Adelaide take the hits and carry on
RORY Sloane and Tom Lynch epitomised courage under fire against Melbourne as Adelaide found another way to win without its club champion in a stirring debut Darwin triumph.
A key talking point from the sellout clash will be a thirdterm concussion to Sloane, which could see the vice-captain out of Friday’s heavyweight bout with Geelong at Adelaide Oval.
Key defender Jake Lever also finished the game with a heavily iced hamstring.
Bernie Vince again quelled Sloane but a clash early in the second term with Richard Douglas attracted the wrath of former Adelaide teammates and the Demons tagger will face the Match Review Panel. Douglas’s head was over the ball when Vince made contact with an elbow.
Linkman Lynch (27 touches, three goals) made a remarkable return after missing two games with viral meningitis to boot crucial majors at the start and end of the final term after the Demons made a concerted charge. Skipper Taylor Walker’s two final-term goals sealed the 46-point win and top spot for the Crows.
Lynch’s resumption from viral meningitis meant Adelaide coach Don Pyke was able to unleash his imposing forward quartet for just the second time this season. Closing down Lynch, Taylor Walker, Josh Jenkins and Mitch McGovern was beyond a Melbourne defence deprived of shelter by a depleted midfield.
Adelaide had led by 45 points after Josh Jenkins opened the third stanza with an easy goal but a sling tackle from Dean Kent saw Sloane appearing to be knocked out on impact with the surface.
Courageous Sloane had to be compelled by skipper Walker and club medicos to leave the ground. Sloane did not re- turn while goals from Alex Neale-Bullen and Max Gawn ignited the Demons as Adelaide lost momentum.
Clayton Oliver was dynamic in Melbourne’s secondhalf swamping of Adelaide two months ago and was impressive again last night but this time there would be difficult without Nathan Jones, Jack Viney and Dom Tyson.
Vince had put time into Sloane with just eight touches but Matt (31 touches) and Brad Crouch (28) got off the chain and shared 26 contested possessions. The Crouch boys continue to silence the doubters while Rory Laird does no wrong in defence with 34 touches (14 contested).
David MacKay had got the ball rolling for Adelaide after capitalising on a customary break from Charlie Cameron who had won three contested possessions in the first three minutes.
Riley Knight, Walker with his second then Brad Crouch cashed in as Adelaide smashed Melbourne on the rebound with six straight goals and reward for a first-quarter dominance and 46-37 contested possession superiority.