DOGS ADD MORE WOE FOR CROWS
TIME is running out for Adelaide to avoid becoming the first club to go winless since Fitzroy in 1964.
And aside from a sixminute spell in the first quarter against Western Bulldogs at Metricon Stadium – having already conceded the first five goals – the Crows showed little to suggest they could taste victory in 2020.
Sunday’s 16.15 (111) to 8.6 (54) loss was their 15th straight.
Sometimes stats mislead, but not in this game.
The Dogs had a seasonrecord 61 inside 50s to 32, they won clearances 44 to 19, had 121 more disposals, and won the tackle count 54 to 40.
The Crows did lift to kick three goals in six minutes, but the superior quality of their opposition came to the fore.
Marcus Bontempelli was outstanding (33 disposals, nine tackles, 12 score involvements).
Aaron Naughton kicked a career-high six goals, while second-year midfielder Bailey Smith had 37 disposals as the Bulldogs claimed a much needed 57-point win.
The only downside was that young ruckman Tim English appeared to roll his left ankle in the dying minutes.
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks said the game came down to midfield contests.
“We were beaten by a much stronger midfield group,” he said on Sunday.
“They have bigger bodies, we were unable to stick tackles, they were cleaner with the ball.
“We win hit-outs and we get a chance with first possession, but we fumble.
“Some of that we knew what we were coming up against, we knew coming in that they had a very strong midfield, but you can’t have numbers like we did.
“We lost tackles by 13, we lost contested ball by nearly 40. You can’t be doing that.”
It was the kind of display from Bontempelli that fans have been waiting for all season.
For some reason the Crows decided not to tag the Bulldogs superstar – and Bontempelli made them pay.
By quarter-time he had more clearances than the entire Crows team, and a captain’s goal to boot.
In one passage of play, Bontempelli first got a tackle in, then forced a turnover from Harry Schoenberg, arrowed a kick into the forward 50m, then found himself on the end of a handball and slotted the goal. It was true class.