Crows respond with gutsy win over Kangaroos

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ADELAIDE'S on-and-off season is on again as the Crows levelled their record to 6-6 with a 36-point win against dangerous North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

They responded to a public spray from coach Brenton Sanderson with an inspired display; they played with hunger, intensity and smarts only seen in the win against Collingwood this season.

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They had winners in every line: James Podsiadly, Taylor Walker and Eddie Betts in attack; Patrick Dangerfield and Rory Sloane in the midfield and Brodie Smith, Ben Rutten and Daniel Talia in the back half of the ground.

This year still looks like one of those when the club will be fighting for a spot in the top eight, but by beating the Kangaroos the Crows have brought some fresh hope into a season that has looked like slipping away more than once.

There were some predictable outcomes. Ruckmen Todd Goldstein and Sam Jacobs staged an intriguing duel and while Goldstein took the early points with the hitouts, Jacobs was important with an enormous work rate around the ground.

And this became was clear: this is a forward line the Crows have been searching for during most of coach Brenton Sanderson's tenure at Adelaide.

Adelaide Crows utility Sam Kerridge celebrates a goal with Rory Laird in the match against North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Morne de Klerk.

Robbie Tarrant, one of North Melbourne's key forwards, summed it up well in the lead-up: when the Crows put it together they have a dangerous midfield and a dangerous attack.

Betts, the former Carlton leading goalkicker, was a treat to watch.

Not only did he kick a goal from the boundary that will challenge for goal of the week - if not year - but he also defended like he had wagered his house on the match.

The Crows have not had a small forward forcing turnovers like Betts since Matthew Bode and like Bode, Betts has become a crowd favourite for his hard-nosed efforts.

Alongside Betts was Podsiadly, a late bloomer who was a pivotal player at Geelong during their rise to becoming such an imposing side.

Podsiadly, too, kicked a goal from the boundary that was from the top drawer. By half time, he and Betts had two and three goals to their name respectively.

Brent Reilly is chaired off after playing his 200th AFL match in the win over North Melbourne. Picture: Calum Robertson.

But there was another forward who set it all up without being in a hurry to collect individual honours and it was Taylor Walker.

It's not just what he does off the ball with his presence and composure. He also sets up his teammates, because there are few key forwards who are as happy to give off goals.

What's more, he creates opportunities to players such as Josh Jenkins and Sam Kerridge, who kicked a goal as a direct result, every time he is double-tagged.

Jenkins, like Walker, can also kick a long goal from outside-50.

At the other end, Daniel Talia did an outstanding job in containing Drew Petrie, who is one of the elite forwards on his day.

Adelaide lived to one of Sanderson's favourite saying for the first part of the match: let's put some speed on the game.

Crows forward Taylor Walker had a brief scare with his knee but returned to the ground. Picture: Sarah Reed.

What the Crows also did was to kick long and quickly rather than using shorter and more conservative means to move the ball into attack.

It was typified by Brodie Smith, whose quick thinking, running and elegant kicks kept starting waves of attack.

But North Melbourne, which has beaten teams such as Sydney and Fremantle on the road this season, changed the picture. By dropping players behind the ball and storming back, they made the Crows second-guess themselves.

Adelaide was still a long way in front, stemming largely from their aggression, but the Kangaroos made the Crows look vulnerable when they forced them to play slowly - the opposite of what had put them in front.

But the Crows managed to bring the speed back into the game, and it when they do as much that they look their best.

It turned out to be one-sided: by the 20-minute mark of the final quarter portions of the crows were beginning to stream out into the cold winter night.

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A couple of changes from Sanderson - not least shining the blowtorch on his senior players - have paid dividends. The Crows would also have learnt that they are a better side when they move the ball on rather than playing a high-possession brand.

The season came alive again in Brent Reilly's 200th game for the club.

BEST — Adelaide: Smith, Talia, Betts, Sloane, Podsiadly, Dangerfield, Jacobs, Kerridge. North Melbourne: Greenwood, Thomas, Cunnington, Harvey, Dal Santo, McDonald.

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