SUMMARY
Two of the form teams of the competition collide at Unley on Saturday afternoon. Adelaide has won four of its past five SANFL games as the race towards September begins to heat up. Reigning premiers Sturt has completely turned its season around after dropping its opening four games of the year. The Double Blues are now on a six-game winning streak and led at every change in last week’s impressive victory over Port Adelaide. The Crows and Double Blues are evenly matched across all lines and fought out a two-point thriller in their last meeting in Round One. Another cliffhanger could be on the cards this weekend.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Adelaide: 4
Sturt: 4
WHERE AND WHEN: Peter Motley Oval, Saturday, July 1, 2.10pm ACST
LAST FIVE TIMES
R1, 2017, Sturt 9.10 (64) d by Adelaide 10.6 (66) at Peter Motley Oval
PF, 2016, Sturt 15.13 (103) d Adelaide 10.8 (68) at Adelaide Oval
R15, 2016, Adelaide 13.9 (87) d Sturt 11.9 (75) at Thebarton Oval
R10, 2016, Sturt 10.10 (70) d Adelaide 9.6 (60) at Peter Motley Oval
R18, 2015, Sturt 7.7 (49) d by Adelaide 24.12 (156) at Peter Motley Oval
THE SIX POINTS
1. Adelaide held off a fast-finishing Sturt by just two points in the last clash between the two teams on Easter Sunday. Brad Crouch had 40 possessions and seven clearances while Hugh Greenwood and Troy Menzel kicked two goals each.
2. Crows onballer Scott Thompson was the top player in the League last round for contested possessions (21) and hard-ball gets (nine).
3. Jack Oatey Medallist Jack Stephens is No.1 in the SANFL for marks (51) over the past five rounds. Fellow Sturt tall Kory Beard (47) is second through the same period.
4. After kicking 16.5 in last week’s win over Central District, Adelaide is now equal with Norwood as the most accurate goalkicking team in the SANFL (61 per cent conversion).
5. Adelaide and Sturt are among four teams with a 6-4 record after 10 rounds alongside Glenelg and Norwood.
6. The Club’s biggest SANFL win (107 points) was against the Double Blues in Round 18 of Season 2015.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR… Dean Gore
The young Crow was important in last week’s win over the Bulldogs and will need to back it up again against Sturt’s hardened midfield rotation. Adelaide fielded 10 players under 21 years of age last round, including six teenagers, and will be tested yet again against a big-bodied opposition including the likes of dual Magarey Medallist Zane Kirkwood and former Crows Aidan Riley and James Battersby.
