ADELAIDE 4.0 6.1 9.7 13.11 (89)
CARLTON 1.0 5.1 8.2 12.5 (77)
Goals: Adelaide: J Jenkins 3 E Betts 2 R Knight 2 B Smith M Crouch M McGovern R Sloane S Jacobs T Walker. Carlton: B Gibbs 2 L Casboult 2 C Curnow D Cuningham D Thomas J Silvagni L Sumner M Wright P Cripps S Kerridge
Best: Adelaide: M. Crouch, B. Crouch, Smith, Jenkins, Douglas, Knight. Carlton: Gibbs, Docherty, Jones, Cripps, Kerridge, Curnow
Umpires: Troy Pannell, Jeff Dalgleish, David Harris.
Official Crowd: 33,433 at MCG
Much of the talk in the lead-up to this match had surrounded Adelaide's unhealthy midfield reliance on Rory Sloane, and how his inability to handle a hard tag had been the Crows' undoing for the best part of two months. His task of breaking free had seemingly been made easier by the absence of Carlton's primary stopper Ed Curnow, but that seemed to matter little for the one-time Brownlow medal fancy, who had just 19 disposals for the game. Former teammate Sam Kerridge ran with Sloane for stints, but he wasn't exactly glove-like, and yet still Sloane never really got going.
It should therefore give Adelaide confidence that even despite Sloane's quiet day they managed to shrug off the persistent Blues, who looked likely winners when they hit the front after a Dale Thomas snap 12 minutes into the last quarter. That the Crows ultimately secured a critical four points in the context of their season owed in large part to the way their on-ball underbelly responded lifted with Sloane down.
More AFL Real Footy Videos
- Video duration
- 01:30
Crows hold off Blues fightback
Crows hold off Blues fightback
The Crows eventually snuffed out a spirited fight from Carlton to run away with the match at the MCG.
Up Next
AFL diversity chief Ali Fahour throws punch
- Video duration
- 00:43
- Video duration
- 00:43
AFL diversity chief Ali Fahour throws ...
AFL diversity chief Ali Fahour throws punch
Dale Saddington suffered a delayed concussion and bruising in a scuffle with Ali Fahour, who was red-carded.
Up Next
St Kilda edge Freo in thriller
- Video duration
- 01:30
- Video duration
- 01:30
St Kilda edge Freo in thriller
St Kilda edge Freo in thriller
Fremantle led for most of the game but St Kilda struck at the death to sneak home in a close encounter.
Up Next
Carlisle cheap shot on Ballantyne ignites melee
- Video duration
- 00:52
- Video duration
- 00:52
Carlisle cheap shot on Ballantyne ignites ...
Carlisle cheap shot on Ballantyne ignites melee
Jack Carlisle was probably told never to hit a man when he's down but a shot at Hayden Ballantyne proved too hard to resist.
Up Next
Hawks still in the hunt
- Video duration
- 01:29
- Video duration
- 01:29
Hawks still in the hunt
Hawks still in the hunt
Hawthorn remain in the hunt to play in the AFL finals yet again after finishing over the top of a gritty Collingwood side at the MCG.
Up Next
AFL plays of round 15
- Video duration
- 01:34
- Video duration
- 01:34
AFL plays of round 15
AFL plays of round 15
Buddy bends a beauty, Doggies victims of feathered foes, Tex leads by example, GWS fans no doubt have nerves of steel and the Tiges win brilliantly to go top four.
Up Next
Geelong draw after Hawkins' misses post-siren shot
- Video duration
- 01:30
- Video duration
- 01:30
Geelong draw after Hawkins' misses ...
Geelong draw after Hawkins' misses post-siren shot
The Greater Western Sydney Giants escaped with a draw with Geelong on the back of a fourth-quarter surge.
Up Next
Suns celebrate Gary Ablett's 300th game in style
- Video duration
- 01:30
- Video duration
- 01:30
Suns celebrate Gary Ablett's 300th game ...
Suns celebrate Gary Ablett's 300th game in style
The Gold Coast Suns win over the Kangaroos ensured Ablett celebrated his 300th game with a victory.
Crows hold off Blues fightback
The Crows eventually snuffed out a spirited fight from Carlton to run away with the match at the MCG.
Richard Douglas had been the Crows' prime mover through the midfield for most of the day, but in the last quarter both Matt and Brad Crouch lifted several notches, outgunning the likes of Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs and Patrick Cripps. Brodie Smith's distribution from the backline was important too, while Josh Jenkins was the best forward on either side, kicking three goals.
Thomas' crowd-pleaser had followed a terrific goal mouth soccer from Matthew Wright. Carlton were surging. But good sides find ways even on down days, and so it proved for the Crows. Matt Crouch had 11 final quarter disposals – as did Brad – but none were more important than a curled major from Matt under pressure to respond to Thomas' goal. Jenkins then sunk one from long-range, and Adelaide had done enough.
It was looming as a most unpleasant afternoon for the Carlton fans who braved the chill factor to make their way to the MCG on Saturday. Eddie Betts had just goaled against his former side, and 15 minutes into the opening term, Adelaide led 4.0.24 to nothing. The Blues were turning the ball over like it was going out of fashion, and the freewheeling Crows were making them pay.
But floggings have proved the exceptions rather than the rule for Carlton this year. Brendon Bolton is a master at turning off the opposition tap, and for much of the next 10 minutes the Blues played tempo football. It was far from pretty, and a set shot shank from Matthew Kreuzer only added to the groans in the outer. But the irrepressible momentum of the visitors had subsided. The Blues had denied Adelaide the football, and with a neat finish from youngster David Cunningham late in the quarter, Carlton had cut the margin to three goals.
The start to the second term was also a struggle, with just one behind added between the two teams during the first 11 minutes. Carlton were guilty of providing some ungainly moments, like when Kerridge almost stuffed up a regulation running bounce before duly kicking the ball out on the full, when Cripps sprayed a sitter from 30 metres out, or when Gibbs turned the ball over, resulting in a Sloane goal. But Carlton weren't deterred by their sloppiness. All three of those players provided spark, Kerridge with a monster goal from inside the centre square, and Gibbs and Cripps with clinical finishes too. Liam Jones had coughed up a goal after a failed fend-off of Taylor Walker, but minutes later the re-born backman took a beautiful mark on the wing. So by the long change, the Blues were just a goal in arrears, and Adelaide had a fight on their hands.
Levi Casboult kicked the first goal of the third quarter, cutting the margin to a point. Adelaide had to find something, but they missed chances, with Betts the most noteworthy culprit. Even despite an uplifting long-range goal from Walker, Adelaide still looked vulnerable with a quarter to play, not least because Gibbs, Jones and Sam Docherty were in impeccable touch, and the Crows were down a man, having lost defender Kyle Hartigan to a hamstring injury.
VOTES
M. Crouch (Adel) 7
B. Gibbs (Carl) 7
B. Crouch (Adel) 7
S. Docherty (Carl) 7
B. Smith (Adel) 7
Â
0 comments
New User? Sign up