Adelaide has kept its slim SANFL finals hopes alive by downing Norwood for the first time by 29 points at Coopers Stadium on Saturday.
The Crows’ efficiency proved the difference in slippery conditions at The Parade. Despite trailing inside 50ms, clearances and overall possession, Adelaide made more of its opportunities to claim the 14.10 (94) to 8.17 (65) result for the Club’s third consecutive SANFL victory.
The visitors stood firm after Norwood dominated the second stanza but failed to convert their ascendency on the scoreboard. The reigning premiers kicked 1.8 for the term and led by only 14 points early in the third despite controlling the majority of play.
Adelaide then launched into gear and kicked four of the next five goals to claim a six-point advantage by the final change, before blowing the game open with a six goal final quarter.
Mitch McGovern starred with four goals in just his second game back from a knee injury. James Podsiadly, Luke Lowden and Matt Spencely were Adelaide’s other multiple goalscorers with two apiece.
Nathan van Berlo marshaled his young teammates with a superb performance across half-back and through the midfield. The former skipper collected a team-high 27 possessions along with a game-high 13 marks, running the Redlegs ragged all afternoon.
Sam Kerridge (20 possessions, eight clearances and a goal) stepped up in the second half, Mitch Grigg (26 possessions, eight clearances) found plenty of the footy, while Ian Callinan (20 possessions, six marks) continued his fine season and used his experience and poise to setup several Crows goals.
Kyle Cheney and Jake Kelly were outstanding in defence, particularly when Norwood made its charge in the second term. Cheney hauled down nine marks in the tough conditions, including five from opposition kicks, while Kelly read the play expertly from half-back.
Former Norwood premiership player Anthony Wilson played his best game as a Crow and had a hand in Adelaide’s opening two goals of the game.
Teen ruckman Reilly O’Brien made light of the difficult conditions, taking several crucial marks and finishing with a game-high four contested grabs. He also amassed 32 hit-outs and nine disposals in yet another impressive display.
But the win was marred by what could be a serious right knee injury to young forward Keenan Ramsey.
The Crows rookie, who turns 19 this month, landed awkwardly in a marking contest late in the second term and was stretchered from the field. He will undergo scans in the coming days to determine the full extent of the injury.
Crows assistant Tate Kaesler, standing in as SANFL Coach in Heath Younie’s absence, said Adelaide’s response after half-time showed great maturity.
“I’m really proud of the boys,” Kaesler said.
“In the first half, their midfield was right on top of us, I think we were -13 for clearances in the first quarter. Credit to Norwood - they got on the inside and won a lot of ball early which put us on the back foot. We addressed that at half-time and put it on those boys.
“We challenged them at half-time and the boys responded well, we had a really good third quarter which put us back in the game, and our ability to finish was really exciting and encouraging for the group.
“Those boys took the task on and we started to expose them in the second half.”
Norwood was the last team Adelaide had yet to defeat in the SANFL, with Saturday’s victory also the first time the Club has notched three consecutive State League wins.
The result moves the SANFL Crows into seventh spot on the League ladder. Adelaide trails fifth-placed South Adelaide by three wins with just four games remaining.
The Panthers and Crows are scheduled for a do-or-die clash next Saturday afternoon at Noarlunga.
ADELAIDE 3.3 4.4 8.7 14.10 (94)
NORWOOD 3.4 4.12 6.14 8.17 (65)
GOALS
Adelaide: McGovern 4, Spencely 2, Lowden 2, Podsiadly 2, Kerridge, Osborn, Grigg, Atkins
Norwood: Davis 2, Dawe 2, Webber, Reinbrecht, Cross, Panos
BEST
Adelaide: van Berlo, O’Brien, Cheney, Kelly, Kerridge, Callinan, Spencely, Ellis-Yolmen
Norwood: Panos, Reinbrecht, Allan, Bode, Webber, Levicki
INJURIES
Adelaide: Ramsey (right knee)
Norwood: Nil
