Round 3: Fremantle vs Adelaide

[hearts on fire]

I would expect the Crows to put up a much better performance this week against the heartless Dockers, but i can't see the Crows winning in the West.

My Tip: Fremantle by 21 points.

[Thiele]

Adelaide by 3-4 goals

[Hondo]

Phew!

Great to see the kids get going in the second half. It was a very important game with Geelong (ie, loss) coming up next week. 1-3 is tough to com back from.

2-2 with 2 away wins is a good start

[NFC]

Dangefield......FREAK!!!

He is going to be absolutely unbelievable. He finally used his speed tonight! The youngsters are brilliant, Walker was the match winner, same with Porps. Those two in the same forward line= win.

[Interceptor]

Yeah good to get away with the win against the hapless Dockers.
I'd like to know how many times over the past 5 years that the Crows have let 4-5 goal leads go.
It would be quite a few.

Won't be anywhere as easy next week and frankly getting within 5 goals will be an achievement.
Quite a few forward entries were butchered today and some work is needed to eradicate the clangers.

[FD88]

When the game was in the balance it was Dangerfield, Mackay, Walker, Porps and Petrenko (love how this kid rises to the occasion) who got us over the line and that is excellent for us. NFC couldn't have said it better, the Dangerman has freak written all over him. And Walker's goal after sidestepping a few opponents = . It was a special moment indeed to see him bring some of the magic he's weaved at SANFL level to the big time.

[NFC]

Petrenko amazes me how he continues to take them on, take bounces and back himself. Even late in the game when everyone is tired and low on petrol he keeps running and providing an option. And he is solid as a rock overhead.

[FD88]

Petrenko amazes me how he continues to take them on, take bounces and back himself. Even late in the game when everyone is tired and low on petrol he keeps running and providing an option. And he is solid as a rock overhead.

How was his run to evade all those players deep in defense in the third? Unbelievable composure and confidence.

[Interceptor]

Petrenko amazes me how he continues to take them on, take bounces and back himself. Even late in the game when everyone is tired and low on petrol he keeps running and providing an option. And he is solid as a rock overhead.

How was his run to evade all those players deep in defense in the third? Unbelievable composure and confidence.

Yep, it was very, very good.

Great performances from all the rookies: Walker, Dangerfield and Petrenko.
The inexperienced Mackay played well too.

[JK]

Petrenko amazes me how he continues to take them on, take bounces and back himself. Even late in the game when everyone is tired and low on petrol he keeps running and providing an option. And he is solid as a rock overhead.

How was his run to evade all those players deep in defense in the third? Unbelievable composure and confidence.

Yep, it was very, very good.

Great performances from all the rookies: Walker, Dangerfield and Petrenko.
The inexperienced Mackay played well too.

Excellent post mate, I thought MacKay looked as smooth and effective as I've seen him, really blossoming into a high quality player .. Also spot on above with the calls on Petrenko, Walks and Dangerfield.

[Felch]

It is very hard not to get carried away, but there is genuine class and talent is some of those young blokes. Petrenko the stand out, IMO. Looks like he has played 50 games, not 3. Walker has the X-factor, and has genuinely surprised me. Not following the SANFL very closely, i had not seen him play before this year. I understand what alot of the 'hype' was about now. Dangerfield is the real deal, no question. He will start getting plenty of opposition attention over the coming weeks if he continues the way he is. It will be interesting to see how he handles that. Mackay getting better and better each week. Ottens good again, but still makes me cringe at times with his decision making. Sometimes looks too casual.

On some of the more experienced players, i thought Reilly looked good when he was deep in defense, and Johncock looks like he is getting back to his form of a couple of years ago. Maric impresses me every week, and has so for a while. He is an angry unit !!!

[SCD]

The best part of the win for me was the fact that Thompson, Vince and McLeod didn't have their best games IMO..
It was all the kids that stood up when it mattered.. they could have stopped when Fremantle got a goal infront in the last qtr, instead they kicked in for the fight...

Really excited about next year and beyond - but in my mind these kids will probably have a flat spot at some stage during this year.... I would love for them to make finals, but i'm not sure yet.. just taking the wins as they come!

[JK]

Good post as usual SCD, and I think that "flat spot" you talk of is a realistic expectation among kids so young, it's a long first season.

The talk regarding Edwards has been glowing (rightly) for a long time, but I think he's been hugely important around these klids, particularly in the two wins when the Crows have been challenged blokes like him, Porplyzia, Goodwin, McLeod and co. kick-in and steady the ship, takes the heat off the kids a bit at the right time.

[RoosterMarty]

McLeod didn't have his best game but he did kick that goal which broke the Freo run and gave us a chance of winning it... we looked doomed until he bounced that one through.

Exciting times ahead though!

[JK]

McLeod didn't have his best game but he did kick that goal which broke the Freo run and gave us a chance of winning it... we looked doomed until he bounced that one through.

We'll obviously never know, but even though Freo re-captured the lead, I was strangely certain that the Crows were the better team and would go on to win, even without McLeods speccy effort.