Australian Football

Match Report

Adelaide has recorded a convincing win against an undermanned Western Bulldogs in a low-scoring encounter at a wet Football Park. The match began with rain falling and puddles visible across various parts of the ground.

The Crows' better ball-handling skills enabled them to score the first two goals of the match, both to Patrick Dangerfield. In the slippery conditions it looked as though these would be the only two goals of the first term until Matthew Boyd, returning from injury, and Adam Cooney scored goals within a minute of each other just before the quarter-time siren went, bring the Dogs to within a point at the first break. The Bulldogs did not know it then, but they would not score again until the 24-minute mark of the third quarter, and would not score another goal until the 21-minute mark of the last quarter.

With injuries to Shaun Higgins, Bob Murphy and Tory Dickson, the Bulldogs brought first-gamers Jack Macrae and Jake Stringer into the side and, as the game wore on, the Crows' experience and class won out on most occasions. Adelaide, through Dangerfield and David Mackay, kicked the only two goals of the second quarter and at half time the margin was only 15 points in the Crows' favour.

But Adelaide broke free in the third term, kicking five goals, through Josh Jenkins, Ricky Henderson, ex-Saint Tom Lynch, Taylor Walker and Brad Crouch to open up a 46-point lead at the last change.

Richard Douglas and Dangerfield scored the first two for the Crows in the last quarter before Cooney and debutant Macrae kicked consolation goals for the Dogs. Sam Kerridge capped a big win for the Crows with the last goal in the final minute of the match and the margin at the end was 52 points.

Dangerfield was a stand-out for Adelaide, while Adam Cooney is back to something approaching his Brownlow form for the Western Bulldogs.

The Crows will head to the MCG taker on Carlton in round five, while the Dogs will have another huge task when they take on the undefeated Geelong at Docklands stadium on Saturday night. They will do so without Ryan Griffen, who sustained a shoulder injury in this match that will keep him out of the side for a week or two.

GOALS
Adelaide: Dangerfield 4; Douglas, Crouch, Henderson, Mackay, Lynch, Jenkins, Kerridge, Walker
Western Bulldogs: Cooney 2, Boyd, Macrae

THE AGE
Adelaide: Dangerfield, Sloane, Thompson, Otten, Henderson, Douglas
Western Bulldogs: Cooney, Liberatore, Boyd, Minson, Lower, Goodes

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Adelaide: Dangerfield, Sloane, Thompson, Otten, Douglas, Walker
Western Bulldogs: Cooney, Liberatore, Minson, Boyd, Goodes, Wallis

COACHES' COMMENTS
Brenton Sanderson (Adel): [We showed] better team defence today. [We were] a bit better around the contest, put pressure on their midfielders when they kicked the ball forward. Our defenders stood up today, which was good. But they had help.

Brendan McCartney (WB): There were some patches in the game today where we were obligated to set the ground up a certain way and we didn't do it. They got what they wanted, which dried up our scoring, killed our confidence off and they got the momentum.

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Griffen (shoulder)

SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Jason Porplyiza replaced Taylor Walker in the fourth quarter
Western Bulldogs: Jake Stringer replaced Daniel Giansiracusa in the third quarter

UMPIRES: Hosking, Kamolins, Hay