Australian Football

Match Report

The second week of the split round brought more Friday Night mayhem across the bridges at the City Mazda Stadium in Richmond where the Bloods faced the Crows. This match would be the Crows' third re-match for Season 2014, that first encounter back in Round 6 would see the Crows go down by 37 points. Both sides enjoyed victories in Round 11, but it was the Bloods' defeat of the Magpies that had drawn the tag of the biggest upset for the season thus far. Again, sloppy conditions played a big role in the night's proceedings with wind and rain turning the contest into a worse slog than what opened the round at Norwood.

The Crows started off best in the horrid weather, kicking 2.2 to the Bloods' two behinds to go into the first break with a two-goal lead. The Bloods would level things up at the long break though, keeping the Crows to three behinds and kicking 2.3 for themselves. At half-time, the scores were 2.5 each. The third term was probably the most enjoyable for the hardy souls that turned out, with a few flare-ups and scuffles breaking out and giving the fans something to get excited about. Before that, tempers on the terraces were getting tested with all the backwards and sideways tactics. Westies kicked 2.3 to Adelaide's 1.1 in that term to lead by eight points at three quarter-time. The Bloods were forced to batten down the hatches in the final minutes of the game as Adelaide desperately searched for a winning score. Both sides would manage just a goal each, including a contender for 2014's best goal, along with the Bloods' three behinds to the Crows three. The Bloods would hold on for a one-goal win.

Shannon Green was named best for the Bloods, while the Crows voted in Matt Crouch as their standout.