Eddie Betts continued his rich vein of form on the Gold Coast. Betts, who slotted another five goals, has now kicked 14 goals in his past three games to take his season tally to 20 – ranked second in the Coleman Medal behind West Coast spearhead Josh Kennedy.
Captain Taylor Walker is fifth in the Coleman Medal race with 18 goals. Walker bagged four against the Suns on Saturday night, and has kicked multiple goals in all but one match this season. The Crows had nine different goalkickers on the weekend.
Rory Laird collected a game-high 29 possessions on Saturday night. It equalled Laird’s career-best, also against the Suns, in Round 14, 2013. He also took nine marks, including three contested, and provided great assistance to Adelaide’s key defenders. Of Laird’s 29 touches, 13 were contested and he also won a team-high seven hard-ball gets.
The Crows remain unbeaten against the Suns in seven matches.
Walker took four contested marks on the weekend – ranked equal-first in the League in Round Six.
Matthew Wright finished with a season-high possession count against Gold Coast. Playing a greater midfield role, Wright amassed 28 touches, an equal-round high eight inside 50ms and four clearances.
Draftee Jake Lever made an impressive AFL debut. Lever picked up 17 disposals, including eight in the opening term to top Adelaide’s possession count at quarter time. He operated at 88.2 per cent efficiency in his first game.
Matthew Jaensch led the way with an efficiency of 92.3 per cent in his 26 possessions. Jaensch had more effective kicks (18) than any other player in Round Six.
Young defender Jake Kelly recorded also season-high possession count (19) against the Suns. Kelly took an equal-game high 12 marks. The promoted rookie works exceptionally hard on his kicking skills, and it paid off on Saturday night where he had a disposal efficiency rate of 89.5 per cent.
Adelaide limited the undermanned Gold Coast to only 40 inside 50ms.
Despite appearing messy at times, the Crows recorded the highest disposal efficiency rate 76.2 per cent of any team in Round Six.
Adelaide took 131 uncontested marks against the Suns – more than any other team on the weekend.
After converting only 18.3 per cent of their forward 50m entries into goals last week, the Crows kicked goals from 30 per cent of their inside 50ms on Saturday – the third-highest of any team in Round Six. Adelaide also recorded a goalkicking efficiency of 66.7 per cent against the Suns compared to 52 per cent the week prior.
Like the Suns, the Crows fielded their youngest team of the season on the weekend. Adelaide had an average age of 24 years and 141 days compared to the inexperienced Gold Coast’s 23 years and 20 days. Only the Suns, Western Bulldogs, Giants and Lions were younger than the Crows in Round Six.
Adelaide’s Round Six team included six players with 25 or fewer games of AFL experience: Jarryd Lyons (25), Mitch Grigg (16), Charlie Cameron (12), Matt Crouch (nine), Jake Kelly (four) and Jake Lever (one).
Sam Jacobs won 28 of Adelaide’s 30 hit-outs against Gold Coast. Tom Lynch and Patrick Dangerfield were the other two players to win hit-outs in the absence of injured back-up ruckman Josh Jenkins.
Match statistics
Disposals
Adelaide – 382
Gold Coast – 345
Kicks
Adelaide – 246
Gold Coast – 188
Handballs
Adelaide – 136
Gold Coast – 157
Free Kicks
Adelaide – 16
Gold Coast – 20
Clearances
Adelaide – 30
Gold Coast – 30
Inside 50ms
Adelaide – 60
Gold Coast –40
Contested Possessions
Adelaide – 123
Gold Coast – 128
Tackles
Adelaide – 62
Gold Coast – 61
Hit-outs
Adelaide – 30
Gold Coast – 29
