These Crows just never give in
For the second week in a row, the Crows went scoreless in the opening term. A goal to Fremantle’s Amy Lavell in the dying moments of the quarter gave the Dockers a handy 13-point lead at the first change and victory seemed a long way away for Bec Goddard’s team. But, for the second consecutive game, the Crows refused to lie down and valiantly fought their way back into the match. Sarah Perkins and Jenna McCormick combined to level the scores in the opening seconds of the third term before Jessica Sedunary slotted another trademark running goal to give the visitors the lead for the first time. This is a team that has the belief, confidence and ability to win no matter the odds.

Match report: Crows v Dockers

Tale of the tackles
The scoreboard wasn’t the only disappointing aspect for Adelaide in the first quarter. The Crows were smashed in the tackle tally 7-23 despite having far less of the ball. It was a damning stat for a team that prides itself on being ‘uncomfortable’ to play against, and coach Bec Goddard delivered that message promptly at the first break. The response was profound. After quarter-time, the Crows dominated the tackle count 56-44 with midfielder Ebony Marinoff (11 tackles) and forward Sarah Perkins (nine) leading the way. Co-captains Erin Phillips (14 contested possessions) and Chelsea Randall were also fanatical with their trademark hardness and attack on the ball. In a physical and sometimes spiteful clash, the Crows proved they can hit back just as hard.

McCormick becoming a match-winner
What a stellar start dual-sport athlete Jenna McCormick has had to her Crows career. The Canberra United soccer star showed glimpses of her potential in her AFL Women’s debut against the Western Bulldogs in Round Two, but the 22-year-old was instrumental in Sunday’s comeback win. McCormick marked strongly at full-forward early in the third quarter and converted her set shot to spark her teammates, then struck again in the fourth term with an opportunistic (and ironic!) ‘soccer’ goal off the deck to seal victory. Her influence went beyond the scoreboard however, with her clean hands and physical attack on the ball – traits you wouldn’t expect from an athlete from the round-ball game – setting the standard.

Holmes hits home
Crows forward Abbey Holmes produced her best performance of the inaugural AFL Women’s season on Sunday, and the 27-year-old was particularly influential in the Club’s second-half resurgence. Holmes caught fire in the third term, collecting seven possessions (five contested), laying two tackles, including a gutsy chase for a holding-the-ball free kick, and slotting an important goal. She also had two score assists and always looked to bring her teammates into the game. A four-time NTFL premiership player and the first woman to kick more than 100 goals in a season, an in-form Holmes is just what the Crows need as the race to the AFLW Grand Final continues to heat up.


Stage set for top-of-the-table blockbuster
Saturday night at Norwood Oval looms as arguably the biggest game of Adelaide’s AFLW season so far. Brisbane recorded a thumping win over Greater Western Sydney in Round Four to sit second on the ladder alongside the Crows on four wins. The Lions have weapons across the park, but forward duo Sabrina Frederick-Traub and Taylah Harris will need to be contained after the pair combined for 19 possessions, eight marks and five scoring shots in the win over the Giants. The Lions and Crows are rated the No.1 and No.2 teams in the competition respectively for restricting opposition scores, and whichever backline gets on top on Saturday evening will go a long way to securing the points for their team.