will Hamill and kicked a run-on goal.

Walters finished with 14 touches, two clearances and two goals.

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