The Crows have won five of their past six matches to be eighth on the AFL ladder.
Adelaide has now won 12 games (and received two points for the cancelled match) this season, bettering the Club’s 2014 record of 11 wins.
The 87-point win was Adelaide’s second biggest of the season behind the 112-point victory over Essendon the week prior. It was the first time since rounds 15-16 in 1993 the Crows have won consecutive games by 80-plus points.
Big scores over the past fortnight have lifted the Crows to fourth in ‘points for’ this season. Adelaide has kicked 47.20 in its last two games. The Crows are averaging more goals per game (17.3) than any other team since Round 16.
The Club is ranked seventh (best) in points against. For the third straight week, Adelaide held its opponent to fewer than nine goals. The Crows kept the Lions scoreless in the second quarter.
Tom Lynch collected a career-high 32 possessions, as well as an equal-team high nine marks, five tackles and four inside 50ms against the Lions.
Taylor Walker kicked a personal best seven goals at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night. Walker also hauled in seven marks and assisted in another goal.
Despite Walker’s dominance, the Crows had 10 different goalkickers with Eddie Betts (three), Jarryd Lyons and Rory Atkins (two each), Patrick Dangerfield, Matt Crouch, Charlie Cameron, Josh Jenkins, Richard Douglas and Rory Sloane all slotting majors. Substitute Lyons kicked two in the last quarter after being introduced into the game.
Walker’s haul takes him to equal fourth place in the Coleman Medal race with 51 goals.
Betts is third with 52 goals. It’s the lively small forward’s best-ever return in a season, bettering his tally of 51 in 2014. Last weekend, he became the third-quickest player to kick 100 goals for the Adelaide Football Club behind Tony Modra and Scott Hodges.
It’s an impressive effort by Betts and Walker, who have played one fewer game this season than most of the other top-10 ranked goalkickers in the League.
Josh Jenkins had four score assists in Round 21 – only Port’s Robbie Gray (six) had more.
Rory Laird continued his stellar season on Saturday night, racking up 26 possessions at 92.3 per cent efficiency and an equal-game high nine marks.
Young midfielder Matt Crouch won a team-high eight clearances against Brisbane. Crouch also took five marks, generated four inside 50ms and kicked a goal.
Ricky Henderson generated a game-high seven rebound 50ms. He also finished with a season-high 26 disposals against the Lions. Comeback Crow Richard Douglas created seven inside 50ms – the most of any player on the ground.
The crowd of 47,527 was the biggest the Lions have played in front of since Round 22, 2011 when they narrowly lost to Collingwood at the MCG. Adelaide remains third in home game attendances this season with an average of 45,925, behind Richmond (50,818) and Collingwood (47,957).
Match statistics
Disposals
Adelaide – 379
Brisbane Lions – 376
Kicks
Adelaide – 229
Brisbane Lions – 186
Handballs
Adelaide – 150
Brisbane Lions – 190
Free Kicks
Adelaide – 16
Brisbane Lions – 18
Clearances
Adelaide – 40
Brisbane Lions – 32
Inside 50ms
Adelaide – 54
Brisbane Lions – 38
Contested Possessions
Adelaide – 122
Brisbane Lions – 107
Tackles
Adelaide –52
Brisbane Lions – 55
Hit-outs
Adelaide – 56
Brisbane Lions – 32
