Wayward Carlton survive scare against Adelaide
By Jackie Epstien & Rod Nicholson
CARLTON coach Brett Ratten was relieved to secure four points despite "a bad night" of kicking almost costing the side victory against a gallant Adelaide. Ratten said the side's poor execution was unacceptable but lauded the fighting six-point win as good growth for the group. The Crows have the potential to be great. Even in defeat at the hands of Carlton at Etihad Stadium last night, coach Neil Craig could sense his young and talented combination was on the threshold of a new dominance in the club's brief but imposing history. After trailling by 29 points in the opening minutes of the second term, the Crows hit the front late in the final term and, admittedly in patches, showed excellent skills and potential against one of the major finals contenders this season. "I can see this group doing great things," Craig said. "This is the most exciting group I have ever seen at the club. That's because of the talent they have, the youth.
Bookends locked in?
WHAT better way to start a new club than recruit the full-forward and the full-back first. The footy industry is buzzing with talk that Alipate Carlile, the Port full-back, and Taylor Walker, the Crows full-forward, have already signed with GWS. Walker was superb last night for Adelaide, kicking four. Few players in the comp have a leg as powerful as his. If true, wonder how they will be received when the head back to AAMI Stadium next year.
Also, is there a better sight than Patrick Dangerfield streaming down the field, pounding the ball into the turf?
The Age
Blues make hard work of winning
Emma Quayle
It's true that after trailing by 27 points at the first break, beaten more often than not for the up-for-grabs ball and wrapped up in tackles when they did get their hands on it, the Crows started working a little harder, running a little harder and doing it all at the right times and to their right spots. They went for it a little more and were rewarded for their willingness to do things. With Patrick Dangerfield (four clearances) giving Carlton's onballers something to think about, Nathan van Berlo and Richard Douglas arriving to help and the Crows generally looking up for more of a contest around the ball, anything was possible. Graham Johncock was difficult to pass and Rutten encouraged errors, simply through getting to where the Blues were kicking to. Seven points down at the final break, it was going to be interesting to see which team made the last quarter its own. At first, it was Adelaide. Dangerfield got even bolder, virtually brushing players aside as he barged through. McKernan kicked another goal and then Scott Thompson and Bernie Vince put them two goals clear. They held on from there, ironically surviving one last missed Adelaide chance, as a long, running Dangerfield shot fell across the goal face, just out of Tippett's reaching arms, with just a couple of minutes left to play.
ABC News
Misfiring Blues hold off Crows
AAP
The Blues almost paid the price for inaccuracy but ultimately got over the line 11.19 (85) to 12.7 (79). Adelaide coach Neil Craig said his side responded well after last weekend's fade-out loss to Port Adelaide, but lacked poise late in the game. He said his side contained a group of youngsters not yet accustomed to playing consistent "hard-nosed" football, but they would benefit from hanging in as long as they did against class opposition. "We're a fair way away at the moment, but if we keep doing that we'll accelerate pretty quickly," Craig said. Carlton made it an extremely nervous ride and the Crows pegged back the deficit, with their tall forwards Kurt Tippett, Shaun McKernan and Walker booting nine majors between them to keep their side in it. Carlton continued to waste chances, allowing Adelaide midfielder Scott Thompson to put his side in front for the first time in the match when he converted 10 minutes into the last quarter. A behind each way gave the Crows one more chance to try to force a draw, but as they were surging forward, a desperate Joseph tackle on Crows skipper Nathan Van Berlo ensured Carlton held on.
Sunday Mail (SA)
Close, but slow Adelaide Crows flatline against Carlton
By Michelangelo Rucci
ADELAIDE turned up late, fell 29 points behind Carlton and almost stole a match last night at Etihad Stadium. After conceding Carlton a five-goal start, Adelaide did not lead until the 10th minute of the last term when Scott Thompson converted from a basic set shot put in his hands by fellow midfielder Bernie Vince. Adelaide's spark plug, Scott Thompson, was outplayed by journeyman and former Crow Ed Curnow, prompting an interesting decision by Craig to have his best midfielder on the bench for the first 10 minutes of the second term. On the rebound - and working in space away from a flooded Carlton forward-50 Adelaide found five goals from 10 entries to its forward-50 zone where Tippett cleared away his yips with two perfect kicks from set shots. The Crows were efficient on the counter-breaks. Again, the best of Adelaide was a defender, Graham Johncock, rather than a player in the midfield where too much was falling on Patrick Dangerfield. This script of Carlton being wasteful and Adelaide making the most of its counter-breaks continued in the third term to have the Crows in with a chance of finding a win on its first road trip of the premiership season.
