Adelaide has been outmuscled by SANFL ladder leaders Woodville-West Torrens by 45 points at Maughan Thiem Hyundai Oval on Saturday afternoon.

The Eagles led at every change in the 8.5 (53) to 14.14 (98) result, which was Adelaide’s third successive SANFL defeat.

Like their AFL counterparts, the SANFL Crows suffered a sluggish start at Woodville. Adelaide conceded the first eight scoring shots of the match to fall 23 points behind midway through the opening term.

Pleasingly, the visitors reponded well and chipped away at the deficit in an improved second quarter.

Josh Wittwer capitalised on some outstanding forward pressure to kick the first of his career-best three-goal haul, before back-to-back majors to Hugh Greenwood and Troy Menzel kept the Crows within 11 points at half-time.

But it was all one-way traffic after half-time as the Eagles’ experience came to the fore, piling on seven goals to Adelaide’s two to run out comfortable winners.

Crows SANFL co-captain Greenwood continued to put his name in front of senior selectors. The rookie-listed midfielder amassed 22 possessions, eight clearances, eight tackles and seven inside 50ms in another lion-hearted display.

Ball magnet Harrison Wigg tried hard off half-back and in the midfield, collecting a game-high 28 touches and an incredible 17 handball receives.

SANFL stats: Round Five v Woodville-West Torrens

Young defender Tom Doedee moved well in his return from a shoulder complaint, finishing with 17 possessions and four marks, while fellow backman Lachlan Murphy battled bravely and showed dash and dare with his 21 disposals and five rebound 50ms.

Jonathon Beech (16 disposals, five marks) and Reilly O’Brien (13 disposals, 26 hit-outs) competed hard but Adelaide simply had too few contributors across the park.

Crows SANFL coach Ryan O'Keefe said it was no surprise the Eagles were the competition's benchmark.

"They're just a class above us at the moment," O'Keefe conceded.

"They used the ball a lot better and we made some fundamental errors. We’re a young side, and the Eagles showed us how to do it.

"They pretty much scored off our turnovers in that second half. We kept giving the ball back to them.

"You're going to get a lot of ups and downs with a young group. We’re trying to develop these young kids and we’re trying to get the best out of them." 

The SANFL Crows break for a bye next weekend before taking on West Adelaide at City Mazda Stadium on Saturday, May 20.


ADELAIDE                                  2.1   6.3    7.4    8.5 (53)
WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS   4.8   7.8   11.11   14.14 (98)

GOALS
Adelaide: Wittwer 3, Menzel 2, Himmelberg, Gallucci, Greenwood
Woodville-West Torrens: Wundke 3, McGregor 2, J. Hayes 2, N. Hayes, Gaffney, Johansen, Allmond, Hall, Goldsworthy, Boyd

BEST
Adelaide: Greenwood, Doedee, Beech O’Brien
Woodville-West Torrens: Petrenko, Comitogianni, Goldsworthy, Thompson, Hall, Allmond, Wundke

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Woodville-West Torrens: Nil