Media articles & stats / Crows halt the Tiger train

[one-eyed]

Crows halt the Tiger train with impressive win

Harry Thring 
afl.com.au
August 7, 2015 10:20 PM

ADELAIDE is back in the top eight and right in the hunt for a finals spot after upsetting Richmond by 36 points at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.

The 11.22 (88) to 8.4 (52) win temporarily pushes the Crows ahead of Geelong and North Melbourne into seventh spot on the ladder, while the Tigers' chances of a top four finish now appear slim.

Strong and relentless attack saw the Crows home, although their dismal conversion of opportunities would have frustrated coach Scott Camporeale.

Experienced campaigner Scott Thompson was again king on the inside, winning 30 possessions and laying 10 tackles, while Patrick Dangerfield rid himself of a Trent Cotchin tag to finish with 29 possessions and a goal.

Dustin Martin was sensational for his side in Brett Deledio's absence, slotting three important goals and assisting two others.

Tigers ruckman Ivan Maric opened Richmond's account in the game's early minutes on the back of some silky ball movement, but it was his former side who pressed hardest in the opening term.

From the 10-minute mark until the quarter-time siren the Crows managed 13 more inside 50s than Richmond and 17 more disposals.

The numbers meant little at the first break, though, with a final squandered opportunity from Eddie Betts allowing the Tigers to remain in front.

After two early misses, Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker desperately needed to find his range and that he did from a booming 55m set shot.

It gave the Crows the lead, which was extended courtesy of a brilliant tap from Sam Jacobs into space that allowed Charlie Cameron to swoop on his second major.

The home side continued to dominate field position, although Richmond's defensive pressure was keeping it in the game.

A lucky bounce for Jack Riewoldt and a classy finish from Martin drew Richmond level until Walker again took the lead, slotting his second on the half-time siren.

The story of the first half continued into the second, with the Crows pushing but failing to capitalise.

They scored six consecutive behinds in a frustrating 18 minutes of football before Martin nailed his second to maintain his perfect efficiency by foot.

Josh Jenkins broke the Crows' drought with a nice snap and added a second minutes later – the booster his side craved.

Having dealt with a close tag from Cotchin, Dangerfield raced down the wing and drilled another.

Walker missed a seventh shot at goal but Betts and David Mackay booted late majors to see the Crows home.

ADELAIDE         2.6   5.8   8.16  11.22 (88)
RICHMOND       3.1   5.2   6.2      8.4 (52)

GOALS
Adelaide: Cameron 2, Walker 2, Jenkins 2, Betts 2, Lynch, Dangerfield, Mackay
Richmond: Martin 3, Maric, Grigg, Ellis, Riewoldt, Vickery

BEST
Adelaide: Dangerfield, Thompson, Walker, Laird, Talia, Jacobs, Sloane
Richmond: Martin, Hunt, Houli, Grigg, Miles

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Richmond: Brett Deledio (illness) replaced in the selected side by Sam Lloyd, Dylan Grimes (knee)

SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: David Mackay replacedRiley Knight at three-quarter time
Richmond: Sam Lloyd replaced Dylan Grimes at half-time

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Bannister, Dalgleish, Nicholls

Official crowd:  50,094 at Adelaide Oval

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-07/crows-halt-the-tiger-train-with-impressive-win

[one-eyed]

Five talking points: Adelaide v Richmond

Tom Wilson 
afl.com.au
August 7, 2015 10:36 PM

1. The Deledio difference


We knew the late out of Brett Deledio was massive and Friday night again proved how much of an influence he has on the Tigers' fortunes. Richmond simply is not the same without him. The Tigers have now lost seven of their last nine games when he's been absent from the line-up. He was missing during their slump earlier in the season and since round seven, he's been number one at Richmond for ground ball gets, clearances and tackles inside forward 50 and number two for scoreboard impact and disposals inside forward 50. If the Tigers want to make a serious tilt at September they need Deledio fully fit.

