For the fourth time in the past six meetings between Adelaide and North Melbourne, the match was decided by 10 points or less.
Emerging midfielder Matt Crouch won a career and equal-game high 10 clearances (ranked third in the AFL in Round One) from his 23 touches. Crouch also generated five inside 50ms – another personal best – and kicked a goal.
Brad Crouch had a few cobwebs to blow out in his first AFL game for premiership points in 573 days. Prior to Saturday night’s match, the promising onballer last played in Round 23, 2014. He played three NAB Challenge games in 2015, but missed the home and away season through injury.
Brad Crouch laid nine tackles in the narrow loss – more than any other Crow and only one fewer than the leading tackler in the match, North Melbourne skipper Andrew Swallow. Crouch finished with a total of 18 pressure acts.
Rory Sloane and David Mackay led the way for Adelaide with 19 pressure acts apiece, while hard-working debutant Mitch McGovern had 15 in 74 per cent game time.
McGovern was one of two first-gamers for Adelaide in Round One. Only the Sydney Swans (three) blooded more debutants on the weekend. Former Magpie Paul Seedsman made his club debut.
Wayne Milera Junior became the first Crows draftee to make his debut in Round One of his first AFL season since Brodie Smith in 2011. Only six Adelaide players, Smith, Bernie Vince, Hayden Skipworth, Brett Burton, Lance Picioane and Milera, have achieved this feat in the Club’s history.
It was the first time Brad and Matt Crouch have played a full AFL game together. The brothers played limited minutes on the field at the same time against St Kilda at Adelaide Oval in Round 23, 2014, when Matt started as the substitute.
Crow Scott Thompson was the leading possession-getter on the ground on the weekend, amassing 30 disposals including a team-high 17 contested and seven inside 50ms. Of his 30 touches, 12 came in the last quarter.
Josh Jenkins kicked five-goals straight against the Kangaroos, one shy of his career-best haul of six against West Coast in Round 22 last season. Only reigning Coleman Medallist Josh Kennedy (eight) kicked more goals in Round One.
In 2015, the average score per team per game was 86.4 points. In Round One this season, 12 teams scored above that average. Nine teams kicked 100 points or more over the weekend. The Crows fell just short of that mark with 97 points.
Captain Taylor Walker took a game-high 10 marks.
Reliable defender Daniel Talia had an equal-career high seven rebound 50ms against the Roos.
Brodie Smith and Rory Sloane were each involved in a third (33.3 per cent) of Adelaide’s scores.
Smith gained 667 metres at Etihad Stadium – more than any other player on the ground and ranked sixth overall for the round.
After kicking 10 goals in the first half, Adelaide managed only five in the second half compared to the fast-finishing Roos, who piled on 10 goals after half time.
North Melbourne’s tall targets proved a headache for the Crows defence, hauling in 11 marks inside 50m – three more than Adelaide. The Roos won the contested mark count 17 – 8.
Match statistics
Disposals
Adelaide – 342
North Melbourne – 361
Disposal Efficiency
Adelaide – 71 per cent
North Melbourne – 74 per cent
Kicks
Adelaide – 203
North Melbourne – 214
Handballs
Adelaide – 139
North Melbourne – 147
Free Kicks
Adelaide – 22
North Melbourne – 18
Clearances
Adelaide – 45
North Melbourne – 42
Inside 50ms
Adelaide – 57
North Melbourne – 56
Contested Possessions
Adelaide – 150
North Melbourne – 160
Uncontested Possessions
Adelaide – 201
North Melbourne – 203
Turnovers
Adelaide – 67
North Melbourne – 63
Tackles
Adelaide – 63
North Melbourne – 82
Hit-outs
Adelaide – 44
North Melbourne – 47
