Round 13 – Brisbane v Adelaide: The View From Shepparton: Brisbane Lost Again

I must confess that with our glory days now a long time ago, and having been out of the state for 15 years, it is sometimes a mite difficult to stay engrossed with the Lions. For years now, they have been a nowhere team going nowhere apart from a few glimpses of hope now and again. I never did understand why Voss was sacked, it seemed to me that latterly in his tenure we were capable of entering into one of those “glimpses of hope” periods again

I felt such a glimpse today actually, even though last time we played we lost by 102 points. Many of the Crows stars have fallen off the pace and with them the team itself, where as I felt that we had definitely started a “green shoots” sign, as they say, even at two and nine for the season.  I might add that in my view the state of both Adelaide teams is a disgrace given the predominance of the code in my old home town.

So I sat in front of my 63 inch Sammy hoping for the Crows to get walloped, but in the preamble I noticed Daniel Rich (what has happened to him?), and Redden, Christensen and Aish(again)!?

We got off to a great start, in an instant it seemed we had goals to Jordon Bourke, who I am ashamed to admit had not crossed my radar as yet even though was the son of Damien, and Redden, from the forward pocket. This was as the result of some really slick ball movement down the ground from Aish to Beams on to Redden. Green should have kicked a third  but didn’t make the distance but it seemed to matter not as Christensen pulled a kick to make a really excellent pass over the head of Taylor who managed to mark the ball as it was coming over his shoulder and subsequently goal. Harwood should have goaled soon after, but Bourke made up for this when kicked his second for the quarter.

The Crows looked like a mob of sheep running around with no purpose, how could they be a finals side? Taylor Walker was hopelessly out of touch. Jenkins and and Smith spoiled the party somewhat by jagging a couple of goals near the end of the quarter, Brisbane 12 points up, should have been 30. I was thus at once happy but frustrated, a reasonably normal state of mind if and when the Lions are doing well.

I suppose that it is easy as a couch potato to be an armchair coach, but Redden seemed lack tow when at the beginning of the second quarter he let a kick coming out of Adelaide’s defence bounce harmlessly out of bounds instead of really attacking the ball. Adelaide were still awful though, Eddie Betts was not allowed to get into the game. Players on both sides missed easy shots for goal and then Zorko, streaming away, gathered Jacobs’ palm-down and belted a goal through from about fifty metres. Harris Andrews completely outmanoeuvred Taylor Walker in a marking contest. He is going to be good this bloke (along with McStay I reckon, although he has to hang on to more “speccies” if he is going to keep attempting them). Mitch Robinson made a fantastic scrambled goal save in a chaotic forward line thrust by the Crows. Brisbane by 17 points a half time but again they had been short changed.

As I look at my scribbles I note that I somewhat optimistically claimed not too far into the third quarter that Adelaide were “cooked”, Robinson had increased Brisbane’s lead, Walker and Crouch missed easy shots for the Crows. Alastair Lynch in the commentary box reckoned that the Crows were “finding ways to lose” which comment was amplified by  a Leuenberger free in the square and goal. Brisbane must be home and hosed surely. At last! I was about to open a celebratory Crown. Brisbane by 24 turning into the straight.

Adelaide finished all over us in the last quarter scoring six goals to zip. Betts, who had done nothing, kicked two, and Scott Thompson who I have been remiss in not mentioning capped off a great match with a fab goal from the pocket.

Our boys ran out of steam but really this is not good enough, it was a home game and they should have won. Adelaide are not a finals side, or at least they don’t deserve to be. For us, at two and ten there is always next week to hear the mighty roar!

Adelaide       2.3        3.6      5.13     11.16   (82)

Brisbane       4.3        6.5       10.7    10.9    (69)

Goals Adelaide: Betts 2, Jenkins 2, Walker 2, Smith, Cameron, Wright, van Berlo, Thompson.

Brisbane: Bourke 2, Leuenberger 2, Christensen, Zorko, Redden, Taylor, Robinson, Hanley.

Best Adelaide: Thompson, Laird, Crouch,

Best Brisbane:  Beams, Robinson, Leuenberger, Zorko

Umpires: Jeffrey, Mitchell Wallace,  Crowd 18146 at the Gabba

Our Votes Beams (Brisbane) 3, Robinson (Brisbane) 2, Thompson (Adelaide) 1

About Peter Schumacher

Wannabe footy commentator and writer, used to be a wannabe footballer

Comments

  1. Dave Brown says

    A fair assessment all round, Peter. For the Crows I can’t help but think Thompson is part of the problem and solution. He is great at winning the ball but now way too slow when he doesn’t have it. The Crows seem heavily reliant on winning the initial contest / clearance, which they are better at than any other team. They just seem so useless (slow) when they don’t, however. A frustrating game of football all around I think.

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