After a disappointing performance against the Bulldogs last week, the Crows once again reaffirmed their top eight credentials, beating the Lions in wet conditions on Sunday afternoon.
Adelaide bounced back into form in fine style on Sunday, Rory Laird and Jordan Dawson starring as the resurgent Crows rallied to a pulsating 17-point win over the wasteful Brisbane Lions.
Coming off their biggest loss of the season, a lethargic effort against the Western Bulldogs, Matthew Nicks’ rejuvenated men responded to a third-quarter challenge by kicking six of seven goals in a pivotal period either side of three-quarter time to score an impressive 14.11 (95) to 10.18 (78) win at Adelaide Oval.
The Lions were in second spot on the ladder heading into the clash, on the prowl for an eighth win in a row, but the fired-up Crows fought desperately to improve to a 6-5 record and strengthen their hold on a top-eight spot.
Brisbane was left to rue poor kicking for goal, the visitors going inside attacking 50 19 more times than the home side.
Laird, Dawson and Ben Keays were important through the middle, while Taylor Walker finished with three goals.
Lachie Neale struggled to shake the attention of Keays early, but finished with 26 possessions and 11 clearances, with Josh Dunkley influential with 29 disposals, while Charlie Cameron booted four goals against his old side.
DOWNTOWN DELIGHT
Adelaide’s defence was under siege early, with the Lions going inside attacking 50 six times to nil to open the contest.
Dangerous duo Joe Daniher and Cameron, minded by Nick Murray and Max Michalanney respectively, couldn’t capitalise close to goal so Daniel Rich took matters into his own hands.
In his return game after a three-week calf injury, the veteran let loose a long bomb from inside the centre square that bounced through for the visitors’ opening major.
Cam Rayner followed suit with another bomb from downtown inside the centre square as Brisbane rattled off three goals in a row off the back of a lopsided 13-1 inside 50 count.
But with the alarm bells ringing, Riley Thilthorpe, who missed the loss to the Bulldogs with a sore knee, took two strong marks and fired up the home side with back-to-back goals.
ROCKIN’ RANKINE
Adelaide trailed by two points at the first break, but with the rain intensifying, the home side ratcheted up the pressure to dominate possession and force multiple turnovers in a much-improved second-quarter showing.
Walker went back-to-back, and Keays took a break from curbing Neale’s influence to pounce on a turnover and boot his first major.
Izak Rankine made it four goals in a row with rock star style, the gifted forward booting a goal-of-the-year contender to put his side 23 points up.
Running towards the city end pocket boundary line, Rankine threw the ball onto his left foot and celebrated a stunning goal with high-fives for delighted fans.
The Crows managed just five goals against the Dogs, but had seven on the board at halftime.
But their lead was just 11 points after Dayne Zorko and Cameron struck inside the last three minutes of the half.
RACHELE SHOW
The second half started much the same as the first did, with the surging Lions attacking in waves.
Neale didn’t have his usual influence in the first half with 11 possessions, but the Brownlow Medal winner was instrumental as the Lions got on top at the stoppages.
The hard-charging Lions led inside 50s 14-1 to start the third term, but in a carbon copy of the early exchanges, they largely wasted their scoring opportunities with a wasteful return of 1.9.
At the other end, Adelaide made the most of limited opportunities.
Ned McHenry, a late inclusion for Brodie Smith (back), converted from close range with less than two minutes remaining then Josh Rachele finished a pulsating quarter with his own goal-of-the-year contender.
Hemmed in against the boundary in the Eddie Betts pocket, Rachele threaded the eye of the needle off his right boot for a stunner that Eddie would be proud of.
CROWS 3.3 7.7 10.8 14.11 (95)
LIONS 3.5 5.8 6.17 10.18 (78)
PHELAN’S BEST CROWS: Laird, Dawson, Keays, Rankine, Milera, Murray, O’Brien, Sholl. LIONS: Neale, Dunkley, Rich, Cameron, Zorko, Bailey, McCluggage, McInerney.
GOALS CROWS: Walker 3, Thilthorpe 2, Pedlar 2, Rankine 2, Rachele, McHenry, Fogarty, Soligo, Keays. LIONS: Cameron 4, Daniher 2, Zorko, Rich, Rayner, McCluggage.
INJURIES CROWS: Smith (back – late withdrawal). LIONS: Nil.
UMPIRES Johansen, Hosking, Meredith, Fleer
33,188 at ADELAIDE OVAL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
JASON PHELAN’S VOTES
3 Laird (Adel)
2 Neale (Bris)
1 Dawson (Adel)
Watch: Did Zorko touch young Crow’s eyes?
Former Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko could be facing a sanction from the Match Review Officer for what looks like a potential eye gouge on young Adelaide player Luke Pedlar.
Footage showed Zorko’s right hand near Pedlar’s eye after the Lion tackled the young Crow in the first quarter of the Sunday evening clash between the two at Adelaide Oval.
Zorko relinquished the Lions captaincy at the start of this season.
Originally published as AFL 2023: Crows bounce back from Ballarat blunder to beat Brisbane 95-78