Crows onslaught smashes visitors
ADELAIDE belted St Kilda by 57 points in a Friday night fizzer to reclaim top spot of the AFL ladder.
Forwards Tom Lynch, Josh Jenkins and Taylor Walker kicked three goals each in the 16.15 (111) to 7.12 (54) victory at Adelaide Oval last night.
The Crows overtook Greater Western Sydney at the top of the table, although the Giants can return to pole position with a win tomorrow over Carlton.
Adelaide rebounded from a week of harsh criticism after its flop in Geelong by streeting the lacklustre Saints early — kicking seven of the initial eight goals.
The dominance created a 40-point lead eight minutes into the second quarter and the result was decided.
Ruckman Sam Jacobs (25 disposals, 37 hit outs) was instrumental in the onslaught, feeding a hungry midfield headed by Matt Crouch (29 possessions) and Richard Douglas (28 touches).
Defenders Rory Laird (34 disposals), Brodie Smith and Jake Lever were superb as Adelaide strangled the Saints, who mustered just two firsthalf goals — both to Josh Bruce.
Bruce also kicked St Kilda’s third major midway through the third quarter — he finished with four for the game — but by that stage, his side was nearly 10 goals down.
The only downer for the Crows was prime onballer Rory Sloane again being rendered ineffectual by a tagger — he had just five disposals to halftime and 14 for the match.
St Kilda, despite the best efforts of Bruce, Seb Ross (39 touches), Jack Steven (33 disposals) and Dylan Roberton TODAY Hawthorn v Gold Coast Brisbane Lions v Fremantle Essendon v Port Adelaide TOMORROW Carlton v GWS Giants MONDAY Melbourne v Collingwood (25 possessions) remain in the mire — it has lost its past three matches by a combined 147 points.
And disturbingly for coach Alan Richardson, his side’s scoring has dried up — it has returned meagre totals of 54, 50 and 68 points in the three losses.