The Adelaide Crows have dealt Essendon’s finals aspirations a blow with a 41-point thrashing at AAMI Stadium on Friday night.
In wet, blustery conditions the Crows led at every break and were never seriously challenged on their way to a 13.12 (90) to 7.7 (49) win.
A torrential downpour just before the opening bounce made conditions tricky for both sides, but Adelaide adapted quicker to the wet track.
Mark Ricciuto was in everything for Adelaide early with his 12 first-quarter possessions setting up many of the Crows’ forays inside attacking 50.
Nigel Smart got the tough assignment on prolific Essendon goal-scorer Matthew Lloyd with honours even early despite Lloyd opening his account with a goal from a free-kick eight minutes in.
With Wayne Carey the only tall, marking option in attack for Adelaide, ruckmen Rhett Biglands and Matthew Clarke worked further up the ground with immediate effect.
Biglands opened the scoring for Adelaide after marking unopposed 30 metres out, while Clarke took possession from a throw-in from the right forward pocket and snapped a brilliant goal to put the Crows 18 points up at the first break.
Ted Richards pulled one back for the Bombers early in the second term but Scott Welsh replied for Adelaide with his second goal of the night soon after.
After a quiet first quarter Carey began to have an impact on the game – presenting well across half-forward and bringing the ball to ground for his crumbing forwards.
Welsh was clearly the most dangerous forward on the ground – finishing the half with four goals including a brilliant left-foot snap late in the second term to increase the margin to 33 points at the main break.
The Bombers had a tough task ahead of them as the second half got underway and goals to Welsh and Graham Johncock quickly made that task even tougher.
Adelaide was 46 points up with all the momentum early in the third quarter before an injury to Carey stopped play for several minutes.
The Crows faithful looked on in stunned silence as the boom recruit lay prone on the turf clutching his right knee after clattering into the point post in pursuit of the ball.
When play resumed after Carey had been stretchered from the field, Essendon slammed on three unanswered goals – including Richards’ third - to bring the margin back to 28 points at the final break.
The Bombers needed the first goal of the last quarter to further unsettle Adelaide but it wasn’t to be – Ricciuto instead steadying the ship with a booming goal from outside 50.
The sting went out of the game from there with the only highlight being Welsh’s sixth goal of the night after a superb assist from Johncock late in the term.
ADELAIDE: 4.3, 7.7, 10.9, 13.12 (90)
ESSENDON: 1.3, 2.4, 4.1, 7.7 (49)
Goals: Adelaide: Welsh 6, Johncock 2, Biglands 2, Ricciuto, Burns, Clarke. Essendon: Richards 3, Lloyd, Hird, Wellman, McGrath.
Best: Adelaide: Welsh, Ricciuto, Burton, Biglands, Bickley, McLeod, Smart. Essendon: Hird, Peverill, Lucas, Hille, Richards.
Injuries: Adelaide: Carey (gashed knee)
Essendon: J Johnson (back) replaced in selected side by Barnard. Watson (groin) replaced in selected side by Forster-Knight.
Reports: Cupido (Ess) reported by umpire McLaren for unduly rough play on Edwards. Fletcher (Ess) reported by umpire James for allegedly striking Burton.
Umpires: James, McLaren, McInerney.
Crowd: 41,758 at AAMI Stadium
