Everyone expected the Adelaide Crows to hit back after last weeks embarrassing showdown loss to Port Adelaide. They had to. They needed to. They did – but no one will be much the wiser as to their prospects, after the Crows picked at the corpse of the Gold Coast Suns as they coasted to a 95-point win.
Bones were about all Richmond had left behind last week, after the Tigers had posted a century in a half of football on the way to a 98-point victory. The Suns had steadied somewhat in that matchs second half, but it was irrelevant by then, and coach Stuart Dew didnt duck what hed seen in the aftermath.
Luke Brown of the Crows was part of the dominant display against the Suns.Credit:AAP
Mostly, this year, his side has been better than that. But this – their second match in a row at home – was far worse. The second quarter especially wasnt so much a murder of Crows as a suicide of Suns. For Adelaide, it was a timely percentage-booster after last weeks shellacking.
As youd expect, the Crows had a number of excellent contributors. Wayne Milera, whose career has been severely injury-interrupted since arriving at the Crows as part of the deal that sent Patrick Dangerfield to Geelong in 2015, showed how good he can be with a performance that was as silky as it was dynamic.
Advertisement
The Rorys (Atkins and Laird) had the ball on a string and used it with their usual airtight efficiency. The Crouches (Brad and Matt) werent as clean, but still won a truckload of possession at the coalface.
Eddie Betts, his place in question after last weeks loss, kicked six of the easiest goals of his career, and Josh Jenkins four.
For most of this year, the Suns have at least been doughty, punching above their weight, even as the losses mounted.
But for the past two weeks, theyve been bystanders in a training drill. This is their 12th consecutive loss. There are six rounds to go, and its very hard to see them winning another.
Eddie Betts of the Crows reacts after scoring his fifth goal.Credit:AAP
The Crows sprinted out to an early five-goal lead, the last to a busy Milera, who had already hit up Taylor Walker for the co-captains first, before the Suns exerted any influence on the contest.
Only inaccuracy – the Crows booted 5.7 – and late goals to Sam Day and Sean Lemmens spared the home side another big first-quarter blowout.
The second quarter, though, was embarrassing. Where to start? Darcy MacPherson handing the ball straight to Josh Jenkins 10 metres out from goal? How about Hugh Greenwood waltzing around his opponent on the mark from 25 metres out for his first?
Then there was Rory Sloane accepting a 50-metre penalty, before handballing over the top to an unmarked Tyson Stengle in the goal square.
And the hapless Jesse Joyce, whod already given away a couple of goals, letting Betts poke the ball through on the goal line unimpeded, for the Crows 12th.
That saw the visitors 64 points clear at half-time. The Crows hadnt capitalised to the same degree as Richmond a week earlier, but they continued the demolition with a seven-goal third quarter to extend the lead to 93 points at the last change.
A few definitive junk-time goRead More – Source
Everyone expected the Adelaide Crows to hit back after last weeks embarrassing showdown loss to Port Adelaide. They had to. They needed to. They did – but no one will be much the wiser as to their prospects, after the Crows picked at the corpse of the Gold Coast Suns as they coasted to a 95-point win.
Bones were about all Richmond had left behind last week, after the Tigers had posted a century in a half of football on the way to a 98-point victory. The Suns had steadied somewhat in that matchs second half, but it was irrelevant by then, and coach Stuart Dew didnt duck what hed seen in the aftermath.
Luke Brown of the Crows was part of the dominant display against the Suns.Credit:AAP
Mostly, this year, his side has been better than that. But this – their second match in a row at home – was far worse. The second quarter especially wasnt so much a murder of Crows as a suicide of Suns. For Adelaide, it was a timely percentage-booster after last weeks shellacking.
As youd expect, the Crows had a number of excellent contributors. Wayne Milera, whose career has been severely injury-interrupted since arriving at the Crows as part of the deal that sent Patrick Dangerfield to Geelong in 2015, showed how good he can be with a performance that was as silky as it was dynamic.
Advertisement
The Rorys (Atkins and Laird) had the ball on a string and used it with their usual airtight efficiency. The Crouches (Brad and Matt) werent as clean, but still won a truckload of possession at the coalface.
Eddie Betts, his place in question after last weeks loss, kicked six of the easiest goals of his career, and Josh Jenkins four.
For most of this year, the Suns have at least been doughty, punching above their weight, even as the losses mounted.
But for the past two weeks, theyve been bystanders in a training drill. This is their 12th consecutive loss. There are six rounds to go, and its very hard to see them winning another.
Eddie Betts of the Crows reacts after scoring his fifth goal.Credit:AAP
The Crows sprinted out to an early five-goal lead, the last to a busy Milera, who had already hit up Taylor Walker for the co-captains first, before the Suns exerted any influence on the contest.
Only inaccuracy – the Crows booted 5.7 – and late goals to Sam Day and Sean Lemmens spared the home side another big first-quarter blowout.
The second quarter, though, was embarrassing. Where to start? Darcy MacPherson handing the ball straight to Josh Jenkins 10 metres out from goal? How about Hugh Greenwood waltzing around his opponent on the mark from 25 metres out for his first?
Then there was Rory Sloane accepting a 50-metre penalty, before handballing over the top to an unmarked Tyson Stengle in the goal square.
And the hapless Jesse Joyce, whod already given away a couple of goals, letting Betts poke the ball through on the goal line unimpeded, for the Crows 12th.
That saw the visitors 64 points clear at half-time. The Crows hadnt capitalised to the same degree as Richmond a week earlier, but they continued the demolition with a seven-goal third quarter to extend the lead to 93 points at the last change.
A few definitive junk-time goRead More – Source
