Crows-Tigers not just about Rory v Dustyafl.com.au
27 April 2017IT'S BILLED as the Rory v Dusty show, but Adelaide star Rory Sloane believes Richmond's supporting cast will be just as crucial in deciding who remains unbeaten after Sunday's clash at Adelaide Oval.
The Crows and the Tigers will take perfect 5-0 records into the encounter after brilliant starts to their respective seasons.
Dustin Martin has been in outstanding form for the Tigers, but has received great support from skipper Trent Cotchin, and recruits Josh Caddy and Dion Prestia.
"They've got a great midfield," Sloane said.
"Cotchin has been unbelievable for them, you've now got Caddy running through there and Dion Prestia is there as well.
"They have a really solid midfield that has a heap of depth to it, but so do we.
"We'll keep rotating a lot of guys through there."
The Crows have silenced the critics who questioned their midfield depth after they couldn't get Carlton star Bryce Gibbs during the trade period last year.
Matt and Brad Crouch, Curtly Hampton, Rory Atkins, Riley Knight, Eddie Betts, Charlie Cameron and Richard Douglas are among those who have made an impact through the middle of the ground.
"Matty Crouch has certainly stood up to another level," Sloane said.
"Brad Crouch, as you saw on the weekend (against Gold Coast), I thought his first quarter was some of the best footy I've seen him play.
"We've had Curtly Hampton come in, he provides us with that outside run and speed that I don't have.
"Rory Atkins provides that same speed, then we've seen guys like Rory Laird, Riley Knight, Eddie and Charlie come through, so we're adding a bit of depth to the midfield."
Utility Andy Otten will swing back if key defender Daniel Talia is ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Forward Josh Jenkins (ribs), Riley Knight (hamstring) and Jake Kelly (eye) are also under injury clouds.
The Crows are the highest-scoring team in the competition and lead the League in contested possessions.
But Sloane said there were still areas of their game they needed to improve after easily accounting for the Suns by 67 points last weekend, while conceding 13 goals.
"The last quarter on the weekend we fell away a bit," Sloane said.
"One area we want to get better would be the team defence, we want to restrict teams to scoring a bit better.
"There's a long way to go in the season and we're certainly not content with where we are at."
The biggest challenge for the Crows' defence will be shutting down Tigers forward Jack Riewoldt after his six-goal haul against Melbourne on Monday night.
"The thing with Jack, he's so good in the air as you saw the other night, he's so good on the ground, too," Sloane said.
"The way we play our defence, it's not reliant on one guy down there.
"It's about us midfielders getting enough pressure on the footy and forwards up the ground so the defenders can take an easy mark."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-04-26/crowstigers-not-just-about-rory-v-dusty
