Crows Eyeing Breakthrough at Geelong Fortress
Adelaide midfielder Sam Berry admits the upcoming clash against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium presents a significant challenge, particularly given the club’s historically poor record at the venue. In fact, Berry was just eight months old the last time the Crows managed to secure a victory in Geelong. This stark statistic highlights the daunting task awaiting Adelaide as they prepare to face the formidable Cats on Thursday night.
Adelaide’s history at GMHBA Stadium is, to put it mildly, less than stellar. Across 24 encounters, the Crows have only emerged victorious on three occasions, with their last win dating back to June 2003. This translates to a dismal winning percentage of just 12.5% in Geelong, the lowest of any AFL venue for the club.
“It’s such a good challenge, especially to start the year,” Berry told reporters on Monday. “It has been a pretty tough fixture to start, but now, personally, I’m pumped. You probably get a little bit of the extra motivation when the team typically hasn’t done well down there… the Cats are a serious team.”
The Crows’ 2003 triumph in Geelong was part of a relatively strong period, marking one of three wins in four trips to the Cattery during that era. These were, in fact, Adelaide’s only away victories during that stretch, underscoring the difficulty of performing at the venue.
The prospect of breaking this long-standing hoodoo is a significant motivator for the playing group. “It would be massive,” Berry stated when asked about the potential of a win in Geelong. “It’s something in the past too, where we struggled away for a few years. As a group, we’re really just trying to lean into playing away and creating our own energy and just being excited for the challenge… especially the Cats down there, it’s a fortress for them.”
This upcoming fixture follows a mixed start to Adelaide’s season. After an encouraging opening win against Collingwood at the MCG, the Crows succumbed to a narrow six-point home loss against the Western Bulldogs. Berry, however, believes that performance was an anomaly for the team, attributing it to factors like excessive sideways ball movement and a record number of uncontested marks.
The 24-year-old also pushed back against recent media and pundit criticism regarding Adelaide’s game plan and a perceived one-dimensional midfield.
“We probably view it differently to how the media does, and I guess how some of the arm-chair experts view it,” he asserted. “But everyone that plays in that midfield has got so many strengths and we’ve been rolling a lot of people in there. Now obviously we have got Ranks (Izak Rankine) rolling in there, Rash (Josh Rachele) playing a lot more, Soli (Jake Soligo), James Peatling… so we’ve been playing a fair few in there and everyone’s got different strengths and different dynamics.”
This emphasis on midfield versatility and the collective drive to overcome historical challenges suggests a Crows outfit determined to forge its own narrative, starting with a bold statement at one of the AFL’s most imposing grounds. The team’s ability to adapt and draw strength from the very difficulty of the fixture will be key to their success against the reigning premiers. The challenge is immense, but the potential reward – a significant psychological victory and a shift in their Geelong fortunes – is even greater.
