The Adelaide Crows have taught the Fremantle Dockers a lesson in pain on Saturday night at Adelaide Oval, absolutely belting their opponents to the tune of 100 points.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Adelaide Crows 20.23.143
Fremantle Dockers 6.7.43
Two top eight teams do battle at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday night as the Adelaide Crows host the Fremantle Dockers. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog from 7:40pm AEST.
After a slow start to the season, the Dockers have hit a run of form and now sit in fifth spot with a 6-3 win-loss record, after winning six of their last seven.
However, this is just about the toughest test facing them tonight. Travelling to play the ladder-leading Adelaide Crows.
The Crows have hit a bit of a snag after a dominant start to the season, losing consecutive games to mid-range sides before a large but probably inconsequential win over the Brisbane Lions.
In pretty much any game involving the Crows, the first consideration is their impressive forward line.
Taylor Walker is in good form, but the real danger men tonight are Eddie Betts and the much improved Charlie Cameron. It’s a big assignment for the Dockers’ small defenders tonight.
At selection, the Crows have recalled Josh Jenkins from his one-week exile, as well as the experienced David Mackay. Hampton is injured and Gallucci has been dropped.
With Sandilands injured the Dockers bring in Jonathan Griffin for a rare appearance, while Tucker comes in for Langdon.
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For their part, the Dockers will be hoping to gain an edge in the midfield. With Fyfe, Neale and the Hill brothers in good form.
They’ve also had a big boost from the resurgence of Michael Walters, who has recovered in superb style after an injury-affected start to the year.
It’ll be interesting to see if Ross Lyon chooses to send a player to run with Rory Sloane, after tagging seems to have curbed his influence somewhat in recent weeks.
All that said, the Crows are in fact the league ladders for contested possession, and should expect Sam Jacobs to give them first use of the ball in what appears to be something of a ruck mismtach.
Prediction
Some of the gloss might have slightly gone off the Crows, but their attacking power should be too much at home against the Dockers.
Adelaide by 35 points.
Match preview by TomC.
Don Freo
Guest
We'd be talking about 2017 here, Martyn. 2016 has been and gone. When they get to play last year's top eight sides like Hawthorn and Sydney, they get percentage boosters.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Ahhh yes, the old "fake news!" trick. Works every time, doesn't it..
Martyn
Guest
What teams that finished in the 8 last year have the dorkers played? Have beaten? Therefore the position on the table is fake
Powerboy
Guest
....always a silver lining, eh Don? Especially with all those clouds....including the one over the coach. Hmmm...what was it I was saying about the winter slop....oh yeah....a loss of not just four points, you can add an entire 10%. Freo really missed the speed and agility of Sandilands last night......
Don Freo
Guest
Speaking of "predicted", when I go to the AFL Predictor, the season finishes with Freo on 128%...(9% ahead of the 2nd highest %, Port, who finish 13th on the ladder.) I'll concede this last game might change our percentage back to about 118% at end of season. The good thing is, we have only GWS still to play from the top 12. We have played the rest. Only the easy beats to come. Last run was 6 out of 7. Now begins a 7 straight run. It's all rosy.
Don Freo
Guest
With Sandilands giving us first use, it would have flipped the clearances and Freo may well have reversed the result...maybe not by 100 but a good 30 or 40.
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
Well there is not much you can say about a performance like that. Very disappointed with the effort. In our losses to Port, West Coast and now the Crows, we did not bring any effort early in the game and they scored heavily and shut the door by quarter time. Can't afford to come out sluggish against heavy scoring opposition like that's because they will hurt you every time. The last time we travelled to Adelaide Oval and got thumped we then proceeded to go on a winning streak...let's hope for the same thing again... Thought Weller was probably our best player tonight.
Josh
Expert
Safe to say the Crows did that one pretty comfortably. Thanks all for joining me, and click here to read the full match report.
Josh
Expert
FULL TIME ADELAIDE 20.23.143 FREMANTLE 6.7.43
Josh
Expert
BEHIND FREMANTLE Sutcliffe falls over trying to kick a goal and sends it into the post instead, shame as a goal might have prevented the triple-figure margin. ADELAIDE 20.23.143 FREMANTLE 6.7.43
Josh
Expert
BEHIND ADELAIDE Rushed behind to the Crows. ADELAIDE 20.23.143 FREMANTLE 6.6.42
Josh
Expert
BEHIND FREMANTLE Connor Blakely with a behind, and the margin is an even 100. ADELAIDE 20.22.142 FREMANTLE 6.6.42
Josh
Expert
BEHIND FREMANTLE Rushed behind for the Dockers. ADELAIDE 20.22.142 FREMANTLE 6.5.41
Josh
Expert
GOAL ADELAIDE Cameron to Jenkins, he has his third and the Crows have 20 goals, and lead Fremantle by a triple-figures margin. ADELAIDE 20.22.142 FREMANTLE 6.4.40
Josh
Expert
Josh
Expert
GOAL ADELAIDE Charlie Cameron doing his best Eddie Betts impression with a delectable snap from the pocket, his third goal tonight. ADELAIDE 19.22.136 FREMANTLE 6.4.40
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Half the corporate box just confused Cameron with Betts....
Josh
Expert
GOAL FREMANTLE Darcy Tucker pops through his - and Fremantle's - second of the term. ADELAIDE 18.22.130 FREMANTLE 6.4.40
Port supporter
Guest
Lol looks missed by 60 points?
Josh
Expert
GOAL ADELAIDE Andy Otten bangs through goal number FIVE. ADELAIDE 18.22.130 FREMANTLE 5.3.33