SUMMARY
It’s crunch time for the SANFL Crows against an in-form Norwood at Coopers Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Adelaide has dropped its past three games in succession and cannot afford too many more slip ups with just five rounds remaining in the home and away season. The evenness of this year’s SANFL competition helps Adelaide’s cause in fighting for a finals berth, but victory this weekend is vital. On the other hand, the Redlegs are full of confidence after downing Glenelg and North Adelaide in back-to-back away trips to entrench themselves in the top five. A third-straight win would be a huge boost in Norwood’s hunt for the double chance.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Adelaide: 4
Norwood: 3
WHERE AND WHEN: Coopers Stadium, Sunday, July 23, 2.10pm ACST
LAST FIVE TIMES
R9, 2017, Norwood 15.7 (97) d by Adelaide 15.9 (99) at Coopers Stadium
R20, 2016, Norwood 11.10 (76) d by Adelaide 18.10 (118) at Coopers Stadium
R11, 2016, Norwood 7.11 (53) d by Adelaide 14.16 (100) at Coopers Stadium
R16, 2015, Norwood 8.17 (65) d by Adelaide 14.10 (94) at Coopers Stadium
R6, 2015, Norwood 12.15 (87) d Adelaide 6.9 (45) at Coopers Stadium
THE SIX POINTS
1. Adelaide toppled Norwood by just two points the last time the two teams met in Round Nine. Troy Menzel and a returning Mitch McGovern both kicked four goals while first-year Crow Myles Poholke kicked the match-winner with only seconds remaining.
2. The SANFL Crows have lost their last three games but remain just one win away from the top five. Norwood sits fourth on the SANFL ladder with victories in three of their last four starts.
3. Adelaide left-footer Harrison Wigg is sixth in the SANFL for inside 50ms (52). Former Crow and fellow left-footer Mitch Grigg sits second in the League (58) for Norwood.
4. Redlegs ruckman Sam Baulderstone had a League-best 51 hit-outs and 19 taps to advantage in Norwood’s victory over North Adelaide last round. Baulderstone leads the SANFL in both statistics this season.
5. Adelaide boasts a strong recent record against the Redlegs. The Crows have won the past four contests between the two clubs.
6. Sunday’s clash pits the League’s most accurate teams against one another. Norwood has the SANFL’s best conversion rate at 62.6 per cent just ahead of Adelaide on 62.5 per cent.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR… Troy Menzel
Menzel has hit the scoreboard every time he’s faced Norwood since becoming a Crow, including a match-defining four-goal haul in the last meeting between the two clubs. The skillful left-footer was brilliant early in last week’s match against West Adelaide, setting up numerous Crows scores while finishing with three goals of his own for the afternoon. Another strong performance on Sunday at The Parade would go a long way to helping the former Blue earn a return to AFL ranks for the first time since Round Eight.