2. Tenacious tackling


Adelaide was livid with its own tackling effort in its disappointing loss to Sydney last week when the Crows laid just 38 tackles. On Friday night they responded in a big way. In the first quarter alone the Crows amassed 23 tackles and showed their intent to make things uncomfortable for Richmond. By half-time, they had laid three more than last week. This aggressive mindset in the midfield set the standard all night. Adelaide won the tackle count 73-55 in the end and also dominated contested possession 151-118. Scott Camporeale would have loved the response.


3. Finals futures

Friday night's result may seal the finals fate for both teams. For the Crows the win moved them up to seventh on the ladder and gave them a little percentage buffer on Geelong in run home to the finals. They play Essendon, Brisbane and West Coast in the next three weeks before a potential top-eight decider against Geelong in the final round. For Richmond a top-four berth could have slipped away. The Tigers may drop as far as two wins behind fourth spot with games against Gold Coast, Collingwood, Essendon and North Melbourne to come. They have shown what they're capable of this season, so there is no doubt they can still do damage in the finals.


4. One-way traffic
To say the Crows dominated inside 50s on Friday night is a massive understatement. In the first quarter they had 12 more entries and by half-time they led the tally 36-17. The rout continued in the second half with the Crows finishing with 74 to 38. Although it didn't matter in the end, the Crows' inaccuracy is a slight concern. They had 33 shots to just 12 but only kicked 11 goals. Skipper Taylor Walker was a great target up forward but returned just two goals from nine shots. Outside of the Crows kicking for goal it was an almost complete performance against the Tigers.

5. Walker wonders what might have been
The Crows skipper has threatened to tear a game apart in recent weeks and he almost did on Friday night. He owned Alex Rance, who is the frontrunner for the full-back position in the All Australian team, pulling down 10 marks, picking up 21 possessions and having nine attempts on goal. The only downside was his kicking for goal as he finished with 2.5, missing a lot of gettable shots. For the season he's kicked 41.34 and if he can swing the ledger further towards the goals it will make Adelaide all the more dangerous. Walker has endured unimaginable challenges in his first season as captain but he's handled it amazingly well. A big bag is just around the corner.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-07/five-talking-points-adelaide-v-richmond

[one-eyed]

Tame Tigers keep Crows in hunt for finals

   Ashley Porter
     The Age
    August 7, 2015 - 10:56PM


ADELAIDE 2.6 5.8 8.16 11.22 (88)
RICHMOND 3.1 5.2 6.2 8.4 (52)

GOALS:
Adelaide: Walker, Jenkins, Cameron 2, Betts 2, Lynch, Mackay, Dangerfield.
Richmond: Martin 3, Reiwoldt, Maric, Ellis, Grigg, Vickery.

BEST:
Adelaide: Jacobs, Dangerfield, Sloane, Henderson, Jenkins, Talia.
Richmond: Hunt, Martin, Cotchin, Houli, Conca, Grigg.

INJURIES: Richmond: Deledio (illness) replaced in selected side by Lloyd; Grimes (knee).
UMPIRES: Bannister, Dalgleish, Nicholls.
CROWD: 50,094 at Adelaide Oval.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Adelaide Richmond's stunning last-round win over Hawthorn was all a distant memory on Friday night after Adelaide crushed the Tigers at Adelaide Oval.

Put the top-four on hold – for now – and don't leave Adelaide out of finals calculations just yet.

But hurting the Tigers even more was a knee injury to Dylan Grimes, who will have scans on Saturday.

In what could be described as the most wasteful play inside-50 for some time, Adelaide walloped the Tigers on the stats sheet going inside-50, but for most part were woeful when it came to kicking for goal. It was as if the Crows didn't know how to win, and a flat and uninspiring Richmond couldn't get their game going.

With so much at stake, it was puzzling why the standard was so poor, but the Crows won't be caring right now.

After Adelaide kicked six behinds – the crowd cheered the "goal" – in the third quarter, Richmond goaled from a free to reduce the margin to a goal. Alex Rance, who had been relatively quiet based on his standards, was lifting and the Tigers were looking dangerous.

