SUMMARY
It’ll be the match of the round at Peter Motley Oval on Saturday afternoon as the top-of-the-table Double Blues welcome third-placed Adelaide to Unley. After winning their first four games of the season, the SANFL Crows have lost two of their last three games and have had to negotiate two byes in the last three weeks. The Crows could welcome back several listed players this weekend, including hard-running half-forward Riley Knight and key defender Alex Keath which should help strengthen Adelaide’s line-up. Sturt meanwhile is the form team of the competition, having won its past six matches on the trot. Several ex-Crows will suit up against their former club in Brodie Martin, Aidan Riley, James Battersby and Jack Osborn, while Fos Williams Medallist Zane Kirkwood will need to be watched closely after a 30-possession and three-goal performance in last weekend’s State Game against the VFL.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Adelaide: 2
Sturt: 2
WHERE AND WHEN: Peter Motley Oval, Saturday, June 4, 2.10pm ACST
LAST FOUR TIMES
R18, 2015, Sturt 7.7 (49) d by Adelaide 24.12 (156) at Peter Motley Oval
R9, 2015, Sturt 14.7 (91) d by Adelaide 22.8 (140) at Peter Motley Oval
R17, 2014, Sturt 13.9 (87) d Adelaide 12.9 (81) at Natural Gas Stadium
R2, 2014, Sturt 13.19 (97) d Adelaide 9.6 (60) at Natural Gas Stadium
THE SIX POINTS
1. Adelaide dominated both meetings between the two teams last season, winning by 49 and a Club-record 107 points in Rounds Nine and 18 respectively.
2. James Podsiadly kicked nine goals in Adelaide’s previous SANFL clash at Peter Motley Oval in what was his second-last game of football.
3. Magarey Medallist Zane Kirkwood was the leading possession-winner on the ground the last time the two teams met with 35 possessions. Kirkwood leads the SANFL for kicks, hard-ball gets and inside 50ms so far this season.
4. Sturt is the best team in the SANFL defensively, having conceded just 445 points from seven games this year. Adelaide is ranked third with 516 points against.
5. Rory Laird holds the record for the most possessions by a Crow against the Double Blues. The rebounding backman had 42 disposals at 86 per cent efficiency in Round 17, 2014 in what was his only SANFL appearance of the year.
6. Former teammates Reilly O’Brien and Jack Osborn will go head-to-head in the ruck for the first time on Saturday. O’Brien is No.1 in the SANFL for hit-outs to advantage while Osborn is ranked 10th in the statistic despite missing two games.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR… Jake Kelly
Picked as an AFL emergency for the first time this year for Adelaide’s clash with GWS, Kelly will be eager to continue his strong SANFL form and push for senior selection if he misses a recall at match committee this week. The hard-working defender collected a career-high 27 possessions and had five rebound 50ms in Adelaide’s loss to Central District and could edge even closer to his first AFL game in almost 12 months with another strong showing at Unley.
