On Saturday night, Adelaide secured a top-two finish with its 15th win of the season.
The victory was the Club’s fourth-straight over Essendon and fourth in Victoria this season.
The Crows dominated the Bombers in aerial contests, winning contested marks 24 – 11. It was only one contested mark-shy of the Club’s best effort this season (25) against Richmond in Round Six, which remains the most by any team in 2017.
Adelaide also took a round-high 22 marks inside forward 50m to Essendon’s eight.
The Crows moved the ball cleanly in perfect conditions under the roof at Etihad Stadium, scoring an equal season-high 38 points from defensive 50 chains.
Adelaide also generated scores from its attacking half, recording 13 forward 50m intercepts – the Club’s best effort in a game this season.
The Crows kicked the ball at 70 per cent compared to Essendon’s 63 per cent efficiency by foot.
Adelaide held the high-scoring Bombers to 80 points – their lowest return since Round 10 and well below Essendon’s season average at Etihad Stadium (108 points).
For the 14th time this season, Matt Crouch amassed 30 or more possessions (35) in a game. Only Hawthorn recruit Tom Mitchell has had more 30-plus possession games this season.
This included 13 hard-ball gets – five more than any other player in Round 21 – and 20 contested possessions – a game-high. He operated at 83 per cent efficiency, topped the clearance count (seven) and assisted in two goals.
As a team, Adelaide took 13 running bounces on Saturday night – Brodie Smith had 10 of them. It was a personal best for Smith and ranked equal-fourth by any Crow in a game. Former defender Nathan Bock holds the Club record with 20 running bounces ahead of wingman David Mackay (11).
Smith gained more metres (575) than any other player on the ground and ranks fifth in the AFL across the season with 10,020 metres gained. Brownlow Medal favourite Dustin Martin leads the way with 10,694 metres – 500 more than the next-best player.
Smith and the dashing Charlie Cameron each had 31 sprint efforts – an equal-game high.
Cameron generated a career-high nine inside 50ms, while midfielder Rory Sloane had seven.
Despite nursing sore knee, Sloane applied a game-high nine tackles.
Adelaide won the tackle count 68 – 61.
‘Rorys’ Laird and Atkins each collected 27 possessions at 92.6 per cent efficiency.
Atkins had 15 effective kicks – second only to Hawthorn utility Jack Gunston for the round (18).
Key-position players Josh Jenkins and Alex Keath each took 11 marks. Only North Melbourne defender Robbie Tarrant took more marks (12) in Round 21.
In just his fourth game, Keath finished with 18 possessions at a team-high 94.4 per cent efficiency. He also had an equal-game high seven ‘one-percenters’.
The Crows had five multiple goalkickers in their 43-point win: Jenkins and Mitch McGovern (three), and Taylor Walker, Brodie Smith and Richard Douglas (two apiece).
Forward Tom Lynch had a game-high 11 score involvements from his 17 possessions.
Mackay registered 30 pressure acts – ranked equal-third for the round.
Eddie Betts was equal-sixth in the League for turnovers forced with six. Adelaide scored 12 points from turnovers forced by Betts – only in-form onballer Richard Douglas (13) contributed more scores from turnovers forced – ranked second in Round 21.
Douglas was one of the most influential players on the ground offensively and defensively. The in-form veteran chalked up 23 possessions at 82.6 per cent efficiency and kicked two goals, as well as assisting in two others.
Match statistics
Disposals
Adelaide – 387
Essendon – 377
Disposal efficiency
Adelaide – 73 per cent
Essendon – 77 per cent
Kicks
Adelaide – 231
Essendon – 207
Handballs
Adelaide – 156
Essendon – 170
Clearances
Adelaide – 30
Essendon – 30
Inside 50ms
Adelaide – 62
Essendon – 47
Contested possessions
Adelaide – 144
Essendon – 127
Uncontested possessions
Adelaide – 243
Essendon – 248
Tackles
Adelaide – 68
Essendon – 61
Hit-outs
Adelaide – 35
Essendon – 33
