TonyK
CibbuanoCrows smash Dees
September 2nd 2006 08:02
The Adelaide Crows have returned to form a week out from the finals in emphatic fashion and all but ended Melbourne's top four hopes with a comprehensive 58-point win at AAMI Stadium this afternoon.
The match was played at a frenetic pace in the opening stanza and both sides had majors on the board early courtesy of Demons livewire Aaron Davey and Crows forward Matthew Bode.
The Crows were getting plenty of run off the half-back line and had their second on the board in as many minutes when midfielder Scott Thompson converted a running goal from outside 50 on the back of some brilliant ruck work from Matthew Clarke.
Thompson and Simon Goodwin were prominent for Adelaide early providing plenty of run through the midfield, with the latter collecting ten touches in the first term.
The Dees had their second on the board when skipper David Neitz converted a brilliant pass from Davey to cut the margin to one-point.
The pressure and intensity from both sides was immense and consecutive goals to Nathan Bock and Ian Perrie stretched the Crows lead back out to two straight kicks.
Melbourne was getting plenty of run off half-back and dominating the centre clearances with rugged midfielder Brock McLean winning plenty of contested football for his side.
Enigmatic forward Russell Robertson kicked his first at the halfway mark of the first term and when Neitz bagged his second of the quarter the Demons had taken a one-point lead.
With the Crows looking to gain some momentum going into September, they duly responded with the next two majors and when 100-gamer Perrie kicked his second Adelaide took a handy 18-point lead into the first change.
Melbourne started the second term in sloppy fashion and Bock made the Dees pay early with his second to stretch the lead to four goals.
When Robertson kicked his second major courtesy of a lucky bounce from 30m out, it stopped a run of four straight from the Crows and reduced the margin to 24 points.
Scott Welsh was lively across half-forward and providing a consistent target for an Adelaide forward line which had been decimated by injury.
It was the Crows of old in the second term, with their tackling and hard running proving hard to counter and when Thompson kicked his second the margin had ballooned out to 32 points at the 11-minute mark.
The Demons reacted to this onslaught with a different game plan, opting to use the ball more by hand than foot.
The tactics paid handsome dividends and when ruckman Jeff White threaded it through from a tight angle the Dees had cut the margin to 16 points.
Scott Stevens responded for the Crows with his first after four straight from the Demons to steady the shift.
Late goals to Davey and Adelaide midfielder Michael Doughty saw the Crows take a 23-point lead into the main break.
Melbourne had won eight of their past 11 third quarters and when Neitz kicked his third the margin was back to 17 points.
The Demons were dominating the centre clearances early in the second half and when the Melbourne captain kicked his second in as many minutes the margin was back to less than two straight kicks.
The Crows were being put to the test, but some ill-disciplined play from defender Simon Godfrey handed Thompson his third to stretch the lead to 17 points.
Adelaide were gifted another goal courtesy of a free-kick and the margin was out to 23 points at the 19-minute mark.
The Crows were circling for the kill and were helped by Melbourne's poor decision making as consecutive goals to Clarke and first-gamer Ian Douglas stretched the lead out to six goals.
A late goal to Neitz, his third of the term reduced the margin to 28 points at the final change and gave Melbourne fans a glimmer of hope.
Melbourne started the the final term in ideal fashion and when Colin Sylvia kicked his second the margin was back to a manageable 22 points.
Adelaide put behind the their recent poor form in the last term, having lost their past five last quarters to pile on six goals to one to record a much-needed win going into September.
Meanwhile the Demons top four hopes are all but over and will need to rely on other results to go their way this weekend.
In other concerns for the Dees, impressive youngster Clint Bartram remains in doubt with a serious ankle injury while tough midfielder Brock McLean is on report and will have an axious wait.
ADELAIDE: 7.3, 12.8, 17.10, 23.14 (152)
MELBOURNE: 4.3, 9.3, 13.6, 14.10 (94)
GOALS – Adelaide: Welsh 5, Thompson 3, Bock 3, Perrie 2, Stevens 2, Bode, van Berlo, Porplyzia, Reilly, Doughty, Clarke, Douglas, Edwards Melbourne: Neitz 5, Davey 2, Sylvia 2, Robertson, McLean, Jamar, White, McDonald
BEST – Adelaide: Thompson, Goodwin, Edwards, Bassett, Welsh Johncock, Porplyzia, Bock
Melbourne: Bruce, Johnstone, Neitz, Green, Bell, McLean, Ward
INJURIES – Adelaide: Reilly (groin)
Melbourne: Bartram (right ankle)
CHANGES – Adelaide: Nil
Melbourne: Holland replaced in the selected side by Motlop
REPORTS - McLean reported for high contact on Stevens by umpire Schmitt
UMPIRES - Kennedy, Schmitt, Goldspink
CROWD - 41,364 at AAMI Stadium
The match was played at a frenetic pace in the opening stanza and both sides had majors on the board early courtesy of Demons livewire Aaron Davey and Crows forward Matthew Bode.
