Charlie Cameron won a career-best 18 touches after being released onto a wing against Geelong. Of his possessions, 12 were contested – another personal best. He won eight loose ball-gets – ranked equal third in the AFL in Round Eight. Cameron also generated five inside 50ms and laid four tackles. The dynamic 21-year-old kicked a goal and assisted in another.
Rory Sloane topped Adelaide’s possession count on Friday night with 28. Sloane also collected a game-high nine clearances, seven inside 50ms and laid 11 tackles to be his team’s best player. Of Sloane’s disposals, 17 were contested – a team-high.
Defender Ricky Henderson finished with a game-high 11 marks and six rebound 50ms. He also gained more metres (561) than any other player at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
Adelaide’s 26-point loss to the Cats was its first defeat at home since June last year, ending an eight-game winning streak at the venue.
Despite the loss, the Crows remain in eighth spot on the AFL ladder with a win-loss ledger of 4 – 4. Adelaide’s losses have been to top-six teams, North Melbourne, Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs and Geelong.
Captain Taylor Walker took a game-high and equal-round high five contested marks.
Four Crows each kicked two goals against the Cats: Walker, Josh Jenkins, Eddie Betts and Mitch McGovern.
Walker’s two goals were enough for him draw level with Scott Welsh in equal-fourth of the Club’s all-time goalkicking (270). The two-time Crows leading goalkicker needs another five goals to catch Andrew McLeod, who sits third overall at Adelaide (275 goals).
Reliable Crow Luke Brown laid five tackles in defensive 50m – the equal most of any player in the League on the weekend.
The official AFL crowd of 53,141 on Friday night was a Club record for a home game. It was the second-highest attendance for an AFL game at the redeveloped Adelaide Oval behind the big Showdown crowd (53,518) in Round 16 last year.
The figure released by the SMA, which includes staff, on Friday night was 54,158 – the biggest ever for an AFL game at the redeveloped venue. The Crows have now been involved in eight of the top 10 AFL crowds at Adelaide Oval since the upgrade.
Adelaide had the highest percentage of contested possessions and lowest percentage of uncontested possessions of any side on the weekend. It was the uncontested ball where the slick Cats got on top, winning 59 more uncontested possessions and 47 more handball receives than the Crows.
Match statistics
Disposals
Adelaide – 326
Geelong – 382
Disposal Efficiency
Adelaide – 66%
Geelong – 69%
Kicks
Adelaide – 220
Geelong – 213
Handballs
Adelaide – 106
Geelong – 169
Clearances
Adelaide – 40
Geelong – 42
Inside 50ms
Adelaide – 44
Geelong – 61
Contested Possessions
Adelaide – 156
Geelong – 164
Uncontested Possessions
Adelaide – 166
Geelong – 225
Turnovers
Adelaide – 77
Geelong – 60
Tackles
Adelaide – 80
Geelong – 81
Hit-outs
Adelaide – 43
Geelong – 48
