1. Goal-line Tex-ology
Taylor ‘Tex’ Walker and his Crows teammates were left confused after goal-line technology ruled he had ‘carried the ball over with his boot’ rather than nailing a sausage roll for the Crows in the opening term. Tex had a quiet first term with just the one touch, but thought his luck had changed when he missed then accidentally kicked a goal from about 5cm out. However, the decision from the video review official, while probably right and brave, left him dumbfounded and, more importantly, goal-less as the Crows tried to peg back the Eagles 17-point quarter time lead.
2. Hope JJ's insurance is paid up
A few Eagles players will be calling the panel beaters to knock a few dents out of their cars after big Josh Jenkins roosted one from the goal-line, over the city end grandstand and into the West Coast players’ carpark. Superboot Jenkins loves nothing better than a close-range boomer. He and Eddie Betts lead the AFL in shots from within 15m, with 14 each before this game. Betts got one more and Jenkins two. That took their tally to 64 in the past two seasons (Betts 36, Jenkins 28). But over the grandstand!
3. Almost a hero
There have been some scintillating dashes at Domain Stadium over the years - Chris Mainwaring in the 1986 WAFL grand final, Daniel Kerr’s five-bounce effort that won goal of the year in 2003 - and on Saturday Jamie Cripps almost went one better against the Crows. After gathering the ball at half-back, he took off with burly defender Kyle Hartigan in pursuit. Six bounces later he had burnt off Hartigan and closed to within 30m when a desperate Daniel Talia forced him to kick. But his shot sprayed to the left for a behind and consigned his daring dash to a mere footnote in football history.
4. Son of a legend
His father Tony is one of Australia’s finest journalists who once chose to go to jail in WA rather than reveal the source of an investigative masterpiece. But young Eagle Tom Barrass will remember his fourth AFL game for his role as a stepladder to the stars. Twice in the third term he sat under the ball as firstly Eddie Betts, then Charlie Cameron took outrageous hangers over the top of him. They might be little but those Crows sure can jump. Barrass came in as a late replacement for the ill Eric Mackenzie, and the 20-year-old from Scarborough found himself against Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker and looked at ease at the level. If only he can get those sprigg marks off his back.
5. Brotherly love
Dad Andrew played for Fremantle and Sydney and his sons Jeremy and Mitch ended up at West Coast and Adelaide respectively, such is the spread of the national competition. And many of their mates had to make the five-hour drive from Albany to watch the brothers face off for the first time at AFL level. While it was business as usual for intercept king Jeremy, younger Mitch had a quiet night in his 12th match, especially in a 10-minute spell during the second term. He dropped an easy uncontested mark with Will Schofield bearing down, then spilt another ball near the boundary line on his own. And didn’t big brother let him know about it? However, the youngster fought back with a clever goal in the third term and had the last laugh with the final score.
