In an exciting contest at the Adelaide Oval, the Adelaide Crows ended their 10-game losing streak in style, defeating the Collingwood Magpies. They pulled off an extremely close upset with a vote of 7.6 to 6.8. A standing-room only, sold-out crowd of 54,283 packed the stadium for the championship match. This turnout represented the second-largest crowd in history for an AFL game at this venue.
The match played out with both teams demonstrating their prowess on the field, though not without the presence of scandal. Adelaide’s Riley Thilthorpe was berated for time-wasting. This occurred during an absolutely pivotal time in the match where Collingwood desperately needed a free kick to go their way. Jason Dunstall commented on the incident, stating, “I don’t know how all the umpires missed this, this is time wasting … he is looking at and he toes it off the ground. That is not by accident.”
Throughout the competition, the Crows displayed extraordinary fortitude. They equaled their club-record 17 wins and five losses, a mark set in 2005 and 2012. Each side played with blistering pressure and brilliant, technical style. This made winning the competition that much more exciting.
In the third quarter, Ben Keays performed the highlight of the game with an exceptional throw. This led to an important goal for Isaac Cumming very early on in the 27th minute. Nick Daicos kicked a huge long-range goal to open the scoring for Collingwood. This beautiful play put him in double figures of 29 total possessions, giving him the game-high tied with that one goal. Scott Pendlebury and Darcy Cameron supported their team with 24 and 23 disposals respectively, maintaining their presence in the match.
Adelaide’s James Peatling got in on the action, scoring a vital major to help extend the Crows’ lead. Jamie Elliott and Tim Membrey both had great games. Each forward chalked up a pair, Elliott delightfully bouncing one in from a tight angle.
Despite being outperformed in key statistics such as inside 50s—71 to 37 in favor of Collingwood—the Crows managed to clinch victory. Dunstall remarked on this anomaly, stating, “I cannot fathom that you get beaten in the inside 50s 71 to 37 and find a way to win the game.”
Garry Lyon reflected on the match’s intensity, noting its extraordinary nature: “One of the more extraordinary games that we’ve been at. You’re gonna look at the stats sheet and it just doesn’t make sense.” He expressed disbelief regarding the non-call on Thilthorpe’s actions, adding, “I think it’s the non-free of the year. Now whether he is trying to kick it up to himself or not that’s irrelevant. If you kick the ball away at a critical time in the match … you just have to say the umpire … I won’t say, he didn’t blow the whistle.”
As the final siren sounded, the Adelaide Crows celebrated their hard-fought victory while the Collingwood Magpies reflected on missed opportunities. Our players and fans are still riding high from this match. They are getting excited for the anticipation of the next round of AFL action!
