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Comeback Crows overtake Hawks at MCG

Adelaide will head into next weekend's Showdown on top of the AFL ladder after defeating Hawthorn by 24 points at the MCG.

Taylor Walker of the Crows (centre) celebrates a goal
Adelaide will head into next weekend's Showdown on top of the AFL ladder after defeating Hawthorn. (AAP)

Adelaide have swept aside Hawthorn for a second-straight win to start the AFL season, emerging 24-point victors in a combative match at the MCG.

The Crows overturned a four-goal quarter-time deficit to win 16.17 (113) to 13.11 (89) on Saturday afternoon.

Powered by Rory Sloane's tackling and Tom Lynch's all-around effort, Adelaide worked into the contest to win their first battle with the Hawks since 2011.

The defeat also condemns Hawthorn to their first 0-2 start since 2009, the last time the modern-day powerhouse missed the finals.

Alastair Clarkson's side can have no complaints with the result after being thoroughly worked over by the Crows.

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Hawthorn jumped out of the blocks, putting five of the first six goals on the board - all from small forwards Luke Bruest, Cyril Rioli and Paul Puopolo - while another diminutive figure left his mark.

In his first contest in AFL football, debutant Teia Miles collided with Josh Jenkins to leave the towering Crow worse for wear.

He departed the ground in an ambulance with a suspected punctured lung.

Hawk Grant Birchall also suffered a possible broken cheekbone in the first quarter but played on before heading to hospital after the match.

Puopolo pulled in a mark of the year contender in the second term as Adelaide put the cramps on the Hawks' scoring.

By the third quarter, Adelaide hit the front through a Mitch McGovern goal, bookended by two sparkling Eddie Betts majors.

For his first trick, Betts circled a static James Frawley to kick a fine running goal.

Five minutes later, he took a hand-off from the impressive Sam Jacobs on the boundary line, running inside and kicking a checkside goal.

Hawthorn captain Jarryd Roughead had set shots either side of the last change to return his side to the lead but missed both.

Adelaide made the Hawks pay, slamming on four unanswered goals including two clutch running efforts by David Mackay.

Sloane was paramount in the fourth term, gathering 13 touches for the quarter and laying 16 tackles for the match.

Lynch was mighty with 31 disposals and 14 marks, with Jacobs and Charlie Camerson among the Crows' best.

Adelaide coach Don Pyke hailed his side's turnaround.

"At quarter-time we were challenged and it was a great response by the players," he said.

"At half-time the game had swung and we were back playing the way we wanted to."

For Hawthorn, Tom Mitchell (38 disposals) and Jaeger O'Meara (37 disposals) worked hard, Puopolo was lively and fifth-gamer Ryan Burton looked solid in defence.

Isaac Smith and Liam Shiels (both corked leg) joined Birchall with injury concerns by game's end.

Clarkson said turnovers - particularly by hand - killed his side's chances of sustaining their early effort.

"We had 46 clanger or ineffective handballs," he said.

"We made choices with the ball that forced us into more handballs and that gave the game back in Adelaide's favour."


3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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