AFL Football Round 2 – Adelaide Crows vs West Coast Eagles
After a brilliant NAB Cup campaign the Crows should have been extremely disappointed with the loss last week and would have expected a win against the Western Bulldogs. The loss of Reilly will hurt the Crow midfield and the new look West Coast midfield were great last week minus Ben Cousins and Chris Judd. Ball magnet Matt Priddis was again amongst the possessions and Daniel Kerr was brilliant before running out of legs. Goodwin may need to spend a bit more time there this week to counter these types and Jason Porplyzia will again need to play well. Porplyzia has certainly stepped up to be a quality midfielder in the AFL and the Eagles will need to watch him very closely.
The big contest that will shape the game will be that of the ruck department. Dean Cox is the best modern day ruckman and with the Crows inexperienced in this department they are going to have to find some way of negating the big fellas influence. Whether that is the mid fielders roving to him or some other way he needs to be tamed if the Crows are going to come away with the win. Cox lead the possessions for the Eagles last week with 29 touches and from a Ruck Man it is quite amazing, he also managed 22 hit outs. Braun and Fletcher gave great support racking up 27 touches a piece. Adam Hunter started back and was shifted forward when the Eagles were in a bit of strife again as John Worsfold tends to do and again it worked. Beau Waters hit bodies very hard as is his style and David Wirrpanda floated around as he does.
It is a big test for the Adelaide Crows midfield here and I think they will be able to cover the Eagles and with Andrew McLeod ready to explode on his home turf they can win this in a close one by 13 points. My biggest worry here for the Crows is the Ruck. It is a tough one to pick this one but I think the Crows at home can do it.
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2 Responses to “AFL Football Round 2 – Adelaide Crows vs West Coast Eagles”
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Eagles look too strong down back and will be able to cover Adelaide’s ‘weak’ forward line. Burton is the key, if he can provide a good target, the Eagles will struggle to match him. He is the one match winner of both sides forward lines.
I agree, the ruck is going to be a big problem. Traditionally, the Eagles play the Crows well at AAMI. And Adelaide giving up 126 pts to the Bulldogs isn’t a good sign.