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The Adelaide Crows have shown their class in a dominant third quarter, pulling away from a young Brisbane Lions team to win their last pre-season match by 39 points.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Adelaide Crows 1.20.13 (142)
Brisbane Lions 1.15.4 (103)
The Adelaide Crows and Brisbane Lions will face off in the final round of the JLT Community Series. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 4:10pm (AEDT).
After just three victories in the 2016 season new head coach Chris Fagan has the Lions roaring again, starting 2017 on a positive note.
Having won half of their matches – one of which came against the reigning premiers (Western Bulldogs) – the strides Brisbane have made both on and off the field are obvious.
The only caveat here though, is that it is still only pre-season, the Lions have played two games and the Bulldogs team they beat had only nine players from the premiership winning side.
Nonetheless the initial signs for the once powerhouse club have been promising.
Newly appointed captain Dayne Beams was solid in last week’s outing, finishing his first game since a knee operation with 24 disposals.
The former Collingwood star showed why the Brisbane midfield could be a much-improved unit in 2017, with the Lions looking far more organised around stoppages and clean with their ball distribution.
In their last JLT hit-out, the Lions will have another chance to play a finals team from 2016 as they travel to Noarlunga to face the Crows.
Like Brisbane, Adelaide also won their first match of the pre-season against Geelong last week, despite missing many of their star players.
With the likes of Rory Sloane, Brad Crouch and Scott Thompson all questionable for the Crows’ Round 1 fixture against the GWS Giants, coach Don Pyke would have been pleased to see Curtly Hampton and Rory Atkins thrive in the midfield.
In team news, Adelaide will welcome back some forward firepower with Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins and Mitch McGovern all returning to the lineup, while midfielder Dean Gore will be left out after suffering a concussion last week.
For the Lions, No.3 draft pick Hugh McCluggage will miss up to four weeks after injuring his ankle in last week’s match at Etihad Stadium. In his place No.24 pick Cedric Cox has been named in the 27-man squad along with swingman Daniel McStay and defender Ryan Harwood.
Prediction
Brisbane will field a near full-strength outfit against the Crows and should be more than competitive in the midfield.
However, with Adelaide’s returning goal kickers the young Brisbane defence may be too overwhelmed to stop a Crows victory.
Adelaide by 19 points.
Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 4:10pm (AEDT).
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