Adelaide’s gutsy win on Friday night was only the Club’s second against the Sydney Swans from its last eight attempts. It was the Crows’ first victory at the SCG since Round Six, 2012.

Despite this, Adelaide actually has a better winning percentage at the SCG than the Swans. The Crows have won 12 of their 19 matches at the venue for a 63 per cent success rate, while the Swans have a 59 per cent winning record (223 wins from 376 games).

Prior to Friday night, only five members of the Crows team had played in a win at the SCG: Richard Douglas, Sam Jacobs, Daniel Talia, Taylor Walker and Bryce Gibbs (for Carlton).

The Crows also fielded five players with fewer than 20 games of AFL experience: Hugh Greenwood (19), Cameron Ellis-Yolmen (18), Tom Doedee (four), Jordan Gallucci (one) and Myles Poholke (zero). The Swans had two: Harry Marsh (16) and Oliver Florent (13).

Defender Rory Laird now the leading disposal winner in the competition (181) after amassing another 30 (at 83 per cent efficiency) against the Swans. Laird also had 10 combined inside/rebound 50ms and a goal assist.

Paul Seedsman played his best game as a Crow, finishing with 26 disposals, a personal best 12 contested possessions, five inside 50ms, one goal and a goal assist. Seedsman covered a career-high 16.1 kilometres, gaining 640 metres – more than any other player on the ground and the most by any Crow in a game this season.

Seedsman had an outstanding first quarter with 14 disposals, nine coming via a contested possession. He gained 374 metres for his side, over 150 more metres than the next-best player.

Adelaide led all the key indicators in the defining first term, recording 25 more disposals, nine more clearances, inside 50ms and contested possessions than the Swans.

Young defender Tom Doedee continued the brilliant start to his career, taking a game-high six intercept marks (11 marks in total) and equaling his personal best of 25 disposals.  

Mitch McGovern also hauled in an equal-game high 11 marks after moving to defence.

Wingman Rory Atkins, who collected 24 touches, equalled his personal best of three goals.

Key forwards Taylor Walker (four) and Josh Jenkins (three) combined for seven goals.

Walker, who missed the opening round through injury, is averaging 3.2 goals per game – only North Melbourne star Ben Brown (3.8) and Sydney Swans star Lance Franklin (3.6) have a better average of players to play two or more games in 2018.

With the support of teammates, Daniel Talia held Franklin to one goal from 11 disposals – his lowest return of the season.

Reliable defender Luke Brown recorded a disposal efficiency of 100 per cent with his 16 disposals.

Midfielder Bryce Gibbs was the leading clearance winner on the ground with seven, including five in the third quarter against the run of play. Eleven of his 22 disposals also came in the third term.

Hugh Greenwood applied more tackles (11) than any other player at the SCG on Friday night. Greenwood also led the way for contested possessions (13), pressure acts (67) and won six clearances.

Despite being without vice-captain Rory Sloane and the Crouch brothers, Adelaide won the midfield battle on Friday night. According to Fox Footy, it was the first time in 168 games that none of Isaac Heeney, Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker, Kieren Jack or Dan Hannebery had 20 possessions in a game.

Forward Tom Lynch played his best game of the season, generating a team-high six inside 50ms with his 25 disposals. He also took nine marks.

On Friday night, Sydney won the inside 50m count for the first time this season 64 to 48. 

The clash between the Crows and Swans was the most watched AFL game on Channel 7 in Adelaide this season.

Match statistics
Disposals
Adelaide – 371
Sydney Swans – 375

Disposal efficiency
Adelaide – 74%
Sydney Swans – 75%

Kicks
Adelaide – 230
Sydney Swans – 221

Handballs
Adelaide – 141
Sydney Swans – 154

Clearances
Adelaide – 39
Sydney Swans – 35

Inside 50ms
Adelaide – 48
Sydney Swans – 64

Contested possessions
Adelaide – 144
Sydney Swans – 149

Uncontested possessions
Adelaide – 218
Sydney Swans – 224

Tackles
Adelaide – 60
Sydney Swans – 64

Hit-outs
Adelaide – 48
Sydney Swans – 37