The pattern of second half fade outs has continued for the SANFL Crows, conceding six goals to one after the main break to go down to Norwood by 51 points on Saturday afternoon.

Adelaide’s first term featured some of the best passages of play all season, moving the ball fast through the corridor, with Rory Atkins and Matthew Leigh kicking two goals apiece.

However, the Redlegs improved after quarter time and ran over the top of the Crows, winning 13.24 (102) to 7.9 (51).

Defender Alex Keath had his best game for the year, with 14 disposals, eight marks and seven rebound 50s, intercepting a number of Norwood forward 50 entries.

Lachlan Murphy ran through the midfield and collected 25 disposals, seven inside 50s and six marks, while Patrick Wilson again had a lot of the ball with 31 disposals, nine marks, five tackles and a goal.

In his SANFL debut, Sam Gibson had 29 disposals, seven marks and a goal.

Returning from injury, Riley Knight had 18 touches, six marks and four tackles, while Atkins had 17 disposals, three clearances and three marks to go with his two majors.

Development squad members Ryan Marini and Jordan Boyle, in his SANFL debut, kicked at 100% efficiency.

State League coach O’Keefe was impressed with the nine AFL players that took to the field.

“Keath, he was sensational, very good down back. Gibson, you could tell he was a level above. Riley Knight, first game back was very good, Rory Atkins played pretty well,” O’Keefe said.

“I thought all our listed guys, we only had nine of them so there wasn’t too many, they did the job and they played their role, that’s all we can ask of them. “

With an AFL game just five days away, O’Keefe said some players had to be managed towards the end and the team inevitably ran out of legs.

“A few of our potential AFL players we had to monitor, so we just lost a bit of manpower in the end,” O’Keefe said.

“I thought we brought it for most of the game, it just made us pretty restrictive with what we could do.

“We were good around the contest, once we got our hands on it we were pretty dangerous.”

No injuries were reported out of the game.

ADELAIDE        4.3         6.3         7.5         7.9         (51)
NORWOOD       2.9         7.12       9.17       13.24    (102)

GOALS:
Adelaide: Leigh 3, Atkins 2, Gibson, Wilson
Norwood: Wilson 3, Baulderstone, Dawe, Fuller, Gerloff, Glenn, Grigg, Johnston, Nunn, Panos, Shenton

BEST: Keath, Marini, Murphy, Wilson, Atkins, Gibson, Knight