But then the Crows also picked up the pace, kicking three goals – two from Josh Jenkins – and Richmond was under serious pressure, trailing by 26 points at three-quarter time. It was a terrific third-quarter finish, but the first half was forgettable when Adelaide went inside-50 more than twice as many times as Richmond – 36-17 – yet led by only six points.

Richmond pressured the Crows to the end, and when Ty Vickery goaled with one of his few disposals for the night at the 17-minute mark of the last term to reduce the margin to 23 points, there was fear on the Crows' faces.

When Taylor Walker got the softest of free kicks soon after, and shanked the ball – for two goals, five behinds and two out on the full – the alarms were loud. Ultimately, it was sheer will rather than skills that ensured the win.

Richmond started well with Dustin Martin causing a lot of damage with his tackling and crisp passing. They troubled Adelaide with their tall forwards, and pressured the Crows' defenders into countless errors. But obviously Richmond, too, could not make the most of opportunities.

There was no doubt Richmond were missing Brett Deledio, a late withdrawal because of illness.

The Tigers were lacking the zip and punishing play they demonstrated so well against Hawthorn, but far too often Adelaide broke down in the forward lines due to fumbles and poor options.

Fort most part, possessions were hard to come by and, as usual, Rory Sloane, Scott Thompson and Patrick Dangerfield worked incredibly hard for their positive impact on the game.

Adelaide was also buoyed by an encouraging performance by Ricky Henderson who ran well from half-back and generated many good passages of play. Jarryd Lyons, the regular sub, also showed promising signs.

Adelaide's best was clearly Sam Jacobs in ruck. It was as if he was throwing chips at seagulls, and his teammates grabbed them – but again, only to waste the advantage.

While the win has revived Adelaide, their former captain Nathan van Berlo may have also revived his AFL career with a very good performance in his recall for the injured Richard Douglas.

Taylor Hunt was very good for Richmond, while Trent Cotchin, especially with eight disposals in the third quarter, was a key reason why they finished so well.

Basically, Richmond had too many quality players down on form. Jack Riewoldt copped a heavy knock to his left hip and was average thereafter.

Significantly, Adelaide's very inexperienced players stood up to the pressure, including Charlie Cameron who snapped some timely goals. It was a rarer sight.

The Crows moved back into the top eight – for the night at least – but whether they play finals depends largely on them doing well against Essendon (at Etihad), Brisbane (Adelaide) and Geelong (Simonds).

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-report/tame-tigers-keep-crows-in-hunt-for-finals-20150807-giugon.html#ixzz3i9IJF6NK

[one-eyed]

Plenty to Crow about as Tigers tamed

Herald-Sun
August 07, 2015 10:53PM

THIS was the tale of two AFL club captains on tough paths with similar missions.

Crows captain Taylor Walker last night led Adelaide to its 10th win from 17 games of an ultra-demanding season, a 36-point touch-up of Richmond at Adelaide Oval that stands as the Crows best against a top-eight rival this season.

Tigers captain Trent Cotchin today leads a Richmond team that looks less like a top-four contender, especially when it plays without Brett Deledio.

Walker, in his first year as Adelaide skipper, is holding together an emotionally battered group wanting to play AFL finals for the first time since 2012.

His work last night — as he carried his teammates on his back, particularly in the second term — explains why late coach Phil Walsh came from Port Adelaide in October already wanting Walker as his captain.

Cotchin, in his third year as Richmond captain, is leading a team fighting against self-fulfilling prophecies of doom at Tigerland.

No-one should say Cotchin’s mission to find Richmond’s first win in an AFL final since the 2001 semi-final against Carlton highlights a tragic history.

All use in football of the term “tragedy” has been put back into perspective by Walsh’s death last month.

Walker, 25, has seemed to carry not just his team but his emotions to the detriment of his form since his life was rocked on July 3.

Critiques of Walker’s work — in particular when the key forward managed just nine touches against Sydney at the SCG on Saturday when he played his 100th game — have had to be tempered with understanding.

This was the captain who before dawn on July 3 was knocking on doors of teammates such as key defender Daniel Talia in tears to break the news that they had lost their coach in the most unfathomable circumstances.

