Crows Lament Slow Start in Gutting Geelong Loss
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks has expressed his frustration with his team’s second consecutive sluggish opening to a game, which he believes ultimately cost them a hard-fought eight-point defeat against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium. The Crows, aiming to break a long-standing drought at the venue and bounce back from a disappointing performance last week, found themselves chasing the game from the outset.
The Cats asserted early dominance, dictating terms and establishing a significant lead. It wasn’t until five minutes into the fourth quarter that Alex Neal-Bullen managed to nudge Adelaide in front, a moment that seemed to spark a potential comeback. However, Geelong quickly regained their composure, ultimately clinching a 9.14 (68) to 9.6 (60) victory. This result leaves Adelaide with a 1-2 win-loss record, while Geelong improves to 2-1 ahead of their upcoming clash with Hawthorn.
Nicks was blunt in his assessment of the opening stages. “Probably the first 10 minutes of the game we were still on the bus,” he admitted. “But again, we showed we can fight back from it. Unfortunately, when you’re doing that against the best teams, you’re going to walk in after a game and be disappointed in a close loss. We’d like to be better than that.” He acknowledged the difficulty of the loss, particularly after fighting back to take the lead on opposition territory. “It’s a tough one to swallow when you start like that and you fight back to get in front, especially at a hostile ground like this.”
Key Absences and Standout Performances
Both sides were hampered by significant omissions. Adelaide were without captain Jordan Dawson (calf), veteran forward Taylor Walker (managed), recruit Callum Ah Chee (hamstring), and Rory Laird (calf). Geelong, meanwhile, were missing their skipper Patrick Dangerfield (calf).
Despite the perceived dominance of Geelong, coach Chris Scott admitted his team’s attacking execution was far from perfect. “Potentially, it was going to be a really frustrating night for us because even though we weren’t executing very well, it felt like we had control of the game for large periods,” Scott commented. He added that while the “weight of numbers” eventually proved decisive, it wasn’t the polished performance he would have hoped for.
On the Geelong side, several players put in strong performances. Bailey Smith was a standout with 39 disposals, ably supported by Max Holmes (27 disposals). Tom Stewart and Sam De Koning were also prominent. In attack, Jack Martin proved a handful, kicking three crucial goals, while Ollie Dempsey added two. Oisin Mullin played a vital defensive role, effectively limiting the impact of Adelaide’s Izak Rankine.
For the Crows, Josh Rachele was a significant contributor with 31 disposals and seven clearances. Sam Berry also impressed at the coalface, securing nine clearances. Josh Worrell (30 disposals) and Zac Taylor, who managed three goals, were also among Adelaide’s better performers. Notably, Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron and Shannon Neale were kept goalless by the diligent efforts of Adelaide’s Max Michalanney and Nick Murray respectively.
A Tense Second Half and a Crucial Turning Point
The momentum began to shift in Adelaide’s favour during the second term. The Crows managed to kick three consecutive goals, with Rankine playing a hand in two of them, reducing the deficit to just six points at halftime. They continued this resurgence in the third quarter, trailing by only four points heading into the final term.
Early in the final quarter, a moment of brilliance from Riley Thilthorpe, who outpointed his opponent and then set up Neal-Bullen, saw Adelaide snatch the lead. However, the Cats responded with sustained pressure on their forward line.
The decisive blow came when Jack Martin, after a contentious last disposal free kick that went Geelong’s way, managed to weave through traffic and kick his third goal, restoring an eight-point buffer. While Nicks declined to dwell on the umpiring decision, it undeniably played a role in the critical passage of play.
Adelaide will now need to regroup and analyse their performance before facing Fremantle next Friday night, aiming to address the recurring issue of slow starts that has plagued them in the early stages of the season.
