Adelaide remains in top spot on the AFL ladder despite Friday night’s loss to the Sydney Swans. However, the Crows must win in Round 23 or rely on other results to secure the minor premiership.

See all the top-eight permutations in The Run Home

In 2017, a total of 28 games have been decided by under a goal. Not since 1928 (27) have more results been determined by fewer than six points.

After laying 14 tackles, vice-captain Rory Sloane broke his own Club record for tackles in a season. The tenacious midfielder has applied 168 tackles in 21 games, surpassing his previous best of 163 in 2016. Sloane’s personal best for tackles in a game was 15 against Hawthorn in Round Two this season.

Sloane also won a game-high 21 contested possessions from his 29 disposals, and was Adelaide’s leading clearance winner with 10. He also kicked a goal and generated five inside 50ms.

Tagged by young Swan Isaac Heeney, Sloane won eight of Adelaide’s 28 free kicks for the game.

Matt Crouch was the equal-leading possession-getter on the ground with 34. Crouch has now collected 681 disposals this season – ranked third in Club history. Scott Thompson holds the record for most disposals by a Crow in a single season, having amassed 737 from 25 games in 2012.

Adelaide defender Rory Laird also had 34 touches and took a game-high 10 marks. Laid won 12 intercept possessions, only West Coast utility Elliot Yeo (14) had more for the round.

Rebounding half-back Brodie Smith gained more metres (746) than any other player on the ground – ranked second in Round 22.

Adelaide applied 67 tackles, including 42 in the second quarter, at an efficiency of 82 per cent in the first half. It was well above the Club’s tackling efficiency of 66 per cent this season.

Mitch McGovern (four) and Eddie Betts (two) were the only Crows to kick multiple goals.

Betts had a game-high 11 score involvements – ranked fourth for the round.

Adelaide won the contested possession count (186 – 165), inside 50ms (63 – 42) and generated seven more scoring shots than the Swans. However, Sydney was far more efficient going forward, recording a scoring accuracy of 72 per cent – 28 per cent higher than the Crows.

 The Swans kicked 8.2 (50) from set shots compared to Adelaide’s 3.7 (28).

The Crows recorded the worst scoring accuracy (47.8 per cent) for the round – well below their average of 61.4 per cent across the first 20 games, which ranks No.2 in the League.

The Crows have conceded the first goal in each of their five losses this season.

The crowd of 51,466 at Adelaide Oval on Friday night was the biggest ever for a game between the Crows and Swans.

Adelaide has climbed to third for average home game attendance this season (46,650) behind only Victorian powerhouses Richmond (54,644) and Essendon (51,627).

Match statistics
Disposals
Adelaide – 410
Sydney – 359

Disposal efficiency
Adelaide – 69 per cent
Sydney – 66 per cent

Kicks
Adelaide – 232
Sydney – 210

Handballs
Adelaide – 178
Sydney – 149

Clearances
Adelaide – 36
Sydney – 41

Inside 50ms
Adelaide – 63
Sydney – 42

Contested possessions
Adelaide – 186
Sydney – 165

Uncontested possessions
Adelaide – 231
Sydney – 184

Tackles
Adelaide – 87
Sydney – 93

Hit-outs
Adelaide – 53
Sydney – 42