Walker last night — as interim coach Scott Camporeale had insisted — found that uncluttered head space to again be an imposing forward who shapes games, more often than not in Adelaide’s favour.

His second quarter ended with eight disposals and two goals, the second giving the Crows the lead (by six points) on the halftime siren — and confirmation he has crossed his toughest mental bridge.

They were again chanting “There’s Only One Taylor Walker” in the stands last night.

Cotchin, also 25, has a similarly massive emotional burden thrust on his shoulders.

There is that enormous Richmond tribe that has been told by club legend Kevin “KB” Bartlett that this is “Tiger Time”.

The old guard, such as Rex Hunt, keeps turning up at premiership reunions wondering when a new group of Richmond players will be inducted to an exclusive club at Punt Road where there has been no celebration since 1980.

Cotchin last night endured the demanding one-one-one battle in the midfield with Adelaide sensation Patrick Dangerfield.

Unlike Walker, Cotchin could not win the game off his own boot — and his support base was weakened by the loss of linkman Deledio, a constant thorn for the Crows, before the game started by illness or injury, whichever bulletin is right.

At the start, Cotchin had Dustin Martin and former Crows ruckman Ivan Maric tormenting the Adelaide defence while regular Richmond key forward Jack Riewoldt worked off the back of the centre square rather than at the front of the goalsquare.

But after initially threatening to expose the raw Adelaide defence with long kicking to tall forwards taking contested marks, the Richmond forward zone became a wasteland against the Crows’ system of team defence and its noted pressing game that stands at Walsh’s legacy.

Richmond went without a goal for 24 minutes, from time-on of the second term to the 19th minute of the third when Martin kicked his second goal — and Richmond’s sixth — from a free kick.

In that time Adelaide had its own waste — six consecutive behinds from the start of the third term in a sequence ultimately broken by key forward-ruckman Josh Jenkins’ brace of goals in time-on.

Dangerfield’s running goal from 50 with 53 seconds of the third term on the clock gave Adelaide a 25-point lead that made Walker’s mission to lead the Crows to September far more realistic today.

Walker and Cotchin could meet again next month, in a sudden-death final at the MCG. Their destiny as young captains loaded with big mission statements seems to be just on that path.

ADELAIDE 2.6 5.8 8.16 11.22 (88)

RICHMOND 3.1 5.2 6.2 8.4 (52)

BEST — Adelaide: Dangerfield, Walker, S. Thompson, Jacobs, Sloane, Henderson.

Richmond: Martin, Houli, Grigg, Hunt, Cotchin, Ellis.

INJURIES — Richmond: Grimes (upper leg), Deledio (illness, replaced by Lloyd).

UMPIRES: J. Bannister, J. Dalgleish, M. Nicholls.

CROWD: 50,094 at Adelaide Oval.

VOTES

3. P. Dangerfield (Adelaide)

2. T. Walker (Adelaide)

1. D. Martin (Richmond)

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNT

by Scott Walsh

1. ADELAIDE has not given up on September. It wasn’t perfect, especially with execution, but there could be no question about the Crows’ desire. It was hungry, team-oriented and cohesive, proving they are worthy of major round consideration.

2. BAD kicking is bad footy. Heard that one before? Well, apparently Adelaide hasn’t. After forgettable disposal inside 50 and around the goals against Sydney a week earlier, they did themselves no favours again on Friday night.

3. RICKY Henderson on a wing is a superb asset for Adelaide. Has super composure, offers run outside and uses the ball efficiently. Best of all for Crows fans, he’s not afraid to go with instinct and kick instead of messing around with it.

4. RICHMOND relies too heavily on Brett Deledio. The 227-gamer, a withdrawal with the flu, has missed nine matches from the start of last season — and the Tigers have won just two.

5. KYLE Hartigan tries hard and is capable of the occasional great effort. But it’s a surprise when he pulls one off. As solid as Adelaide’s team defence was last night there just feels more reliability about Kyle Cheney, who is stuck in the SANFL with no injury concerns.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-2015-adelaide-crows-defeat-richmond-by-36-points-at-adelaide-oval-in-round-19/story-fnelctok-1227474498537