Locked and loaded
The Crows are secured in top spot heading into their last game of the home and away season. Geelong’s win over Greater Western Sydney on Saturday night guaranteed Adelaide’s second McClelland Trophy as minor premiers. The Club’s only other minor premiership was in 2005.
The McClelland Trophy is named after Dr Wm. C. McClelland, a player and club delegate for Melbourne and VFL president from 1926 – 1955. Since 1991, the McClelland Trophy has been awarded to the team finishing first on the ladder at the completion of the home and away season, before the finals are played. Between 1950 and 1990 it was awarded to the VFL club that performed the best across the three levels of competition; Seniors, Reserves and Under-19s.
The AFL's minor premiers are recognised with the McClelland Trophy
Down to the wire
Entering Sunday, the top two spots on the AFL ladder (Adelaide and Geelong) are locked away – but that’s about it! Adelaide’s opponents, West Coast, will be desperate to win and win well after Melbourne failed to cement its spot in the eight by losing to Collingwood. Essendon will play finals with victory over Fremantle at Etihad Stadium, while Richmond could finish as high as third with a win against St Kilda. Basically, the make-up of the top eight won’t be determined until the 396th and final game of the season. A fitting finish to one of the most unpredictable home and away seasons on record.
A tall tale
Adelaide will be without key posts at both ends of the ground against West Coast, with forward Taylor Walker (toe) and dual-All Australian defender Daniel Talia (ankle) missing through injury. The Crows have not played a game without Walker AND Talia since the latter made his AFL debut in Round 15, 2011. It also means Adelaide will go into the game against the Eagles with only three members of its senior leadership group: vice-captain Rory Sloane and forwards Eddie Betts and Tom Lynch. The sixth member, retiring veteran Scott Thompson, played in the SANFL on Saturday.
Coleman contender?
Kyle Hartigan returns to the Crows team in the absence of Talia. Hartigan, who made his comeback from a hamstring injury in the SANFL last weekend, last played at AFL level against Carlton at the MCG in Round 15. Hartigan and young defenders Jake Lever and Alex Keath will be tasked with thwarting West Coast’s three-pronged attack of Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling and Drew Petrie.
Sydney Swans matchwinner Lance Franklin bolted to the front of the Coleman Medal race with 10 goals against Carlton on Saturday. Franklin (69) leads Josh Kennedy (64) and young forwards Ben Brown (63) and Joe Daniher (60), the latter of whom would need a Buddy-like effort against the Dockers to be in contention.
Kennedy is aiming to become the first player since Gary Ablett Senior (1993 – 1995) to win three straight Coleman Medals. The straight-shooting forward kicked five goals and collected two Brownlow Medal votes when the Eagles and Crows last met – nearly a year to the day – at Adelaide Oval in Round 23 last season. Adelaide will be without its leading goalkicker, captain Taylor Walker (49 goals).
Subiaco swansong
The game between Adelaide and West Coast will be the final-ever at Subiaco ahead of the move to the new Perth Stadium in 2018. The Crows have made 33 trips to the ‘House of Pain’ for 12 wins and 21 losses. However, Adelaide has won three of its last five matches at Domain Stadium, including a thrilling 29-point come-from-behind win over the Eagles in Round 12 last season. It took Adelaide until Round 10, 1997, (the Club’s fifth attempt) to win a game at Subiaco – a 33-point victory over Fremantle. Remarkably, the Crows won a premiership (1997) before beating West Coast at the ground (Round 22, 1998).
Premiership hero Darren Jarman (eight) holds the record for most Crows goals in a game at Subiaco. Only Eagle forwards Josh Kennedy (11) and Scott Cummings (10) and former Dockers favourite Paul Medhurst (nine) have kicked more goals in a game at the venue. Kennedy has kicked more goals in total (284) at ‘Subi’ than any other player with the exception of Fremantle champion Matthew Pavlich (400).
There will be plenty of emotion around Sunday’s game for the Eagles, who are saying goodbye to a stadium as well as Brownlow Medallists Matt Priddis and Sam Mitchell, and premiership player Sam Butler. But the consistent Crows have only lost two games on the road this season: in Tasmania to North Melbourne and Geelong at Simonds Stadium.
