Adelaide recorded its first and only AFL draw on this day 21 years ago.
Sitting in 10th position on the ladder, the Crows headed into the Saturday afternoon clash at Waverley Park hoping to set up a late-season charge back into the top eight.
Adelaide was the heavy favourite to topple a struggling St Kilda outfit, which had won just three games for the season.
Rain made for a scrappy contest and it was the Crows who failed to adjust to the conditions, trailing the Saints by 18 points at the main break and falling almost five goals down at the final change.
But Adelaide launched a brave revival in the last quarter, booting 4.5 and holding St Kilda scoreless to steal two valuable premiership points and keep its faint finals hopes alive.
Adelaide’s recovery was sparked by ruckman Shaun Rehn, who had a team-high 30 disposals, amassed 21 hit-outs, took 15 marks and kicked the first goal of the last quarter. He earned two Brownlow Medal votes for the performance.
Captain Chris McDermott contributed well with 26 possessions and five tackles, youngster Mark Ricciuto showed plenty of promise with 20 touches, eight marks and two goals, while Rodney Maynard collected 24 possessions, three marks and laid four tackles.
Inaccuracy ultimately cost the Crows victory, with the final scoreline of 11.13 (79) to St Kilda’s 12.7 (79) telling a tale of it own.
There were no post-match celebrations in the Crows rooms, and Adelaide coach Graham Cornes told the media he was left with a “hollow feeling” as the match concluded without a winner.
Losses to Richmond and Carlton in the following two rounds increased the pressure on Cornes and the Club. Adelaide won only three of its next nine games to finish in 11th position after the home and away rounds, eventually signaling the end of Cornes’ reign as Senior Coach.
The result remains Adelaide’s only AFL draw in the Crows’ 25 seasons in the competition. The Club’s SANFL team fought out its first draw in bizarre circumstances in Round Four this season.
June 25, 1994 – Round 14
ADELAIDE 2.2 4.6 7.8 11.13 (79)
ST KILDA 2.5 7.6 12.7 12.7 (79)
GOALS: Modra 2, Ricciuto 2, Weidemann 2, Hall, McGuinness, Brown, Hart, Rehn
BEST: Rehn, Hart, Ricciuto, Jameson, A. Jarman, Hall
ATTENDANCE: 13,868 at Waverley Park
