Adelaide produced its ninth win of season 2026 against a gritty Melbourne outfit at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon. 

In a match where the margin did not get beyond three goals, for either team, the Crows came through with a three-goal-to-one last quarter to pick up a vital 11.13 (79) to 9.8 (62) victory.

Senior Coach Matthew Nicks spoke to the media post-game and delivered five key takeaways. 

Defence stands up in Keane’s return

The successful return of Irishman Mark Keane, and a standout performance from a blossoming James Borlase, headlined a strong day out for Adelaide’s defensive unit. 

Keane’s influence on the Crows ball movement was evident from the first term, as he intercepted strongly and used his sharp skills to put his teammates in dangerous attacking positions. 

Nicks said it was pleasing to see his defenders come together and produce a clinical performance. 

“He (Keane) played well, didn't he? For his first one back, to be up to that speed I thought was very impressive,” Nicks said. 

“Having guys alongside him that are really good for as well. I thought James (Borlase) tonight, especially early, just his intercept game continues to grow and his belief to come off and help teammates. 

“So with Mark (Keane) coming back in, I think he'll appreciate the way the guys were playing, guys like Wayne Milera, Hugo Hall-Kahan, Nick Murray, all the boys back there. 

“I think we had 62 points against tonight, which is a sign of where our defense is, not just our back six, but our team, and another area we value highly.”

Peatling’s shut-down role

Midfielder James Peatling was tasked with quelling the influence of Demons star Kysaiah Pickett, and received praise from coaches and players alike for his dedication to the cause. 

Peatling restricted the livewire to just 15 disposals, one mark and no goals, with Nicks acknowledging he got the better of the critical match-up. 

“It’s been discussed, from his teammates, how much he embraced and bought into that particular role for us,” Nicks said. 

“That respect that's needed when you play against a player like Kozzie, because even today, he didn't have the impact that he'd been having in previous weeks. 

“But when he had that free space, that's quite scary, the ability he has, and the things he can do with the footy.

“So, we're very pleased that JP was able to be a part of a team effort to sort of take that away from our opposition.” 

Nankervis’ best game 

Utility Luke Nankervis took another step forward in his development, as he played an important role in Adelaide’s victory against the Demons. 

The 23-year-old finished the day with 22 disposals, nine marks and five tackles, and was responsible for much of Adelaide’s drive from the back half. 

Nicks admitted the match was the best he had seen Nankervis play in a Crows guernsey. 

“I would say that was the feeling when we came off (that it was his best game), but again we would need to watch back in a bit more detail,” Nicks said. 

“He just seemed to make really good decisions today, even a couple times coming off to help a teammate out. It wasn't just in his own contest, and that's what he's been working on.

“There's so much potential there, and it was a little bit of just getting the speed of the game and knowing when we needed him (to stand up). 

“Nank was always one that probably wanted to win the game for us every time, because he's passionate about it, and he knows he's got a certain ability, but now he's balancing that.” 

An update on Josh Worrell 

Star defender Josh Worrell missed the win against the Demons after contracting a virus during the week. 

Nicks gave an update on how he was progressing, and spoke about some other Crows pushing for a return to the side.

“It’s just a virus at this point, we'll just work through that and how he recovers from that,” Nicks said.

“There's still a few others that are working their way back too, Isaac Cumming’s probably not available yet as he hasn't played, and Hinge is similar. 

“Hopefully everyone comes up well, and we have a look at it in a few days.” 

Reflecting on the last 48 hours

The Adelaide Football Club has wrapped its arms around Tony Modra and his family in the past 48 hours, after the Crows Hall of Famer was involved in a road accident. 

Nicks said it was difficult for him to provide specific details on the situation, but spoke about how he and his team managed the news. 

“It's a hard one to talk to, because I don't know yet exactly where Mods is at, but my thoughts and prayers are with him, and I know that he'll fight his way through it,” Nicks said. 

“It's tough to hear, and what we do know is we will be there for him and the family, no matter where this goes. 

“There's a lot of positive news coming back, but we won’t get ahead of ourselves. It's a tough time because he's such a huge presence around our footy club, and still has been since he finished up. 

“He's got this aura about him, always smiling, so we look forward to him recovering and coming back.”