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The Adelaide Crows held off a strong challenge from a fast-starting Melbourne Demons outfit today, eventually winning by 25 points.
The Demons kicked the first three goals of the game before the Crows had even managed a score, and looked like they might be able to pull off a repeat of their stunning upset against the Crows at Adelaide Oval last year.
Their pressure and physicality was their weapon – they were prepared to put their bodies on the line and make Adelaide pay for every metre gained, and it took the Crows some time to react.
However when the Crows got going their class shone through. By half time they were in front and they managed to control the game from that point out.
Taylor Walker was well held by Tom McDonald but still got lose to kick three goals at crucial junctures on what was a rainy and inaccurate day for most.
A dispapointment was Jeff Garlett – while he kicked two goals, he easily could’ve done more and possibly proved a match-winner with a surer boot. He finished with just 2.4 for the day from seven shots on goal.
Heritier Lumumba had his best game for the Demons with 25 disposals and 7 tackles while Nathan Jones bounced back from a quiet game last week to also record 25 disposals, he laid 5 tackles and kicked a goal too. Daniel Cross and Bernie Vince had seven clearances apiece and Dom Tyson had eight.
For the Crows Scott Thompson was great in his first game of the year with 11 clearances, 30 disposals and 11 tackles, David Mackay (13) Rory Sloane (10) and debutant Jake Kelly (10) all also accumulated double figure tackles. In fact, the Crows laid 104 tackles all together as a team – a club record. Cam Ellis-Yolmen kicked two great goals.
The game was played in the wet for much of the second half and wasn’t much of a spectacle – a hard fought, physical contest in which Adelaide eventually got on top.
Adelaide 12.8.80 def. Melbourne 7.13.55
Votes
3 – Scott Thompson
2 – Nathan Jones
1 – Rory Sloane
The Adelaide Crows have the chance to go 3-0 when they host the Melbourne Demons at Adelaide Oval today. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 2.10pm AEST.
Adelaide have been the talk of the town over the first two weeks as new coach Phil Walsh has led them to two emphatic victories in the opening fortnight.
North Melbourne (defeated by 77 points) and Collingwood (defeated by 37 points) never really looked in the hunt against the Crows.
Walsh’s emphasis on team defense and applying pressure has allowed the Crows to stem the flow of opposition attack without sacrificing their own ability to score.
They have an elite group of players in Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane, Brodie Smith, and new captain Taylor Walker just to name a few, and Walsh’s game-plan has allowed their talents to shine through.
The question is, are Melbourne the team to bring this to a halt?
The Dees looked like quite a force against Gold Coast in Round 1, celebrating a first-up win that put smiles on faces around the competition.
However, despite carrying a half time lead against Greater Western Sydney last week, they were poor after the break, falling away to eventually lose by 55 points.
The Crows chances are made all the more formidable by the return of club champion Scott Thompson to the line-up. They’re also debuting young defender Jake Kelly, who comes in to fill Kyle Cheney’s shoes as the former Demon and Hawk will miss with a hamstring injury. Mitch Grigg is the unlucky player to make way for Thompson.
Melbourne meanwhile have made just a single change, and a forced one – Jack Viney is out with a fractured fibula, and small forward Jay Kennedy-Harris comes back in.
Prediction
While the Dees aren’t without a sniff, it’s hard to see the Crows dropping the ball here after the form they’ve shown in the first fortnight of the competition.
Adelaide by 36 points.
Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 2.10pm AEST.