Adelaide was the only team in the top eight to record a win in Round 12. Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs, and Fremantle lost while Geelong, Richmond and West Coast had a bye.
The 16th, 17th and 18th ranked teams all recorded wins highlighting the evenness of this year’s competition.
Rory Laird was statistically the second-best defender of the weekend according to Champion Data Ranking points (134.1) behind only Carlton’s Sam Docherty (144.4). Smith was fifth with 114 ranking points.
Laird had nine intercept possessions – equal-third for the round.
Brodie Smith had the equal-best inside 50m retention rate from his kicks inside 50m in Round 12.
The long-kicking Crow was also fifth for combined inside 50ms and rebound 50ms (11).
Smith earned more metres for his team (624m) that any other player on the ground on Friday night.
Adelaide ranked second for total metres gained (6,331m) behind only Essendon (6,823m).
All Australian backman Daniel Talia made 15 spoils, including 11 effective spoils – ranked No.1 for Round 12. Kyle Hartigan was also inside the top 10 with seven spoils which were all classed as effective.
Talia had a game-high 16 ‘one-percenters’ – seven more than the next-best player on the ground.
Hartigan and Jake Lever both claimed four marks from opposition kicks - equal-second for the weekend.
Josh Jenkins, Taylor Walker and Tom Lynch all kicked three goals against the Saints.
Jenkins is now only one goal away from reaching the 200-goal milestone. Only eight Crows have reached the double ton including current teammates Walker and Eddie Betts.
Sam Jacobs amassed 25 possessions against the Saints on Friday night, just one disposal shy of his career-best total which was against Richmond in Round Six this season. No other ruckman had more disposals than ‘Sauce’ in Round 12.
Jacobs was also equal-first for clearances (five) by a ruckman for the weekend.
Tough onballer Hugh Greenwood won a round-high 15 groundball gets.
Sixteen of Greenwood’s 17 possessions were contested – more than any other player on the ground at Adelaide Oval last Friday night.
Greenwood was also equal-first for pressure acts applied (34) in Round 12. Brad Crouch ranked sixth (30).
Rory Sloane, who was heavily tagged last round, earned an equal-round high five free kicks.
Adelaide had a +12 free kick differential. Brisbane was the only club with a better differential for Round 12.
Match statistics
Disposals
Adelaide – 418
St Kilda – 413
Disposal efficiency
Adelaide – 73%
St Kilda – 71%
Kicks
Adelaide – 213
St Kilda – 194
Handballs
Adelaide – 205
St Kilda – 219
Clearances
Adelaide – 37
St Kilda – 35
Inside 50ms
Adelaide – 62
St Kilda – 45
Contested possessions
Adelaide – 159
St Kilda – 154
Uncontested possessions
Adelaide – 259
St Kilda – 252
Tackles
Adelaide – 63
St Kilda – 60
Hit-outs
Adelaide – 42
St Kilda – 34
