Tonight the 2013 AFL season begins when Adelaide Crows host Essendon at AAMI Stadium, with the football world’s focus finally turning to the on-field action. We’ll have live scores and commentary from the first bounce at 8.40pm AEDT.
In 2012 Adelaide, under the guardianship of Brenton Sanderson for the first time, began the year by winning the NAB Cup and continued that form throughout the season, eventually coming within a kick of making the grand final.
Suffice to say expectations are considerably higher this year but the Crows’ pre-season form has been patchy at best.
Their losses against St Kilda and Geelong both came at AAMI Stadium and it while they were nowhere near full strength, neither were their opponents.
But it would be foolhardy to place any significance on anything that happens before round one.
Adelaide made AAMI Stadium a difficult place to travel to last season, winning 14 of 16 matches there including a four-point win over the Bombers in round 19.
Patrick Dangerfield picked up 29 touches that night and Taylor Walker kicked four, and Sanderson will once again be hoping for big contributions from the pair both tonight and throughout the year.
Tonight they face an Essendon side who made their own flying start to last season going 8-1 after before a succession of injuries literally crippled their campaign, closing out 2012 on a seven-game losing run.
Aside from the ongoing drama that has enshrouded Windy Hill over the past month, much of the attention throughout the NAB Cup was on the form of Brendon Goddard.
The number one pick of the 2002 draft has begun 2013 strongly with a host of strong performances in the NAB Cup.
If he can continue this into tonight Hird will be a very happy man as will captain Jobe Watson, who will appreciate a second key midfielder to take some of the opponent’s attention.
Essendon have been boosted by the inclusions of Michael Hurley and David Zaharakis, although fellow midfielder Jason Winderlich is still unavailable with a groin complaint.
Adelaide received their own bonus at the selection table with the news that Jason Porplyzia will play, despite being hospitalised a fortnight ago with a stomach ulcer.
Highly touted West Adelaide product Brad Crouch has been named as an emergency, while former Essendon recruit Josh Jenkins will line up forward in place of the now-departed Kurt Tippett.
So who wins? It’s hard to go past the home side – you simply can’t argue with a 14-2 record.
Then again, that was 2012 and the Crows have been off so far in the pre-season and there is no doubt Essendon will be keen to play away the memories of the last four weeks, if only momentarily.
The Prez
Guest
Agreed. Poor Truck is a light of different days. The few times he is able to REALLY negate a valuable opposition forward hardly warrants his selection, sadly
The Prez
Guest
Maybe Reilly should ply amore defensive role in defence rather than chase kicks
The Prez
Guest
Is Adelaide going that badly that it names Reilly as its best player, with 7 clangers, 5 frees against and 3 or more goals kicked on him?
TomC
Roar Guru
Good stuff Chad.
Chad Bennett
Editor
FULL TIME: Adelaide 11.16.82 – Essendon 18.9.117 Much of the attention for Adelaide focused on how the club would replace key forward Kurt Tippett, and judging by tonight it's a question that Brenton Sanderson has not yet been able to answer. They started the better of the two sides, jumping out to a 22-point lead but were slowly pegged back by the Bombers and were well beaten in the end. By a 25-point margin might not so and the Bombers were able to kick two junk-time goals to blow that out, Even still, huge win for the Bombers in the circumstances and they'll be ecstatic to get four points given the circumstances of the past four weeks. Thanks for reading along, enjoy the rest of your sporting weekend!
Chad Bennett
Editor
Q4 - 0:01 Adelaide 11.16.82 – Essendon 18.9.117 Another one for the Bombers inside the last minute, with David Myers running into an open goal to cap off what has been a dominant performance for the red and black.
Chad Bennett
Editor
Q4 - 0:29 Adelaide 11.16.82 – Essendon 17.9.111 There's the icing! It's been an outstanding performance from Jobe Watson tonight and he'll go close to picking up three Brownlow votes tonight. He drills a shot at goal low and hard from 40m directly in front and his teammates come from everywhere to celebrate.
Chad Bennett
Editor
Q4 - 1:45 Adelaide 11.16.82 – Essendon 16.9.105 Less than two minutes remaining now, and Essendon hold a four-goal lead that will not be exceeded tonight.
Chad Bennett
Editor
Q4 - 2:45 Adelaide 11.16.82 – Essendon 16.9.105 That will just about be it. Heppell finds the debutant Kommer, 35m out on a slight angle from the right to seal it... HE DOES. Essendon will win the first four points of the 2013 season!!
TomC
Roar Guru
Maybe, but I think it's more likely to be round one cobwebs.
Chad Bennett
Editor
Indeed. Perhaps the see-sawing nature of the game has prevented either side from getting into stride?
Chad Bennett
Editor
Q4 - 4:25 Adelaide 11.16.82 – Essendon 15.9.99 WALKER around the corner from 40m...no, it hasn't quite come around enough. Would have been a very handy score there, and now time begins to become the Crows' enemy.
TomC
Roar Guru
That's more like it! Where's that kind of urgency been tonight from both teams?
Chad Bennett
Editor
4Q 5:30 Adelaide 11.15.81 - Essendon 15.9.99 Crows continue to come, they've probably got the momentum in this one the Crows, but whether there is enough time remains to be seen.
Chad Bennett
Editor
It's just unbelievable to think that that was a free...
Chad Bennett
Editor
4Q 6:50 Adelaide 11.15.81 – Essendon 15.9.99 Walker marks! 45m out in front...he kicks from long, 58-60m there, and it is going, going...IT'S THROUGH! Had a quiet night has Tex but that is his third and there might yet still be a pulse!!
Chad Bennett
Editor
4Q 7:40 Adelaide 10.15.75 – Essendon 15.9.99 Howlett kicks his fourth, a booming kick from the 50 that was started by a controlling, calming kick from skipper Jobe Watson, his 30th disposal of the night. Massive goal in the circumstances, and it is once again a four-goal lead for Essendon.
Chad Bennett
Editor
4Q 8:40 Adelaide 10.15.75 – Essendon 14.8.92 Thompson's long kick falls straight into the clutches of Goddard. Not really good enough from one of your most experienced campaigners.
Chad Bennett
Editor
4Q 9:20 Adelaide 10.15.75 – Essendon 14.8.92 Ball in Essendon's front half on the edge of the 50. Scott Thompson, ever-reliable, is able to mark a high, swirling ball. Here is a chance for the Crows to get back into this.
Chad Bennett
Editor
4Q 10:40 Adelaide 10.15.75 – Essendon 14.8.92 Walker gets on the end of a 20m pass from Douglas, 20m in front.... KICKS IT. Less than three kicks in it now, more than half of the quarter left to play! Definitely game on now!