Changes at the Crows vs Cats

Adelaide Crows vs. Geelong Cats

16.07.2010

AAMI Stadium.

I began drafting ideas for this entry on my way home after this tense, tight game of footy.  As I sit here much calmer and in a sober state on a grey Sunday arvo I feel much better writing about it and will do so knowing that change is still something that is good. I wrote some notes as I sat on a bus on my way back somewhere back towards my new home in Unley.  For those who have not experienced this it is surreal experience when in the middle of winter with all windows fogged you could imagine yourself in some type of Jules Verne novel, being led in to some cloning station in the centre of the Earth.   After a wonderful victory the bus was full of happy, contented Crows fans. I was in a blurred mental state, slightly tipsy on watery XXXX Gold, and softened from the mental torture from Crows fans residing at the goalkickers bar in the 2^nd half beneath the Eastern wing of Arctic Park 2.

On the bus I was contemplating all the changes that had occurred in my life the last month or so, namely moving back to Adelaide after a great 7 months living in Melbourne where I was much closer to the cattery.  Overall change has been a good thing, to return to where family, close friends, a job that felt right and where house prices were (slightly) more affordable.  But since I have been proclaiming that change is a good thing, one thing remains – I haven’t seen the catters win live since a comfy win over the dees in late May.

Yes I am a greedy cats fan, but I know the premiership window is only open for so long….

Ahhh change.  Which brings me to the game. One thing that has changed is how well the Crows are playing and how they have really turned things around since that pitiful performance i witnessed with my crows obsessed wife back in April at the G.

At the start of the game my mate Matt, my wife and I sat back to take up our seats high in the Northern Stand (where there are seemingly 4 times when you need to show your ticket).  And at the start I should have been happy – first 3 goals, chappy looking menacing, the Cats looking like bursting through the Crows zonal defence at will.   But I was uneasy even from that early stage maybe it was the first sip of XXXX.   The crows got a couple back in the 1^st –  the basketballer  Tippett was looking good and in the 2^nd quarter ,the flash but at times brilliant youngster from Norwood ,Taylor Walker kicked a ripper.   It was a tight game which wasn’t helped by poor umpiring which actually helped the Cats edge to a 6 point lead at half time.

At half time the 3 of us met with other friends (all Crows fans of course) who had congregated to the goalkickers bar.  While Stace and Matt went to go a watch the game I decided that it was better to be closer to the worst beer in Australia and mates.  Maybe watching it on TV would help. It didn’t.

The catters nabbed the first goal, achieved after a dubious umpiring decision…but from thereafter the Crows surged, through Bernie Vince (where was he in the 1^st half of the season?), Taylor Walker,  Graham Johncock and  Patrick Dangerfield, who can come back to Geelong anytime.  His 45 metre set shot from the tony hall pocket side of the ground was magnificent and very roo-esque. Unlike the first moments of the game the Cats were unable to burst the Crows zone, and the team in red, blue and gold were using the ball far better.  Meanwhile whilst getting beers at the bar i was abused for being a so called ‘drug dealer’ (i know XXXX is bad but that was ridiculous or was it my hooded top?) and also for supporting the ‘dirty cheat’ Selwood, who in my opinion was easily our best player.

In the final quarter the cats (led through the previously anonymous Gary Ablett) somehow edged within a goal of the Crows, but the home team held on to take the game out by 11.  It was a great win for Adelaide and although the Cats did look a little frazzled , the Crows just seemed to want it more much in the same way that the Demons wanted the win more against the Crows  back in round 3.  Added to the fact that the Crows played off the blueprint used by St Kilda to strangle us in Round 13 and Geelong were done.

And as for change?  Well it can be a good thing –  I knew when my mate Tim told me’ the cats’ll be alright mate’ when the final siren sounded that we had made the right decision to come back home.  Great mates are more precious than footy clubs.  Besides, Geelong is still only a couple of hours away and my local side Sturt have won 2 in a row to keep SANFL finals hopes alive!

Adelaide 2.3.15    4.3.27   8.8.56   11.8.74

Geelong   3.1.19   5.3.33    7.3.45  9.9.63

CROWD: 41,194  & 1 cats fans in a state of flux

VOTES:

3 Bernie Vince (ADL)

2 Joel Selwood (GEE)

1 Taylor Walker (ADL)