Australian Football

Match Report

All of the weekend's action would take place on the Sunday afternoon, the first game takes us north to the X-Convenience Oval in Elizabeth where the Bulldogs faced the Crows. Back in Round 2, the Bulldogs were in fine form in their early-season run and the Crows were one of their conquests. Centrals were victorious by 55 points at the Ponderosa, the Crows had a dog of a day in front of goal for a return of 5.12. But as of late, the Doggies' form has been patchy at best despite winning their last three games including against the Magpies last week, while the Crows shocked everyone with their dominant 39-point disposal of a misfiring reigning premier at Glenelg. A good deal of that could be put down to some key ins, some of which would find their way to Goodman Road today. The Bulldogs would score the first goal, but then the Crows talls down back smothered their attack for the rest of the term while four goals were bagged at the other end. The board would read 4.3 to 1.1 Adelaide's way at the quarter-time siren. Another three Adelaide goals were scored before Centrals would get another of their own as the visitors' advantage was stretched to 34 points going into the long break. Further adding to the Bulldogs' frustration in that second quarter was a pair of bewildering umpire calls in front of goal, including one that saw three Crows bodies clash for the ball, only for a free kick to be called against the Dogs. That aside however, the Bulldogs were not playing like they did last week, history would repeat itself from their 2023 games where the Dogs won the earlier match only to be pantsed in the follow-up. The Crows' advantage would stretch to eight straight shots going into the final change, they added a further four goals without a miss while the home side's 2.3 put the deficit to 43 points come three quarter-time. The final term was awash with behinds for both sides, try as they did in the finish the Bulldogs could only make up a small bit of ground. Adelaide didn't find the goals again, managing just three behinds to the Dogs' 1.4 as they left with a six-goal win and rose to seventh on the ladder. Ned McHenry was named best for the Crows, collecting 22 disposals, six marks and drawing four frees. Harry Grant was Centrals' bes twith 27 disposals, nine tackles and eight clearances.