Crows consolidate top-four spot with crushing win over TigersBy Sarah Black at the MCG
afl.com.au
29 June 2025RICHMOND 0.1 2.2 5.2 8.6 (54)
ADELAIDE 2.5 8.7 12.3 18.14 (122)
GOALS
Richmond: Alger 2, Ralphsmith, Banks, Trainor, Campbell, Lynch, Mansell
Adelaide: Thilthorpe 5, Michalanney 3, Curtin 2, Rachele 2, Walker 2, Rankine, Fogarty, Berry, O'Brien
BEST
Richmond: Prestia, Banks, Miller, Ross
Adelaide: Dawson, Curtain, Thilthorpe, Worrell, Michalanney, Laird
INJURIES
Richmond: Lefau (calf)
Adelaide: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Kamdyn McIntosh (replaced Mykelti Lefau in the second quarter)
Adelaide: Lachlan Murphy (replaced Josh Rachele in the third quarter)
Crowd: 23,231 at the MCG
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NO ONE but Adelaide fans had particularly high hopes for an entertaining match between the Crows and Richmond on Sunday afternoon.
As expected, the Crows comfortably accounted for the struggling Tigers, marking everything that came their way in the thumping 68-point victory to jump into third spot.
It also wasn't completely unexpected that firebrand Tiger Tom Lynch would lose his cool at some point, but his full-blown punch came out of left-field in the 18.14 (122) to 8.6 (54) loss.
Disposal-less late in the second term, Lynch had a moment of complete and utter madness, throwing a roundarm at defender Jordon Butts after the pair contested a marking contest, the Crow having held his jumper.
He was reported for the old-fashioned brain fade (now rarely seen at AFL level), and most damningly for a senior leader, will have considerable ramifications for the young team over the next few weeks, who desperately need his presence in attack.
Despite the multi-pronged and dangerous Adelaide forward line, it was small backman Max Michalanney who kicked the opener, just his second major in 60 games, playing a defensive forward role on interceptor Nick Vlastuin.
Adelaide was well and truly controlling play early, owning the footy and winning most of the one-on-one contests. By contrast, when Richmond did manage to get the ball, its forward 50 entries were slow, high and shallow.
The Crows themselves weren't at their sparkling best, a little rusty straight off the bye, and kicked 2.5 in the opening term.
A generous interpretation of the game would have attributed both sides' fumbles to the bitingly cold Melbourne air, but the coaches would have been frustrated with how their teams handled the footy during portions of the first half.
But Adelaide's hands around the contest sharpened, with skipper Jordan Dawson continually finding his teammates in space, as the Crows kicked four goals in the back-end of the second. They took a 43-point lead into half-time, having held the Tigers to just two goals.
Tiger favourite Mykelti Lefau had returned to AFL level to a warm round of applause after a year out with a torn ACL, but suffered a calf injury halfway through the second quarter, with Noah Balta swung forward for the remainder of the match.
Adelaide was already well on top, but the switch meant the Tigers were down a tall defender against the biggest forward line going around, and the dam wall was well and truly breached.
Riley Thilthorpe was a constant threat all match and marked strongly, booting five, while only inaccuracy prevented Taylor Walker and Darcy Fogarty from having bigger games.
The backline also found plenty of the footy, led by Josh Worrell and Rory Laird, while Butts completely blanketed Lynch.
The first recognised Richmond forward to kick a goal was Seth Campbell halfway through the third term, while second-gamer Jasper Alger was lively throughout.
He kicked his first ever AFL goal in unusual circumstances, bouncing off the goalpost but keeping the footy clear of the padding as he dropped the ball on the outside of his boot, having to wait through a score review to confirm his maiden major, before following with a second.
With the game well and truly sewn up in the third term, dangerous small Josh Rachele was managed out after kicking two goals.
Lynch's white-line fever boils overIncredibly mild-mannered off the field, Lynch is an entirely different prospect when he plays, and the veteran couldn't keep his cool in the face of some close-checking defending from Butts, and some incredibly poor entries coming his way when he finally found some space. After his initial strike, Lynch also threw an arm at Mark Keane as the pair grappled, and was involved in an earlier incident with Butts where the Crow's arm was twisted as he was thrown off the footy.
Crows find another weapon in the trick bagFinals success often comes on the back of just how many levers can be pulled when things aren't going to plan, and Matthew Nicks may have just developed another option. Michalanney not only kept Vlastuin occupied, rarely allowing him to be third man up in defence, but booted three goals in the process and proved to be a very steady and reliable set shot.
No Curtin calls for Crows wingerWest Australian Curtin opted to disregard the lure of home, signing a three-year contract extension earlier this week. A top-10 draft pick in 2023, he has had an outstanding second year at the top level, with few wingers able to match his combination of height, agility and speed. Richmond certainly had no answer, the Crow finishing with 26 disposals and two goals.
https://www.afl.com.au/news/1353298/adelaide-crows-cement-top-four-spot-with-crushing-win-over-richmond-tigers
