A last quarter fightback wasn’t enough to get the SANFL Crows over the line against South Adelaide on Saturday afternoon, losing by seven points at Noarlunga Oval.
The Crows trailed the Panthers for most of the match, but kicked four goals to two in the final quarter to close the gap.
In the end, they went down 12.4 (76) to South’s 12.11 (83).
Myles Poholke impressed for the second week in a row, having 26 disposals, seven clearances and six marks.
Reilly O’Brien was strong in the ruck and around the ground with 38 hit-outs, 20 disposals, six clearances and four inside 50s.
In the first half, Patrick Wilson was electric and, despite a quieter second half, finished with 31 disposals, 10 marks, nine tackles and eight clearances.
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Development squad member Pierce Seymour caused a number of turnovers with some brilliant rundown tackles, while Tyson Stengle provided spark up forward, kicking two goals.
In his first game in the SANFL this year, Lachlan Murphy’s pressure was relentless and he finished with 13 disposals and six tackles.
State League coach Heath Younie felt the contest numbers played a big part in the result.
“We were -36 in the contest, -10 in the tackle and it was all groundball, the air wasn’t the problem,” Younie said.
“In today’s game, that means field position and you have to score out of your back half, but we fought the game out really strongly.”
Younie said the team’s focus would now shift to the qualifying final against Port Adelaide next Saturday.
“We now move on pretty quickly to what is going to be a cracking finals series,” he said.
“We’ll recover strongly, we’ll review this game and get ready pretty quickly.”
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Young defender Jordon Butts was ruled out of the match in the third quarter with concussion.
He will be monitored throughout the week.
ADELAIDE 2.1 7.2 8.4 12.4 (76)
SOUTH 4.3 7.3 10.7 12.11 (83)
GOALS:
Adelaide: Atkins 2, McAdam 2, Stengle 2, Wright 2, Davis, Himmelberg, Strachan, Wilson
South: Overall 3, Davis 2, Fitt 2, Cross, Heaslip, Sampson, Whittlesea, Wilkinson
BEST: Poholke, Seymour, O’Brien, Stengle, Wilson, Murphy, Ryan
