Beltings have develop into the norm for West Coast this 12 months, however this was a brand new low.
Eclipsing their defeat by the hands of Hawthorn in Launceston 20 days in the past, the large 122-point belting by the hands of the Crows is now the worst within the reign of coach Adam Simpson.
Making issues worse, the 27.12 (174) to eight.4 (52) defeat is the fourth worst of their illustrious historical past, their third loss by 100 factors or extra in seven weeks and the largest in 15 years.
Calls for change had been there, however now the followers shall be screaming for one thing to be performed.
The statistics had been damning.
West Coast had been smashing when it comes to disposals (424 – 323), inside 50 (65-34), marks inside 50 (18-3), contested possessions (164-124) and clearances (45-36).
It was even worse on the attention, with Eagles dropping their ft too straightforward, trailing behind more durable working Crows and lacking straightforward targets with out stress in a efficiency they’ve acquired to stay with for a fortnight earlier than their subsequent recreation.
Already undersized, the Eagles misplaced Jake Waterman earlier than the primary bounce to sickness, leaving Elliot Yeo to play as a key defender and 195cm midfielder Greg Clark was referred to as upon to again up Bailey Williams within the ruck.
The celebration started early when Taylor Walker kicked the primary of a career-high 10 lower than a minute into his 250th recreation as he monstered an undersized Rhett Bazzo.
Moments later the Eagles responded when mid-season draftee Ryan Maric joined the primary kick, first aim membership in what can be their solely actual second of pleasure for the night.
West Coast’s midfield was their most skilled line as Tim Kelly , Dom Sheed and Luke Shuey, however they had been smashed within the clearances, leaving their undersized backline uncovered.
Rory Laird was large with 31 touches, 19 contested and 12 clearances, whereas captain Jordan Dawson (30 disposals) and Ben Keays (27 disposals and 7 inside 50s) performed with all out assault.
Walker had three targets by quarter time, prompting Yeo to be despatched to him with little influence, doubling his tally within the first eight minutes of the second time period and equalling his career-best seven by half-time.
This prompted an enormous shuffle, with Oscar Allen being despatched into defence robbing the Eagles of their solely in-form goal.
Remarkably, he nonetheless kicked their first aim for the time period courtesy of a 50m penalty because the Crows continued to wreak havoc all around the floor.
West Coast’s defence was additional depleted when Luke Foley was subbed out of the sport with a hamstring damage within the third time period, but it surely mattered little.
Despite being to date in entrance, the Crows by no means dropped their depth, forcing the Eagles into errors and pushing exhausting ahead from defence.
Maric would kick a second aim within the second time period, whereas Yeo (30 disposals and 5 clearances) and Kelly (27 and three) would struggle exhausting within the midfield on the ft of ruckman Bailey Williams (20, six and 35 hit-outs), however they’d little assist throughout the bottom.
Come the ultimate time period the robust, parochial crowd simply needed to see Walker get to double digits which he did halfway by means of the quarter ship the followers right into a frenzy.
SCOREBOARD
ADELAIDE 7.5, 14.8, 21.10, 27.12 (174)
WEST COAST 2.1, 4.2, 6.3, 8.4 (52)
Goals – ADELAIDE: T Walker 10 I Rankine 3 D Fogarty 2 L Murphy 2 R Thilthorpe 2 L Sholl 2 R Sloane 2 B Keays J Rachele L Pedlar J Soligo. WEST COAST: R Maric 2 O Allen J Darling A Gaff T Kelly J Petruccelle B Williams.
Best – ADELAIDE: T Walker R Laird B Keays J Dawson I Rankine W Milera R Sloane C Jones. WEST COAST: B Williams T Kelly E Yeo R Maric.
Injuries – WEST COAST: L Foley (hamstring) J Waterman (sickness) changed within the chosen facet by C Chesser.
Umpires: L Fisher L Haussen J Howorth E Tee. Crowd: 39,450 at Adelaide Oval.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
