Australian Football

Match Report

The final game for the weekend was just across town on the western fringe of the city, the Bloods hosting the Crows at the City Mazda Stadium in Richmond. These sides shared the points from their matches last season, with the Crows winning by six goals in Round 7 and the Bloods by 21 points in Round 13. The Crows were still looking for their first win for the season, they went down to the Tigers last week while the Bloods were giving their AFL rivals a bath at Alberton. Like their senior counterparts, the Crows seconds were fielding a depleted side due to injury and of course, AFL call-ups. 

The Crows drew first blood, but by the quarter-time break it was the Bloods that held the advantage. Westies kicked 4.3 to the Crows' 2.2 to lead by 13 points. The Bloods looked to break away in the second term, some inaccuracy stopping the Bloods inflicting real damage. They scored 5.4 to 2.1, at half-time the home side led by 34 points. The Crows' first 11 minutes of the third term saw them draw the gap back to within three straight kicks, but were leaky in defence for the remaining time as the Bloods wrested back control. Adelaide's 4.3 to Westies' 3.3 brought the gap back to 28 points at three quarter-time. The Bloods turned it on in the final term to shut down any notion of a Crows comeback, going on a 8.2 to 1.3 blitz to take a 69-point win. 

Chris Burgess was named best on ground for West, the Crows named Matt Signorello as their best.