Round 19 – Adelaide v Richmond: THUD

After a stirring win against the Hawks the week before, the Tigers headed to Adelaide to take on the Crows under the bright lights of Friday Night Football. The Adelaide Oval. The scene of last year’s Elimination Final implosion. Also the scene of the debut of the Tigers’ new away strip and redemption against Port Adelaide earlier this year.

So I made it home from work with about half an hour to spare. Ordered Chinese take-away. Sat back on the couch. And then THUD. The Tigers came back to earth at the hands of a brilliant Crows outfit.

Who knows how the Crows are coping following the alleged murder of their coach Phil Walsh. That the alleged murder was an act of patricide further complicating already unfathomable grief. Walsh was a father figure to many of these players as well. But come to play they did. Jacobs, Talia, Walker, Dangerfield and Sloane the first among equals. That Richmond was still a chance of winning the game during the last quarter told the story of inaccurate kicking and rushed behinds.

And so a Friday night when your team is beaten interstate there’s not much to say. Bigger and more important things happen in this word. And yet nothing can take away the importance of this match to the Adelaide team. I’m not writing the Tigers off. But I’m not writing any more about this week.

Sometimes you just move on to the next week. That’s what the Adelaide players are showing us through the most harrowing of circumstances. They are to be admired for it.

About Chris Daley

Tiger fan Chris Daley works in Community Nursing, which has taken him to Perth, Broome and now Dandenong. Being tall, he used to get a game in the ruck playing bush footy outside of Warrnambool.

Comments

  1. Bec. Blossomvictory says

    Very well said Chris, AFL footy is indeed a weekly-based game, just like weekly pay, can be miserable or joyful!! … Sometimes, a week is like a pain of century long / eternity; sometimes is just a pleasant quick breeze!! — Hope your Chinese takeaway has helped! lol “How the Crowboys have coped??” – No bloody idea.

  2. Ben Footner says

    As an Adelaide fan I’m extremely proud of their efforts given the tragedy which unfolded only weeks ago. Would love a bit of a positive end to the story, to be able to make the finals and have a win would be just magic. What a story it would make.

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