Charlie Cameron kicked a career-best three goals against Fremantle on Sunday.

Recruited from WAFL club Swan Districts, Cameron helped spark Adelaide’s fast start in front of a large contingent of family and friends at Patersons Stadium. The exciting rookie kicked the opening goal of the game and finished with three for the half.

Limited supply dented Cameron’s chances of adding to his goals tally after the main break. He was the only Crow to kick multiple goals against the miserly Dockers defence.

Only four Crows amassed 20-or more possessions on Sunday in a reflection of Fremantle’s dominance.  Midfielder Scott Thompson was Adelaide’s leading possession-getter.

Thompson collected 28 disposals, including a team-high 15 contested, at Patersons Stadium. The reliable Crow also won a game-high six clearances and generated six inside 50ms. Rebounding defender Brodie Smith, who was moved into the midfield on Nathan Fyfe at three-quarter time, finished with 24 possessions, six marks, four rebound 50ms and a goal. He also used the ball at 83.3 per cent efficiency – the highest efficiency rate of any Crow with more than 12 disposals.

Acting co-captain Rory Sloane battled hard, notching up 23 possessions and laying an equal game-high seven tackles. He also won five clearances and had four inside 50ms. Wingman David Mackay was the other Adelaide player to crack 20 touches on Sunday. Mackay gathered 21 disposals, five inside 50ms and laid five tackles.

Luke Brown, Andy Otten and Rory Laird stood tall in Adelaide’s under-siege defence.

Brown held dangerous Freo forward Hayden Ballantyne to a solitary goal, while Otten’s direct opponent, Chris Mayne, also kicked one major. Laird attacked the contest hard, laying five tackles and winning 16 possessions.

The stats sheet says Adelaide won the inside 50ms (51-50), but it was a landslide after half time. Fremantle generated 31 inside 50ms to Adelaide’s 19 in the second half. And the Crows were wasteful with those 19 entries, kicking only 3.3 after the main change.

Match statistics
Disposals
Adelaide – 297
Fremantle – 443

Kicks
Adelaide – 159
Fremantle – 230

Handballs
Adelaide – 213
Fremantle –138

Free Kicks
Adelaide – 11
Fremantle – 12

Clearances
Adelaide – 29
Fremantle – 29

Inside 50ms
Adelaide – 51
Fremantle – 50

Contested Possessions
Adelaide – 127
Fremantle –145

Tackles
Adelaide – 53
Fremantle –59

Hit-outs
Adelaide – 20
Fremantle –44

Interchanges
Adelaide – 115
Fremantle –104