On this day in 2012, Sam Jacobs broke the modern-day AFL record for hit-outs in an inspired individual performance against Port Adelaide in Showdown XXXIII.
Jacobs had an incredible 61 taps to guide the Crows to a 58-point victory over the Power in a display which earned him his first Showdown Medal.
At the time, Jacobs’ effort was ranked behind only North Melbourne’s Gary Dempsey, who notched 63 hit-outs against Hawthorn back in 1982. Fellow Kangaroo Todd Goldstein is the current record holder after he amassed an amazing 80 hit-outs last season against Greater Western Sydney.
Adelaide celebrated its 500th premiership game in style against the Power, courtesy of Jacobs’ ruck dominance. The Crows extended their margin at every change to emerge convincing winners in front of almost 35,000 fans at Football Park.
Ricky Henderson kicked a career-best six goals while Scott Thompson was the biggest beneficiary of Jacobs’ work at the stoppages recording 32 possessions and 12 clearances.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Crows.
With Taylor Walker out suspended, Adelaide’ tall stocks were already depleted things worsened when forward/ruckman Kurt Tippett went down early after an ugly head knock.
Fellow tall Shaun McKernan was also subbed out after fracturing his cheekbone in the second quarter, leaving the Crows with only 20 fit players.
‘Sauce’ stepped up as Adelaide’s sole ruck option with his record-breaking performance in what was just his second year at the Club.
His record remains the best by any Crows ruckman. Jacobs holds the top 20 tap tallies by any Adelaide player in Club history.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
ADELAIDE 5.2 9.6 13.8 17.14 (116)
PORT ADELAIDE 2.1 4.6 7.8 8.10 (58)
GOALS
Adelaide: Henderson 6, Martin 3, McIntyre 2, Dangerfield, Sloane, Douglas, Porplyzia, Knights, Tippett
Port Adelaide: P. Stewart 4, Boak, Butcher, Brett Ebert, Wingard
BEST
Adelaide: Jacobs, Henderson, Thompson, Vince, van Berlo, Rutten
Port Adelaide: Boak, P. Stewart, Chaplin, Pfeiffer
Umpires: Margetts, Dalgleish, Bannister
Official crowd: 34,829 at Football Park
Sam Jacobs: 19 disposals, 61 hit-outs, five clearances, four inside 50ms, three marks, two tackles
