Round 12 – Adelaide v GWS: Orange for a night

 

 

Adelaide v GWS, Adelaide Oval
8 June 2019

 

Both of these two teams could finish top four. Both of these teams could also miss the finals from here (well, probably not GWS, but still) … what a season so far.

 

This game should be interesting.

 

My Bombers need the Giants to win to keep the Crows’ hopes at returning to September sketchy. I’m wearing orange tonight.

 

Josh Jenkins get the game, and the Crows, rolling. They miss three gettable shots. Giants haven’t released their tsunami … yet. It’s probably coming, though. I mean, have you seen them this year so far?

 

Just like that, Perryman kicks a goal for the Sydney-siders (western version). Betts responds. What follows is … nothing. Not scoring-wise, at least, save for a behind from a snap from the ruck-contest and a behind to the G-men. Jenkins misses one, and the Crows have five behinds from seven scoring shots. They should be in front by five goals at least, which is pointed out by the commentators. Yet again, GWS misses a great chance too when Jeremy Cameron becomes victim to his teammate not knowing what a shepherd is. Nine-point lead to the Crows at the short break.

 

Second stanza begins. Adelaide is sounding like they are dominating in all areas except for scoring. 6 and a half minutes into the quarter, the scoreline has not changed. I go away to do something else, anything more enthralling, like pick a piece of chicken out from between my teeth. I come back, hoping for a change of score. I am let down.

 

I transfer from the radio to the TV. This change brings a goal with it. Finally! Sadly, it is scored by Adelaide. GWS isn’t doing Essendon any favours. They break down whenever they enter their forward fifty. Himmelberg shows his teammates how it’s done. Great grab, badly needed goal. It kick starts the orange tide. It may only be a ripple for now, but it nets another goal, this time from Kelly. Suddenly they are within three. Kelly misses a chance to give them the lead. Adelaide looks nervous. Tex has a chance to calm Crow nerves with a shot from fifty. He takes it. Brown doesn’t take his. The margin is nine heading into the half. Despite a flurry of scoring at the end of that term, the margin hasn’t budged. Both teams have issues. Leon has work to do.

 

Second half. Should prove to be very interesting. Josh Jenkins, in a mirror-image to the first half, kicks the first. Adelaide then kick another. This is not looking good for the G-Men. Himmelberg makes things look a little better for the G-Men by kicking his second. The free-kick count is shown. 15-5 in favour of Adelaide. Ouch. I put betadine on a spider bite on my finger. OUCH. I come back to the TV, wincing a little, to see the Giants being bullied by Adelaide. They look like they’re wincing. Yet … they can’t land the killer blow. They keep the Orange tide in the game.

 

A whole lotta nothing follows. Then, for a second, a fly distracted me. I turn back towards the screen, and Hopper’s celebrating. I await the replay. Wow. Nice banana, and he sold some candy, too. Willy Wonka who? Hopper, that’s who. Taranto benefits from a dodgy decision, to a chorus of boos from the locals (who themselves have benefited from bad umpiring mistakes tonight). Suddenly, Josh Kelly takes a mark inside-fifty with a chance to put the G-Men in front. I can hardly believe how quickly this game has changed. Kelly nails it.

 

Ok, Adelaide. Your turn to respond. They don’t. They panic. They look nervous. Really nervous. The orange tsunami is threatening to crest.

 

If it will, it hasn’t yet. Not yet. The Crows are probably relieved they only trail by four points at three quarter time. This Essendon supporter is equally relieved that GWS has finally arrived.

 

The final term. The footy has been kicked off the screen, replaced by comedy. Sloane puts Adelaide in front again. Crouch extends it. Suddenly, GWS has stopped. The tsunami has seemingly crested at the height of a small ripple. Daniel Lloyd pegs one back for the orange-jumpered side. My puppy-dog eyes get the channel changed (thank you, Jilly). Game is so tight now. A bad turnover nearly costs Adelaide the lead. They are let off by the ball deciding to bounce into the post. Jeremy Cameron, from the pocket, takes the lead back anyways with a contender for goal of the year (and in Eddie’s pocket, too). GWS by four. Jeremy Cameron then gets a free kick, much to the dismay of the locals. He’s at the center of everything. And he’s threatening to break a few South Australian hearts tonight. Heath Shaw then commits a coach killer. Five teammates with one Crow. And he hit the Adelaide opponent square on the chest. Taylor Walker makes him pay with a great mark. He’s right in front. He can’t miss. Surely. He doesn’t.

 

A scoreless few minutes follow. But unlike earlier in the night, it’s intense. Greenwood takes a wonderful mark. He kicks the goal. Crows by eight. DANG IT! C’MON GIANTS, HELP A DON OUT!

 

They don’t. Neither do the umpires (I mean, is consistency too much to ask for? This is turning into the NFL in regards to standards of officiating). Sloane decides to help himself to a goal. Adelaide help themselves to a win. And Eddie kicks yet another ridiculous goal (seriously, how does he do it? It gets more ridiculous every single time).

 

I’m not convinced by the Crows. But they win an important game nonetheless.

 

The Giants? Lost to the Hawks away. The Eagles away. The Crows away. They have an away issue. In a league where the most important game of all is played at a ground that isn’t home for the G-men, they need to solve this issue, and pretty quickly.

 

Crows by 21. Oh, did I mention they won the free quick count by almost as much as they won the game by? Ha.

About Caspar McLeod

Third Culture Kid at Heart. Grew up in Asia, discovered footy at age 9. AFL has since been my burning passion. Ask me who were the winners all the grand finals between 1938 and last year's decider, and I'll be happy to tell you. I'm a footy nut with a passion for writing and acting. All though I love writing and acting, during the footy season, AFL is my true passion. Waiting ever so patiently for the day when Essendon Next win the flag.

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