Karma bug bites wayward Crows in Friday fright night
Justin Chadwick |
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks reckons karma finally caught up with his side after watching them spray shot after shot in the three-point loss to Hawthorn in Launceston.
The Crows had been lucky to escape with a five-point win against Brisbane a week earlier, kicking 5.0 to 0.8 in the final term to snatch victory.
But it was the complete opposite on a cold and slippery night in Tasmania against the Hawks, with Adelaide spraying 1.7 in the second half on the way to the 6.11 (47) to 5.14 (44) loss.
Adelaide controlled the match for large portions of the night, but their inability to put Hawthorn away, especially in the first half, came back to haunt them.
Crows forwards Taylor Walker, Riley Thilthorpe and Josh Rachele combined for 0.8 for the game.
“It was a bit of karma,” Nicks said.
“I guess we’ve got to be able to take that and go away and learn from it.
“We dominated at front of centre. We played the game where we wanted to play the game.
“It’s just one of those nights in the end, we didn’t put the scoreboard pressure on when we needed to.”
The result left both Hawthorn and Adelaide with 9-5 records.
Star Hawthorn midfielder Jai Newcombe was restricted to just five disposals in the first half under a tight tag from Sam Berry.
Although Newcombe finished with only 15 disposals and three clearances – well down on his season averages – he popped up for the match-winning goal with only four minutes remaining.
“He didn’t have a great night, he got sat on a lot,” Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said of Newcombe.
“But he stayed in it, stayed in it, stayed in it, and then his moment came at the end.
“He’s been sat on a lot this year. It’s been a steep learning curve for him.
“As he matures as a player, being able to make a contribution – maybe not as prolifically – but still with his impact in key moments, I thought it was a good leader’s game from him.”
Hawthorn were woeful in the slippery conditions during the first half, with Jack Gunston’s two goals their only shining light.
But Mitchell was proud of the defensive effort of his players, describing it as one of the team’s best wins of the season.
“The last three minutes, I was talking down the phone the whole time, knowing full well that no one could do anything about what I was saying,” Mitchell said.
“It was a game to be proud of, because Adelaide are a very good side.
“I’m sure it wasn’t the greatest spectacle on the TV,.
“But I think some of the purists would have enjoyed some parts of the game where it was very much an arm wrestle with the odd haymaker that got thrown, which landed a couple of times, which is what it dook in the end.”
AAP
