A sensational 10-goal final term has seen the SANFL Crows win their first game of the year over the Port Magpies at Kadina.
Adelaide kept Port goalless in the last and recorded their highest score of the year to win the Showdown 17.14 (116) to 8.12 (60).
Despite Port kicking with a strong wind in the first, Adelaide defended strongly and led at
Port fought back in the third to hit the front at the last change, but Adelaide finished off the game with their best quarter of the year, kicking six goals from stoppages on the way to a special win.
Midfielder Patrick Wilson was a standout, with 32 touches, eight clearances, six tackles and a goal.
Cam Ellis-
Matthew Signorello and Elliott Himmelberg both showed a lot of presence up forward, while Darcy Fogarty and Myles Poholke kicked three goals each.
A special win for the young lads ❤️ #SANFL #weflyasone pic.twitter.com/P2SLwCjmkj
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) July 15, 2018
State League coach Ryan O'Keefe was happy the team has finally got reward after battling through the season.
"It’s been a year that a lot of boys have had to persevere, the teams always been changing," he said.
"Some of these guys have played 10-11 games, they are starting to feel a little bit more comfortable and that they belong.
"Now we’ve got some experienced AFL guys come back, and set the tone with their leadership, not just verbal but the way they demonstrated and played today."
Having the big bodies around the contest today was essential for the win.
"Ellis-Yolmen, Wilson, Poholke, it was really good to be able to dominate around the contest and give us field position off the back of that," O'Keefe said
"All year we’ve been relying on our younger guys to be the main grunt inside, but to have some cover for those guys to take a bit of pressure and heat off them was great."
O'Keefe was rapt with the effort of the development squad players who keep working hard week in, week out.
"Our whole back seven was all top up players, so the guys like Sammy Tharaldsen who played his third game after a knee reconstruction, young Aron Asfaha, to give kids like that an opportunity to play its fantastic," he said.
"The best thing about those guys is that they want it, they love it, they are playing the game for all the right reasons."
Curtly Hampton was withdrawn from the original squad with illness, but no other injuries came out of the match.
ADELAIDE 3.2 7.9 7.10 17.14 (116)
PORT 1.7 2.7 8.12 8.12 (60)
GOALS:
Adelaide: Fogarty 3, Poholke 3, Ellis-
Port: Barry, Crompton, Johnson, Lienert, Marshall, Morgan, Patmore, Summerton
BEST: Wilson, Ellis-
