Adelaide will play its last AFL game at AAMI Stadium on August 24. In the fourth of this afc.com.au series, we look back at the premiership years of 1997-98 at Football Park ...
Adelaide’s first premiership seemed a long way off when the Crows were upset by new SA-based team Port Adelaide early in the 1997 season.
The 11-point loss to the Power in the first Showdown was an early shock for the side under new coach Malcolm Blight but it recovered to finish the minor round in fourth place, the Club’s highest home-and-away finish.
A comeback win over St Kilda in round 15 in Tony Modra’s 100th AFL game, a 137-point thumping of Richmond in Mark Ricciuto’s 100th game, a thrilling Showdown IV win and then success in Adelaide’s first home final were the highlights.
The 1998 season followed a similar pattern. Another early season Showdown loss to Port left Adelaide struggling near the foot of the premiership table but although it lost another three home games, some improved away results lifted the side into fifth spot.
This time the Crows did not have the advantage of playing a home final and they had to play four finals away from home to clinch a second premiership.
1997
66: Adelaide 20.12 (132) defeated Brisbane Lions 14.12 (96)
67: Adelaide 11.6 (72) lost to Port Adelaide 11.17 (83)
68: Adelaide 18.18 (126) defeated Essendon 11.7 (83)
69: Adelaide 22.12 (144) defeated Sydney 8.7 (55)
70: Adelaide 12.11 (83) lost to North Melbourne 16.9 (105)
71: Adelaide 16.10 (106) defeated West Coast 4.7 (31)
72: Adelaide 10.16 (76) defeated St Kilda 9.12 (66)
73: Adelaide 29.11 (185) defeated Richmond 7.6 (48)
74: Adelaide 18.19 (127) defeated Carlton 13.8 (86)
75: Adelaide 9.11 (65) defeated Port Adelaide 9.4 (58)
76: Adelaide 7.18 (60) lost to Western Bulldogs 16.7 (103)
77: Adelaide 6.12 (48) defeated Collingwood 5.9 (39)
78: Adelaide 14.15 (99) defeated West Coast 9.12 (66)
79: Adelaide 11.10 (76) defeated Geelong 9.14 (68)
Top moment: Adelaide plays its first home final – and defeats West Coast by 33 points.
Biggest crowd: 47,256 v Port Adelaide in round four
1998
80: Adelaide 25.17 (167) defeated Fremantle 11.8 (74)
81: Adelaide 8.16 (64) lost to Port Adelaide 11.7 (73)
82: Adelaide 12.15 (87) defeated Geelong 8.13 (61)
83: Adelaide 11.13 (79) defeated West Coast 10.11 (71)
84: Adelaide 11.13 (79) lost to Richmond 14.8 (92)
85: Adelaide 17.9 (111) defeated Melbourne 8.10 (58)
86: Adelaide 15.18 (108) defeated Essendon 15.16 (106)
87: Adelaide 9.14 (68) defeated Hawthorn 4.11 (35)
88: Adelaide 16.5 (101) lost to Carlton 16.9 (105)
89: Adelaide 19.23 (137) defeated St Kilda 10.7 (67)
90: Adelaide 22.12 (144) defeated Port Adelaide 10.10 (70)
91: Adelaide 13.14 (92) lost to North Melbourne 14.21 (105)
Top moment: Peter Vardy kicks 7.6 and Mark Ricciuto stars in Adelaide’s 74-point win over Port in Showdown IV.
Biggest crowd: 46,405 v Port Adelaide, round 19
