Coach Brenton Sanderson has praised his young team’s ability to respond to a disappointing loss to St Kilda in the first of three NAB Cup matches at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.   

The Crows lacked intensity and composure against the Saints, failing to register a goal in the first half and eventually going down by 26 points. Sanderson said he challenged the players to make amends in the Club’s second ‘mini’ game against Port Adelaide.

“In the first game, it felt like we were still in pre-season mode a little bit. We had an opportunity to hit hard and hit another club for the first time this year and I thought we were a little bit soft around the contest against the Saints … who were clearly the better side,” Sanderson said.

“I didn’t like our intensity in the first game. I said to the players at the start of the second game, ‘It can go two ways now. You can throw it in, have a poor day and we can sit around and sulk for a couple of days during our Community Camp in Naracoorte or we can go out and right a few wrongs’.”

Barring four changes in personnel, the same players took the field against the Power, but they displayed a vastly different attitude. Ruckman Angus Graham, who was too big and strong for part-time Port ruckmen Justin Westhoff and Jackson Trengove, gave his midfielders first look at the stoppages. Josh Jenkins presented strongly in attack, and Matthew Wright, Aidan Riley and Richard Tambling won plenty of the ball.

Adelaide almost bettered its total score in game one (3.6) in the first half against Port Adelaide (3.1) and took advantage of the break between games to run out 16-point winners.

“It was a good sign from a young group, that they were able to cop some criticism, learn from their mistakes and play a lot better in the second game,” he said.

“We didn’t lose two games in a row last year, so that record holds again at the start of this season.”

Sanderson was particularly pleased with the performance of several inexperienced players.

“I liked a lot of what I saw from our young players today, and guys playing for the Club for the first time, like Kyle Hartigan and Rory Laird,” he said.

“I thought Mitch Grigg and Angus Graham were very good in the second game. Sam Kerridge and Brad Crouch looked sharp at times and I liked Cam Ellis-Yolmen. Cam showed he’s going to be a player for us in the future.

“He’s got that raw talent. He makes a few mistakes, but his raw ability is very good.”

Entering his third season at West Lakes, Richard Tambling also showed why Adelaide brought him across from Richmond. Tambling gathered seven possessions across half-back in the loss to St Kilda, and 10 touches in the win over Port Adelaide.

“Tambling was good. He got his hands on the ball. He’s got fast feet and gets out of trouble,” Sanderson said.

“We’re still working on his kicking efficiency … but he’s had a really good summer and is wound up for a good start to the season.”

Players from the three teams were subjected to stifling conditions on Sunday, with the temperature hovering around 38 degrees for most of the evening.

The Crows, who played the first and third matches of the twilight series, had more than an hour’s break between hit-outs. Sanderson said the extended break had proved beneficial.

“We’ve got the advantage of having our changerooms here. We have baths and a pool, so our players could cool off, have a shower and change jumpers between games. It probably did help us a bit coming out in game three.”