Adelaide has been bundled out of the SANFL finals race after the Crows suffered a heartbreaking six-point defeat at the hands of Sturt.
The SANFL Crows looked in control of the match after booting five unanswered goals in the second term to build a game-high 24-point lead.
But Adelaide surrendered the first three goals of the final quarter and were eventually overrun 12.9 (81) to 13.9 (87) to officially end the side’s slim finals chances.
Rory Laird starred for Adelaide in his first SANFL outing for the Club. Laird collected a match-high 42 disposals, including 16 in a huge third quarter by the former rookie, acting as Adelaide’s main link-up player from half-back.
Emerging defender Sam Siggins added another scalp to his list with a tremendous shutdown role on Sturt spearhead Michael Coad. Siggins held Coad to just seven possessions and a behind after he booted five goals last round.
It was just the third time this season Coad has failed to boot a major.
Fellow defender Jake Kelly was also impressive down back with 24 possessions and 11 marks, while midfielder Matt Crouch amassed 35 disposals and 13 clearances in another prolific state league showing.
Captain Ian Callinan was terrific with 19 touches, five inside 50ms and two second-half goals to try and lift the Crows over the line when the Double Blues made their charge.
Tough midfielder Sam Kerridge gathered 26 possessions, eight clearances and kicked a one goal while nullifying Sturt ball-winner Zane Kirkwood.
Impressive youngster James Battersby (28 possessions, 10 marks) also battled gamely all afternoon to continue his fine finish to the season.
Click here to see all the stats from today’s thrilling SANFL clash at Unley Oval.
Six goals to Matt Duldig helped seal the result for Sturt, with former Crow Richard Tambling and key defender Jack Stephens also among the Double Blues’ best.
The loss was further soured after Adelaide lost Shaun McKernan (hamstring) in the opening minutes and Riley Knight (calf) late in the second term, leaving the Crows with just one fit player on the interchange for the second half.
Crows SANFL coach Heath Younie said it was a missed opportunity for the side.
“It was a game we really should’ve won,” Younie said post-match.
“We made some crucial errors at different stages. But it was always going to be tough with just one player on the bench in the second half.”
“We thought we were good enough to win today. In that last 10 minutes, we went back into our shells a little bit and I thought that cost us the game.”
“Sturt is such a strong side, and they really laid down the challenge today. It was up to us to respond and we just couldn’t get the job done.”
Younie praised the performance of Laird, who was Adelaide’s non-playing emergency for the Club’s trip to Brisbane last week.
“I thought he came back with a great attitude,” Younie said.
“He didn’t fumble at all today, he was very clean with his ball use.
“But he also defended well and obviously provided some really positive run from half-back.”
Both sides traded blows as play rebounded from end to end in a free-flowing first term.
Riley Knight ran hard to find space inside 50 to kick the first goal of the contest from a set piece.
Fresh from six goals in last week’s win over North Adelaide, Sturt forward Matthew Duldig also started strongly with two majors in an entertaining opening term.
The Double Blues kicked away to an 11-point lead at the 20-minute mark, before the Crows clawed their way back through two first-quarter goals to ruckman Jack Osborn and Jared Petrenko to take a three-point lead into the first break.
Sturt’s accuracy kept the home side in the game as Ben Hansen and Duldig found the middle again.
The Crows began to flex their muscles around the contest with Crouch, Kerridge, Laird and Ellis-Yolmen leading the way for the visitors.
Adelaide then piled on the next five goals, including debutant Myles Warmington’s first-ever SANFL major, to sprint away to an 18-point buffer at half-time.
A classy left-foot finish from Alex Spina saw the Crows push out to a match-high 24-point lead, as Adelaide looked likely to run away with the result.
A Duldig-inspired Sturt would not go away however. The Double Blues controlled possession for much of the third quarter, but struggled to finish off in front of goal.
A late goal to Crows SANFL captain Ian Callinan steadied the Crows’ ship, with Adelaide holding a 20-point advantage at the final change.
Sturt again surged back with the first three goals of the final term, until first-year Crow Jake Kelly went back with the flight courageously in front of a leading Duldig to try and lift the visitors.
Callinan again found the middle to stem the flow of Sturt goals, but the Double Blues would not be denied.
Hansen’s second goal in the dying moments sealed victory for Sturt and put the final nail into the coffin of Adelaide’s SANFL finals hopes.
ADELAIDE 4.3 9.7 11.9 12.9 (81)
STURT 4.0 7.1 8.7 13.9 (87)
GOALS
Adelaide: Petrenko 2, Osborn 2, Callinan 2, Knight, Laird, Johnston, Warmington, Kerridge, Spina
Sturt: Duldig 6, Hansen 2, Krause, Calabrese, Evans, Crocker
BEST
Adelaide: Laird, Siggins, Callinan, Kerridge, Battersby, Reilly, M. Crouch
Sturt: Duldig, Tambling, Stephens, Hansen, Calabrese, Greenslade
INJURIES
Adelaide: Knight (calf), McKernan (hamstring)
Sturt: Nil
