Australian Football

Match Report

There were many who felt prior to the start of this season that the GWS Giants were ripe to win a premiership in 2017, after a coming within a whisker of a Grand Final place on the back of a very impressive season last year. After Sunday's match against Adelaide, though, a lot of those people will be reconsidering their forecasts, as the Giants received a thrashing from the Crows to the tune of 56 points. Such was the magnitude of the defeat that GWS finds itself at the bottom of the ladder, searching for some rapid improvement. 

The Giants had a chance to start the match well, but three consecutive shots at goal - two from Steve Johnson - went astray and the Crows stole the momentum with a left-fort snap goal from Eddie Betts. Tom Scully and Jeremy Cameron hit back with goals for the Giants, and then Toby Greene made it three in a row as GWS jumped to a 12-point lead. Mitch McGovern responded for the Crows but Scully's second had GWS out to a 13-point break, extended to 14 points a quarter time with another behind to Greene.

With Jeremy Cameron kicking the first goal of the second term, the Giants were out to a 20-point lead and those premiership predictions were beginning to look justified. But Adelaide hot back via a brace of goals to Rory Atkins, and the margin was back to six points after eight minutes. Rory Lobb responded for GWS, but the Crows began to attack after that and after a series of misses, a goal to Josh Jenkins gave them a one-point lead. He added another one before half time, and Adelaide led by eight points at the long break.

The Crows kicked the first two goals of the third quarter through Charlie Cameron and Troy Menzel, but Devon Smith's first at the 14-minute mark had the Giants back within 18 points. Smith added another three minutes later but that was virtually the last shot GWS shot for the match. Adelaide kicked the next four goals of the match to open up a cavernous 43-point lead and although the Giants made up some ground with goals late in the term it was the Crows by 31 at 'orange' time.

Jeremy Cameron sparked thoughts of a comeback with a goal at the beginning of the final term, but two in a row from Betts and Atkins quickly snuffed out any such ideas. The Giants pulled back a couple of goals via Johnson and Jonathon Patton, but Adelaide went to town in the last 12 minutes of the match, kicking five straight goals to blow the margin out to 50 points and send the Giants home with their tails between their legs.

For the winners two Rorys led the way, Rory Laird picking up 40 touches and Rory Atkins kicking three goals and laying seven tackles. The Giants had few winners, but Josh Kelly (27 possessions) was excellent.

Adelaide will travel to Melbourne to take on Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday, while GWS will be expected to bounce back with a win over Gold Coast at the Sydney Showground on the same day.

GOALS
Adelaide: Betts 4; Atkins, Jenkins 3; McGovern, Cameron, Douglas, Knight 2; Mackay, Menzel, Smith, Milera
GWS: Cameron 4; Smith 3; Scully 2; Greene, Lobb, Kennedy, Johnson, Patton

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Adelaide: Laird, Cameron, Atkins, Douglas, Milera, Betts
GWS: Kelly, Shiel, Williams, Cameron

BEST - THE AGE
Adelaide: Laird, M. Crouch, Atkins, Mackay, Douglas, Milera
GWS: Kelly, Williams, Scully, Shaw, Shiel, Cameron

INJURIES
Adelaide: Walker (hamstring) replaced in the selected side by Knight.
GWS: Mzungu (hamstring) left the ground in the second quarter.

UMPIRES: Fisher, Stephens, Jeffery

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Bruce McAvaney, Brian Taylor, Leigh Matthews, Mark Soderstrom