The Adelaide Crows and the Sydney Swans meet in what many see as a Grand Final dress rehearsal at Adelaide Oval. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:50pm (AEST).
With the recent draw against Collingwood the only thing staining their last seven matches, the Adelaide Crows look to make an enormous statement when they face the storming Swans.
A win for the Crows solidifies their undisputed favouritism leading into the finals and matching the pressure of the Sydney midfield is the most vital ingredient for that to happen.
For Sydney, a win on the road before a volatile crowd, hungry for a premiership is the type of challenge that great sides relish.
With Josh Kennedy back in the team and the forward line looking at their most lethal against the hapless Dockers last week, Sydney look primed and ready to take down the competition benchmark.
With Taylor Walker and Rory Sloane under slight injury clouds and the carrot of a top for spot on the horizon for the Swans, this could be the night for the boys from the harbour city.
The contrast in styles will be gripping. Adelaide’s speed through the centre and immense scoring potential will be pitted against the high pressure inside game of the Swan’s midfield.
Grasping opportunities could be the key. Buddy Franklin, Josh Jenkins and Eddie Betts might not get the frequency of chances they do in most games, such will the intensity be.
Taking those opportunities when they arise might just be the challenge for both sets of forwards that in turn, decides the winner.
Prediction
Adelaide would like to avoid the Swans in the early stages of the finals. A win tonight increases the chances of that happening. A Swans victory could clamp that top four spot. With both teams having plenty to play for, it should be a close contest.
Sydney by 8 points
Catch all the action on The Roar live coverage from 7:50pm (AEST).
fairsuckofthesav
Guest
So its official. The 50 against Betts was an incorrect call. I wonder if Stuart will acknowledge this given his commentary on the umpiring.
sammy
Guest
none at all..if the ump had not blown his whistle, then it is a 50m penalty every day of the week. I took more issue with Buddy as I was sitting on that wing and he ran way over the 15m limit
waxman
Guest
Call your self a Guru, really, check the stats for a start, the reason for more frees is they earned them in their tackles or is that not gonna be payed anymore, besides it not how many frees it's were there paid and a low as Swans free count was, it's where and when of the ones they got, can make a difference to the game
waxman
Guest
Didn't hear a peep out of you at the start of the year, or the rest of you Swan fans, now your all on the band wagon....thx to AFL/MRP consistency, new darlings of the AFL, won't be long before it's NSWFL, god help us.....
waxman
Guest
It was their kicking.....that let em down
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Let's see what happens in the finals Steve
Fairsuckofthesav
Guest
So Stuart can I gather from your commentary that you are a Swan supporter?
steveng
Roar Rookie
'Geoff from Bruce Stadium' the bottom line is, that winners are grinners and the rest can please themselves and all us Swan fans are the grinners and you can please yourself and say what you may lol
steveng
Roar Rookie
Hahaaaa, what else are you going to pick on? I'm sure that the umpires were there and would of pulled that up, judging by the ratio of free kicks given to the Crows to the Swans. The umpiring was biased towards the Crows, with 28 to 11 free kicks, surely its 'SCANDELOUS' to give that many to a side and they still lose.
gameofmarks
Roar Guru
So who else reckons Buddy should have been pinged by the umpire for running more than 15m when he kicked that goal in the third quarter?
Michael Huston
Guest
Adelaide generated so many attacking forays and score shots from 50/50 calls from the umpire that went their way and not ours. They were helped back into the game by the umpires so I don't buy that they dominated the play, they could just do whatever they wanted and we couldn't do anything. At one point in the third quarter I think there was 3 or 4 frees to the Crows in a row, none of which were there. Literally even 1 on 1 contests, all fair, and the umps would just blow their whistle. It actually ruined what could have been a great game. Adelaide are good enough that they could have come back and won without the umpire's help so it's a shame the umpires didn't give them that chance to prove their quality and instead gave them an armchair ride. Over-umpiring is the biggest blight on the game this season. This was a quality game between the two most exciting sides in the comp, but every time the play was moving free flowing and attacking, the umpires would just halt it by blowing the whistle. Footy is at it's best when the players are left to their own devices to just play the game 22 vs 22 with as little interference as possible. If there's a 50/50 contest, just let it play out rather than trying to find the tiniest excuse to pay a free. By the way I'm not saying the Swans are the only team. We ourselves were given an advantage with fairly one-sided umpiring a month ago vs GWS. It happens to all teams, but it shouldn't be happening at all. AFL needs to tell them to put their ******* whistle away unless a free is clearly there.
Sammy the Tank
Guest
How was it a poor 50? the umpire didn't say play on and Eddie Betts took it on himself to be the umpire. I will tell you what a bad 50 is. Zac Jones getting a 50 for a push/reckless in the back even though the guy didn't take the mark. Free kick for sure, but there shouldn't have been a 50 added unless he took the mark...wrong decision! . But lets not talk about umpires mate, all night they were out of there depth at such a hostile ground and Sydney got the rough end of the umpiring. Find another excuse!.
Lamby
Roar Rookie
Yeh, I know that bad kicking is bad footy, I was replying to "Bit of soul searching ahead this week for the Crows who might be top of the ladder but probably aren’t the best team in it just yet." Crows don't need soul searching, just some kicking practice!
Sammy the Tank
Guest
You say whinged...i say stating the obvious. Thanks anyway Stuart and as usual you were spot on!!!
Basil
Guest
I finally agree with the Cat! The Swans scrag a heck of a lot.
Davico
Roar Pro
So no probs with the 50 against Betts then as he had hold of the arm as soon as the mark was paid and was not on the mark
Cat
Roar Guru
The primary reason for the free kick differential (and there is no way the free kick count should magically be even) was all the frees paid to Sloane and they were there! Swans finally got pinged for all the holding and scragging they do in tight.
Davico
Roar Pro
Again with the Key stats! Up until 3qtr time every stat was pretty much even EXCEPT the free kick count. Take off the Red and Yellow glasses and tell me truthfully that the Umps did not keep the crows in the game in the first half. It was Justice that the crows could not convert as the only reason they had half those shots was due to free kicks
Horrie
Guest
Spot on. Taylor is the Donald Trump of AFL commentating - both are bloated narcissists.
Sammy
Guest
You must have been watching a different game to the rest of us because had the crows not missed 8 very very simple set shots and sydney not kicked a goal with just about every shot they had, umpiring or not, the crows win that game by 6-7 goals. Look at all the key stats. After 1/4 time it was one way traffic in contested ball, inside 50's and the clearances evened right up. Yes bad kicking is bad football but wow..crows won't be that bad again and sydney won't be that accurate