The Adelaide Crows have demolished the myth of Subiaco Oval with a resounding 24-point win over the West Coast Eagles on Saturday.
A goalless third term consigned West Coast to its first loss at home this year, 13.13 (91) to 10.7 (67), as Adelaide consolidated second place on the ladder and West Coast remained in the bottom half of the top eight.
The fans had one wish granted from the first bounce, with Glen Jakovich matching up on long-time rival Wayne Carey, but more important wishes were to be unfulfilled.
With Tyson Stenglein clearly winning his battle with skipper Ben Cousins, the depleted West Coast midfield was powerless against the physical work of the Crows through the middle.
Matthew Clarke and Rhett Biglands continually gave their smalls the first use of the ball as they dominated the hitouts against Dean Cox and David Sierakowski.
Nigel Smart again led the backline brilliantly as the defensive unit put the clamps on the West Coast forwards, with only Phil Matera, who booted three goals - making any meaningful impression on the scoreboard.
Sierakowski battled hard in his first game of AFL for the season to be one of West Coast’s best, but Troy Wilson is likely to find himself back in the WAFL after a poor return.
Veterans Mark Ricciuto and Mark Bickley shone for the visitors, as the Adelaide midfield towelled up West Coast’s.
Wayne Carey was good for the visitors, but left the arena at the 18-minute mark of the last after re-opening the knee would he incurred when he slid into a point post a month ago.
The win takes the Crows to 13-6 for the season, while West Coast stay in sixth place, but a win to Fremantle on Sunday would push them down to seventh.
The Crows had beaten West Coast at Subiaco Oval just once in their history – 1998 round two 15.16 (106) to 12.9 (81) – but this was a game they always had control of.
Adelaide got on the board first when Adam Hunter gave away a clumsy free kick to Ian Perrie, who goaled from the boundary line from 40 metres.
West Coast grabbed the next two, both from marks inside the 50, but Wayne Carey was starting to influence the game, and along with his goal, his use of the ball was superb, and the Crows went to the first break 18 points up.
Ben Cousins and Adam Hunter scored first for the home team after the break, but the Crows really turned it on from the 19 minutes mark, with McLeod and Graham Johncock goaling inside a minute.
Phil Matera grabbed one after the recalled Troy Wilson let an easy mark slip through his fingers, but another Carey goal and two to the quicksilver Ronnie Burns meant a 29 point lead to the Crows at the long break.
Adelaide kicked the only two goals of the third, with Johncock’s goal from the point line a freakish effort and Adelaide were 42 points up at the last change..
The home team outscored Adelaide four goals to one in the last, but the damage was done long before then.
Next week, both teams are on the road - the Crows face up to Collingwood on Friday night at Telstra Dome, and West Coast tackle a rejuvenated Geelong at Skilled Stadium.
Adelaide then faces the Kangaroos at AAMI Stadium before finishing with the Showdown, while West Coast take on Melbourne as a warm-up for the Derby.
ADELAIDE: 5.6, 10.7, 12.11, 13.13 (91)
WEST COAST: 3.0, 6.2, 6.5, 10.7 (67)
Goals: Adelaide: Johncock 4, Burns 3, Carey 3, Ricciuto, McLeod, Perrie.
West Coast: Matera 4, Braun, Kerr, Cousins, Hunter, Chick, Wilson.
Best: Adelaide: Ricciuto, Johncock, Smart, Carey, Shirley, Bickley.
West Coast: Braun, Chambers, Sierakowski, Kerr.
Injuries: Adelaide: M Bode (ill) replaced in selected by H Skipworth. W Carey (knee).
West Coast: D Glass (ill) replaced in selected side by T Wilson. A Sampi
(omitted) replaced in selected side by K Munro.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Kennedy, Allen, McInerney
Official Crowd: 39,681 at Subiaco Oval.
