Australian Football

Match Report

In what was a largely lacklustre match for three of the four quarters, Adelaide guaranteed themselves a top-four finish and a coveted double-chance with a 79-point hiding of Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday. The Crows took until well into the second term to put some breathing space between themselves and Melbourne, taking a 31-point lead into the main break. Brenton Sanderson's men then took things up a notch in the third quarter, kicking 10 goals for the term to Melbourne's three. The game became somewhat of a scrap once more in the final term but the Crows would have been satisfied with the win, given that the team had not won a match at the MCG since 2009.

Adelaide will finish of the home and away season with what should be a regulation win at home to Gold Coast. Victory would see them potentially rewarded with a home first-week final, depending on the result of the Geelong-Sydney game at Kardinia Park.

For Melbourne the game was not the fairytale send-off for Brad Green, playing his 254th and final match in the red and blue, that the players and fans would have hoped. The Demons will round out what has been a tough initiation year into coaching for Mark Neeld with a trip to Subiaco to take on the Dockers in round 23.

Taylor Walker and mature-age "rookie" Ian Callinan kicked four goals each for the Crows, and were among Adelaide's best. Sylvia, Jones and Howe were good for the home team.

GOALS

Melbourne: Green, Sellar, Rivers 2; Blease, Howe, Jones, Watts, Spencer
Adelaide: Walker, Callinan 4; Dangerfield, Tippett 3; Douglas, Johncock 2; Petrenko, Rielly, van Berlo, Wright


BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Melbourne: Sylvia, Bail, Jones, McKenzie, Spencer
Adelaide: Jacobs, Walker, Thompson, Wright, Tippett, Dangerfield, Callinan, Porplyzia, van Berlo

BEST - THE AGE
Melbourne: Sylvia, Jones, Howe, Bail, Grimes
Adelaide: Walker, Dangerfield, Tippett, Thompson, Wright, Petrenko, Jacobs, Callinan

COACHES' COMMENTS
Mark Neeld (Melb): I liked the fact that we had equal [with Adelaide] amounts of inside 50 but we struggled a little bit when we got it in there.

Brenton Sanderson (Adel): Very happy for the most part [but] at times we lacked the poise and composure to think our way through situations.

Umpires: Fleer, Leppard, Wenn