Australian Football

Match Report

Adelaide's season is now firmly back on track after the Crows comfortably accounted for GWS at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday afternoon. The Giants kicked two of the first three goals of the match as Adelaide struggled to adapt to the tempo and GWS led by eight points as the opening quarter entered time-on. But when Sam Kerridge broke free and goaled at the 21-minute mark, everything seemed to click into for the Crows from that moment onwards. Matthew Wright and Rory Sloane rounded out the term with goals and Adelaide led by 10 points at the first break.

The Crows completely dominated the second term, kicking seven goals to one and they led by 49 points at half time. Adelaide has won its previous three encounters against the Giants by an average of 100 points ad it was looking like they might be able to maintain that average when Patrick Dangerfield kicked his fifth in the first 30 seconds of the second half to take the lead out to 55.

To their credit, the Giants fought out the rest of the match and the final margin was an almost respectable 65 points. The win was a fine celebration for Crow veteran Scott Thompson playing his 250th AFL match. The prolific Thompson was one of the Crows best, with 38 disposals and none marks, while Dangerfield (33 touches to go with his five goals) and Matthew Jaensch (13 marks, 29 possessions) were also outstanding. The Giants were well-served by Stephen Coniglio (29 touches, eight tackles), Toby Greene (28 disposals, seven marks) and Jed Lamb (eight marks and two goals).

Adelaide, having lost its first three games, has now won two on the trot and will go into its next match against the Western Bulldogs at Docklands next Sunday full of confidence. With two wins from five games, the Giants are not out of the hunt and will be looking to get back on the winners list against the Suns at Carrara next Saturday.

GOALS
Adelaide: Dangerfield 5; Jenkins 4; Wright 3; Petrenko, Douglas 2; Kerridge, Sloane, Betts, Podsiadly, Laird
GWS: Cameron, Lamb, Kelly 2; Scully, Greene, Treloar, Patton

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Adelaide: Dangerfield, Thompson, Jacobs, Crouch, Jaensch, Hartigan
GWS: Treloar, Greene, Coniglio, Haynes, Kelly, Treloar

BEST - THE AGE
Adelaide: Dangerfield, Thompson, Jacobs, Shaw, Talia, Jenkins, Jaensch
GWS: Coniglio, Treloar, Greene, Hoskin-Elliott, Scully, Smith

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
GWS: Ward (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Matt Crouch replaced by Tom Lynch at three-quarter time.
GWS: Callan Ward replaced by Adam Tomlinson at half-time.

UMPIRES: Fleer, Pannell, Findlay

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COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Geard Healy, Brad Johnson, Barry Hall