Adelaide’s 33-point win over North Melbourne lifted the Club into sixth place on the AFL ladder. The top eight is tight. The Crows are only one game and percentage out of second spot, and also only one game clear of the eighth-placed West Coast.
The victory was Adelaide’s fifth in succession. It’s the Club’s longest winning streak since 2012 (Rounds 4 – 8).
The Crows have now won their last nine games against North Melbourne in South Australia dating back to Round 21, 2003.
The Crows have conceded only 17 points in their last three final quarters. Adelaide held St Kilda to 1.4 (10) in the last term in Round 11, while West Coast had its first scoreless quarter ever (the last) at Domain Stadium against the Crows in Round 12. On Thursday night, the Roos managed only 1.1 (7) in the fourth quarter.
North Melbourne kicked only 10.7 (67) against the Crows at Adelaide Oval – the club’s third-lowest score of the season.
Adelaide secured victory over the Roos despite kicking wayward goalkicking. The Crows kicked 12.28 (100) on Thursday night to set a new Club record for most behinds in a match.
Four Crows each kicked two goals: Taylor Walker, Matt Crouch, Richard Douglas and Eddie Betts.
It was the first time Matt Crouch has bagged multiple goals in a game. The prolific ball winner has now kicked three goals for the season – all against North Melbourne.
Crouch finished with a game-high 32 possessions, eight clearances and seven tackles to go with his two goals. He also had 11 hard ball-gets – more than any other player in Round 14.
Crouch averaged a disposal every 2.8 minutes against the Roos – only two-time Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett, boom Collingwood recruit Adam Treloar and Fremantle veteran Michael Barlow had higher averages over the weekend.
Rory Sloane continued his standout season with another 30 disposals, including 20 in the second half. Of Sloane’s possessions, a game-high 19 were contested – only Ablett (25) had more for the round.
Sloane also led the League in tackles (13), won seven clearances and generated four inside 50ms. He gained more metres (529) than any other Crow on Thursday night.
Sloane and Matt Crouch each won 14 ground ball-gets – second only to Ablett (20) for the round.
Scott Thompson was the leading clearance player on the ground with nine. After a quiet first half in which Thompson collected only seven touches, the reliable midfielder racked up 17 after the main break to finish with 24.
Wingman Rory Atkins was involved in 15 scores on Thursday night – level with Richmond star Jack Riewoldt as the most of any player for the round.
Captain Taylor Walker ranked third for the round in Champion Data Scoreboard Impact points (27) behind only Jack Riewoldt (40) of Richmond and Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins (30).
Richard Douglas was involved in 12 Adelaide scores. Douglas amassed 19 possessions at 89.5 per cent efficiency against the Roos. He also took five marks, generated two inside 50ms and had two goal assists to go with two majors of his own.
Forwards Walker and Mitch McGovern hauled in an equal game-high seven marks.
At the opposite end, emerging defender Jake Lever had a team-high six rebound 50ms. Lever also took four marks from opposition kicks – more than any other player on the ground. He ranked second in the competition for intercept possessions (10) in Round 14.
The Crows and Hawks each took 21 marks from opposition kicks in Round 14 – ranked equal-first.
Daniel Talia effected 13 spoils – only Collingwood’s Nathan Brown (15) had more for the round.
Line breakers Brodie Smith and David Mackay each sent the ball inside attacking 50m on seven occasions – an equal game-high. Mackay ranked equal-fourth for the round in combined rebound and inside 50ms (10).
Charlie Cameron took four running bounces – level with Tiger Dustin Martin as the most for the round.
After trailing North Melbourne by 14 contested possessions at half time, the Crows won a league-leading 102 second-half contested possessions to be ahead by 35 at full time.
Adelaide’s weather-affected crowd of 37,890 was the highest attendance in a wintry weekend across the AFL.
Match statistics
Disposals
Adelaide – 387
North Melbourne – 327
Disposal efficiency
Adelaide – 66%
North Melbourne – 63%
Kicks
Adelaide – 219
North Melbourne – 197
Handballs
Adelaide – 168
North Melbourne – 130
Clearances
Adelaide – 48
North Melbourne – 3
Inside 50ms
Adelaide – 59
North Melbourne – 51
Contested possessions
Adelaide – 177
North Melbourne – 156
Uncontested possessions
Adelaide – 211
North Melbourne – 155
Tackles
Adelaide – 85
North Melbourne – 82
Hit-outs
Adelaide – 40
North Melbourne – 54