The Crows were getting plenty of run off the half-back line and had their second on the board in as many minutes when midfielder Scott Thompson converted a running goal from outside 50 on the back of some brilliant ruck work from Matthew Clarke.
Thompson and Simon Goodwin were prominent for Adelaide early providing plenty of run through the midfield, with the latter collecting ten touches in the first term.
The Dees had their second on the board when skipper David Neitz converted a brilliant pass from Davey to cut the margin to one-point.
The pressure and intensity from both sides was immense and consecutive goals to Nathan Bock and Ian Perrie stretched the Crows lead back out to two straight kicks.
Melbourne was getting plenty of run off half-back and dominating the centre clearances with rugged midfielder Brock McLean winning plenty of contested football for his side.
Enigmatic forward Russell Robertson kicked his first at the halfway mark of the first term and when Neitz bagged his second of the quarter the Demons had taken a one-point lead.
With the Crows looking to gain some momentum going into September, they duly responded with the next two majors and when 100-gamer Perrie kicked his second Adelaide took a handy 18-point lead into the first change.
Melbourne started the second term in sloppy fashion and Bock made the Dees pay early with his second to stretch the lead to four goals.
When Robertson kicked his second major courtesy of a lucky bounce from 30m out, it stopped a run of four straight from the Crows and reduced the margin to 24 points.
Scott Welsh was lively across half-forward and providing a consistent target for an Adelaide forward line which had been decimated by injury.
It was the Crows of old in the second term, with their tackling and hard running proving hard to counter and when Thompson kicked his second the margin had ballooned out to 32 points at the 11-minute mark.
The Demons reacted to this onslaught with a different game plan, opting to use the ball more by hand than foot.
The tactics paid handsome dividends and when ruckman Jeff White threaded it through from a tight angle the Dees had cut the margin to 16 points.
Scott Stevens responded for the Crows with his first after four straight from the Demons to steady the shift.
Late goals to Davey and Adelaide midfielder Michael Doughty saw the Crows take a 23-point lead into the main break.
Melbourne had won eight of their past 11 third quarters and when Neitz kicked his third the margin was back to 17 points.
The Demons were dominating the centre clearances early in the second half and when the Melbourne captain kicked his second in as many minutes the margin was back to less than two straight kicks.
The Crows were being put to the test, but some ill-disciplined play from defender Simon Godfrey handed Thompson his third to stretch the lead to 17 points.
Adelaide were gifted another goal courtesy of a free-kick and the margin was out to 23 points at the 19-minute mark.
The Crows were circling for the kill and were helped by Melbourne's poor decision making as consecutive goals to Clarke and first-gamer Ian Douglas stretched the lead out to six goals.
A late goal to Neitz, his third of the term reduced the margin to 28 points at the final change and gave Melbourne fans a glimmer of hope.
Melbourne started the the final term in ideal fashion and when Colin Sylvia kicked his second the margin was back to a manageable 22 points.
Adelaide put behind the their recent poor form in the last term, having lost their past five last quarters to pile on six goals to one to record a much-needed win going into September.
Meanwhile the Demons top four hopes are all but over and will need to rely on other results to go their way this weekend.
In other concerns for the Dees, impressive youngster Clint Bartram remains in doubt with a serious ankle injury while tough midfielder Brock McLean is on report and will have an axious wait.
ADELAIDE: 7.3, 12.8, 17.10, 23.14 (152)
MELBOURNE: 4.3, 9.3, 13.6, 14.10 (94)
GOALS – Adelaide: Welsh 5, Thompson 3, Bock 3, Perrie 2, Stevens 2, Bode, van Berlo, Porplyzia, Reilly, Doughty, Clarke, Douglas, Edwards Melbourne: Neitz 5, Davey 2, Sylvia 2, Robertson, McLean, Jamar, White, McDonald
BEST – Adelaide: Thompson, Goodwin, Edwards, Bassett, Welsh Johncock, Porplyzia, Bock
Melbourne: Bruce, Johnstone, Neitz, Green, Bell, McLean, Ward
INJURIES – Adelaide: Reilly (groin)
Melbourne: Bartram (right ankle)
CHANGES – Adelaide: Nil
Melbourne: Holland replaced in the selected side by Motlop
REPORTS - McLean reported for high contact on Stevens by umpire Schmitt
UMPIRES - Kennedy, Schmitt, Goldspink
CROWD - 41,364 at AAMI Stadium
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