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Adelaide has begun the new era under Phil Walsh in the perfect way with a 77 point smashing of North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval today.
ADELAIDE 21 14 140
NORTH 9 9 63
Six goals to Taylor Walker, in his first match as captain, and 25 disposals to Patrick Dangerfield gave the Crows their first win of the season and 8th straight win over North at their home ground.
The win was sealed in the first and second quarter as the Crows kicked ten unanswered goals in 50 minutes of football.
At the start of the match, the Crows played well, and kicked the first two goals of the match.
Shaun Higgins, on debut for the Kangaroos, would kick the next two goals to reduce the margin to 2 points.
What followed after that second goal was nothing short of exceptional from the Crows.
Showing no fear to the game plan of Phil Walsh, the Crows attacked, and suffocated the Kangaroos.
They would kick four goals before quarter time to lead by 27 points.
The Crows then followed with another six goals to bring the margin out to 69 right before half time.
The Kangaroos couldn’t get past their half forward line and they couldn’t stop Taylor Walker.
The power forward would have over 10 marks in the first half, 13 disposals, and three goals.
He could have had more if he kicked straight.
At half time the Kangaroos were down by 63 points and Brad Scott demanded a response from them.
He got one as the Kangaroos kicked the first five goals of the third quarter.
Lindsay Thomas would kick two goals to help the Kangaroos come back into the game.
When Sam Gibson kicked his first goal for the afternoon, after 13 minutes of the third quarter, they were down by just 30 points.
That would be the end of the challenge though as Taylor Walker kicked his fourth goal to steady the ship.
By three quarter time the Crows led by 44 points which was quickly extended in the final term.
Two goals in two minutes, to Dangerfield and Walker, gave the Crows a 56 point lead to end any comeback plans.
After that it was party time as they kicked another 4 goals to win by 77 points.
The stats in the match showed just how dominant the Crows were.
They won every key indicator except for hitouts which was won by North.
In contested possessions, disposals, and marks they had at least 20 more than the Kangaroos.
They were led by Richard Douglas who had 31 disposals with Taylor Walker getting 22 disposals and 15 marks.
Patrick Dangerfield and Rory Sloane got over 25 touches each as well.
For the Kangaroos not many can held their head up high.
Shaun Higgins was good on debut with 4 goals and Todd Goldstein won the ruck contest with Sam Jacobs.
It was a horror day for Drew Petrie and Jarrad Waite. They kicked one goal between them and Waite only had 10 touches.
They need to bounce back quickly before taking on the Lions next week.
The Crows now head to Melbourne with plenty of confidence and will face the Magpies in Round 2.
Phil Walsh begins his coaching career with the Adelaide Crows as they take on the North Melbourne Kangaroos on Easter Sunday. Join The Roar for live coverage of the match from 3:20pm (AEDT).
It’s the dawn of a new era for the Crows after a raft of changes during the off-season. In the space of six months they have a new CEO, new backroom staff, a new coach, and a new captain.
Taylor Walker, who took the captaincy at the start of the year, replaces Nathan Van Berlo who led the club from 2011 to 2014.
The Crows have also recruited over the off-season, adding Kyle Cheney and Luke Lowden from the Hawks in the trade period.
After Port Adelaide’s success in the last two season, and two straight years of Adelaide not being in the finals, it is hoped these changes can take the club towards the finals and the premiership again.
The Kangaroos surprised the competition last year with a preliminary final appearance. Despite being beaten comfortably by Sydney, North showed against the Cats and Bombers they could threaten the premiership in 2015.
They have also recruited well with the signing of Shaun Higgins from the Bulldogs and Jarrad Waite from Carlton.
Since 2003, when the Kangaroos won by 10 points at AAMI Stadium, the Crows have not lost at home to North in seven matches. To compound that record, the Kangaroos have not won an opening round match since 2009. In fact, of their last eight first-round matches, North have only tasted victory once.
At the selection table, the Crows will miss Scott Thompson due to a lack of match fitness. He will play for the SANFL team instead in their final trial, with Cam Ellis-Yolmen expected to play just his second match for the club.
Yolmen impressed during the NAB Challenge and has certainly earned his spot if he is selected in the 22.
New recuit Kyle Cheney has also been selected and will debut for the Crows.
For the Kangaroos, both Waite and Higgins have been selected. The Kangaroos will potentially play with three tall forwards with Waite, Drew Petrie and Ben Brown in the 25 for North.
If there is a weakness in each team it is defence.
With the loss of Ben Rutten to retirement, and no Andy Otten because of injury, the Crows are inexperienced when it comes to a second tall defender.
Kyle Hartigan, Kyle Cheney and Luke Brown will be expected to mark the second tall forward and shut them down in the contest.
Whether they can do it, or not, will be the difference between success and failure for the Crows.
The same can be argued for North Melbourne. Joel Tippett and Robbie Tarrant are inexperienced as the second tall defender and will be targeted by the Crows.
Prediction
With North’s abysmal record in Adelaide, and their poor first-round form, I can’t go past Adelaide for the first match of the season.
There’s plenty of buzz around the Crows this season with the new appointment, and the 25th anniversary of the club, and I expect them to play well.
Adelaide by 20 points.
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