Adelaide has surged to its biggest SANFL victory in Club history with a commanding 101-point win over an undermanned North Adelaide on Saturday afternoon.

It was a record-breaking performance on a number of fronts for the SANFL Crows, who extended their advantage at every change at Prospect Oval.

The Crows’ final score of 25.10 (160) was Adelaide’s biggest SANFL total off the back of 14 different goalkickers – the most in the Club’s two seasons at State League level.

A scintillating third term set the foundations for the landslide win. The visitors slammed on 12 goals to one, including the first eight majors of the quarter, to streak away to a 79-point advantage by the final change.

Adelaide’s third term blitzkrieg was the best quarter by any SANFL team this season.

Fielding arguably the Club’s strongest team on paper at State League level, the SANFL Crows dominated the midfield battle from the outset against a Roosters outfit missing a host of key personnel.

Cam Ellis-Yolmen led the charge in his first SANFL game of the year. The 22-year-old collected a career-high 38 possessions, 10 marks and kicked two goals. Sam Kerridge was just as damaging, finishing with 31 disposals, six tackles and two majors of his own.

The pair combined for a staggering 20 clearances and 10 inside 50ms for the afternoon.

Jarryd Lyons kicked four goals during Adelaide’s third term avalanche before sitting out of the action in the final term. He finished with 17 possessions and four inside 50ms along with what was his best bag in front of goal at SANFL level.

SANFL Stats: Round 14

Veteran James Podsiadly starred up forward with five majors, despite copping a heavy knock to his left shoulder in the opening minute of the game. The Geelong premiership player left the ground momentarily, but returned in fine fashion, setting up multiple majors for teammates and claiming seven marks, including four contested.

Nathan van Berlo (23 possessions, five inside 50ms, one goal) and Mitch Grigg (29 possessions, 11 marks, one goal) were also solid contributors, while Sam Shaw, Luke Carey and comeback Crow Andy Otten directed traffic from defence in an even team performance across the park.

Off the back of a career-best 48 hit-outs last week, ruckman Reilly O’Brien amassed another 34 hit-outs along with nine possessions and a goal to be the most dominant big man on the ground.

SANFL Star Search nominee Matthew Spencely, captain Ian Callinan and left-footer Harrison Wigg also impressed.

North Adelaide lost three players to injury throughout the match, but the Crows were ruthless against the bottom-placed Roosters on their way to their third SANFL win of the season and their second victory from their last three games.

Crows SANFL coach Heath Younie said he was delighted with his side’s response after a low-scoring opening half.

“I thought they put us under some heat early,” Younie said.

“Our message at half-time was ‘let’s get back to fundamentals, let’s get back to playing how we want to play’.”

Adelaide held just a 17-point lead at the main change, before breaking the game open in the third stanza.

“Full credit to the boys, they stuck to task and got the job done.”

Younie said Adelaide’s weight of winners in the midfield proved the difference, but he was also proud of his players’ unselfishness and ‘team care’.

“I thought we were able to dictate that area of the ground, and it helps when you’ve got some quality midfielders going through there,” he said.

“The game’s pretty simple. For our guys it’s sometimes really easy to come back and try to think about yourself in trying to get back into the AFL team.

“What we’re big about and what Walshy’s legacy is about is team first. We really rammed that home at half-time, and to the boys’ credit, they played their role and it’s amazing when you do that you can get a result like this.”

Adelaide’s next SANFL clash is against West Adelaide at Richmond Oval on Sunday, July 26.

 

 

 

ADELAIDE                  5.2   7.6   19.8   25.10 (160)
NORTH ADELAIDE    3.2   4.7   6.7   8.11 (59)

GOALS
Adelaide: Podsiadly 5, Lyons 4, Ellis-Yolmen 2, Kerridge 2, Callinan 2, Wigg 2, Ramsey, O’Brien, van Berlo, Grigg, Lowden, Spencely, Osborn, Wilson
North Adelaide: Motlop 2, Obst, Teasdale, Grove, Santillo, De Leonardis, Anderson

BEST
Adelaide: Ellis-Yolmen, Shaw, Podsiadly, O’Brien, Lyons, Spencely
North Adelaide: Motlop, Virgin, Teasdale, Amato, Schulz

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
North Adelaide: Craig (adductor), Santillo (knee), Virgin (hamstring)