Crows circling the gurgler

It’s a question that I have been wondering since the start of the season. Why was this match being broadcast on Channel 10? Surely North Melbourne v Sydney should have been on free-to-air television, but the Carlton supporters at 10 (Robert Walls, Tim Lane, Sam Lane, Andrew Maher) must have requested this match.

After a 1.2.8 to 33.19.217 loss to Dookie United in the morning, I was keen to get home and listen to North v Swans on the radio, but I knew the game to report on today was the clash between the horribly out of form Crows and the stuttering Blues. It made for a good contest. The tremors that hit Adelaide the night before were to be the equivalent if the Crows lost today.

The game started, and much like Mark LeCras’ effort last night, Chris Yarran snapped the first goal within the first minute. Chris Judd was given a free kick and 50m penalty from the restart and slotted his first of the 2010 season in his first game since the Elimination Final last year. Yarran impressed again with a calm left foot goal from deep in the Brendan Fevola pocket, before Ryan Houlihan goaled after some great defensive pressure. Richard Douglas broke the drought with a long goal, but Eddie Betts replied with a goal. A late goal to Brett Burton saw the margin cut to 12 points at quarter time, 2.7 to 5.1.

The second quarter began and Yarran kicked his third, a career-best, before Setanta O’hAilpin took a great mark and goaled straight from the centre clearance. Kade Simpson goaled on the run from the pocket, before Heath Scotland extended the lead out to 39 points with a major. Scott Thompson received a double 50m penalty and converted before Jeff Garlett, hardly sighted during the game so far, snapped a goal to give Carlton a commanding 37 point lead, 10.4 to 3.9.

The second half commenced and after Garlett ran into an open goal within the first minute, it took until very late into the quarter for Simpson to kick the next one which extended the lead to 44 points. Taylor Walker marked and goaled on the siren to reduce it to 38 at the last change, an inaccurate Adelaide 4.15 to Carlton 12.5.

The last term started and Thompson took a good mark before marching to the goalsquare after a 50m penalty. He goaled, before Chris Knights floated into a pack to take a good grab, slotting his first and all of a sudden, the Crows were alive and in the game, 28 points in arrears. They squandered their chances though, as they had for the entire match, and the Blues finished off the game superbly. Houlihan kicked his second, before Garlett snapped a pearler from deep in the pocket. Houlihan then kicked his third from a scramble in the goalsquare, before Lachie Henderson put the final nail in the coffin by taking a good mark in the goalsquare to ram home Carlton’s 16^th goal. The final siren sounded, making the unthinkable 0-4 start to the season for the Adelaide Crows a reality, losing by 48 points, 6.19.55 to 16.7.103.

After all the hype over the Crows in the pre-season, it seems to have gone down the gurgler, along with their September chances. It’s gonna be tough to claw their way back to a comfortable position in the 8, and it’s not gonna get any easier with the Western Bulldogs next Friday night with the eyes of Australia on them, but they should hit back hard. Neil Craig wouldn’t accept anything else.

Adelaide 2.7—3.9—4.15—6.19.55

Carlton 5.1—10.4—12.5—16.7.103

Goalkickers:

Adelaide-Thompson 2, Burton, Knights, Walker, Douglas

Carlton-Garlett 3, Houlihan 3, Yarran 3, Simpson 2, Judd, O’hAilpin, Henderson, Betts, Scotland

Best:

Adelaide-Vince, McLeod, Knights, Edwards

Carlton-Walker, Judd, Houlihan, Lucas, Murphy, Gibbs, Carrazzo, White

Crowd: 38,321 at AAMI Stadium

Votes:

3: Andrew Walker (C)

2: Chris Judd (C)

1: Ryan Houlihan (C)