Australian Football

Match Report

The Elimination Final was a match that was destined to happen given the off-field animosity between the two, the Crows taking on the Bulldogs. The two matches during the season both went the way of the Bulldogs, with a 23-point win in Round 9 then a 55-point hiding just a few weeks later. In the lead up to this contest, a degree of controversy surrounded the upcoming stoush with the Crows' application to league officials to field an otherwise ineligible player, despite his predominantly reserves-based season. Throw in some choice words from their opposition and not to mention the fact that Centrals were quite vocal in their disapproval of Adelaide's inclusion in the league to begin with and come this final, tensions had reached boiling point.

It showed on the other side of the fence as Centrals fans were joined by pockets of like-minded Panthers and Blues supporters who jeered at the Crows players and fans almost non-stop. The sum of all fears was about to be realised, with an army of taller bodies and AFL-listed talent the Crows got straight to business and the Bulldogs struggled immensely in the opening quarter as the Crows restricted them to just two behinds and scored 4.1 for themselves to take a 23-point lead by quarter-time. By half-time, the Dogs were practically reduced to spectator status after again having their attacks rendered ineffective as the Crows rammed home 7.3 to 2.2 in the second term. At the long break, the gap was nine goals.

The Crows had it all. The Dogs couldn't take a trick as the tall timber and AFL-bred superiority of the Adelaide side was being showcased to its almost full effect which in just over an hours' time would become the talking point of the other SANFL clubs and that also includes those not playing finals. But the Dogs weren't doing themselves many favours either, coughing up soft turnovers and kicking to very little options. Even the Crows' mis-kicks were still finding targets.

The third quarter was not as goal-laden as the first half, the Crows having a little bout of inaccuracy but the Bulldogs weren't chipping anything off this deficit as Adelaide scored 3.4 to 2.2. By three quarter-time the lead was out to 62 points. A collective gasp could be heard around the Adelaide Oval from even the assembling Panthers and Blues crowds when they saw what was happening in front of them, the Crows finishing off with a 5.3 to 3.5 last quarter to run out with a 12-goal victory to book their place in next weekend's 1st Semi-Final. Adding further salt to the wounds of many SA footy-heads, it was the very figure of the week's controversy, Cameron Ellis-Yolmen that would take best afield votes for Adelaide.

Travis Schiller was named best for the Bulldogs.