Rnd 9 - Sturt v Adelaide @ P.Motely Oval (Sun 7/6)

[therisingblues]

Saw the game. Crows were just too good. We threatened them from time to time but the response was too comprehensive each time. Made me think they were more or less just cruising and made sure of it whenever we got too close. Podsiadly was very solid in his position, got 6 goals but handed a couple off after doing gutsy work to pull in the hard mark, he stood out. Sturt played very well in patches I thought, lifted intensity to challenge rather than them letting us in through decificiny, but then, when we would be within striking distance, a sloppy error was duly punished and suddenly a run on ensued. The big bodies and polished skills of Adelaide were too much for us.
Still had a good day out, it's good being at Unley surrounded by Sturt folk and running in to the faces from years past that I haven't encountered for more than a decade owing to time spent overseas. Peter Motley Oval is one of the most picturesque grounds in Adelaide with the beautiful suburbs of Parkside and Unley and the hills as a backdrop. Not what it once was but I'll take it as an option anyday above AFL. The place has heart, and I've had a skilfull of lager today and tonight after the game so I might be biased but I'm sure others have similar ideas about their own set ups at their home grounds.
Long live SANFL and we'll live to fight another day.
P.S incredible the amount of rewards some players receive for falling to their knees mid-tackle, same rules apply to both teams but one was a bit better at it. Is this a required skill these days? Anyway, couldn't beat the team they put on the park against us today.

[Cambridge Clarrie]

Yep, they've seen it work time and again for Selwood... Umps should be more attuned to what's going on...

Clearly Crows were better today with a host of genuine AFL level players in the side. I thought we battled well in periods, but the lack of a key forward means we're making up the numbers this season. I'd like to see Duldig back in the team.

We got unlucky timing wise playing such a strong Crows outfit, but them's the breaks...

[Gozu]

Crowd 3,569

[Cambridge Clarrie]

3,519 were Sturt supporters...

[matt35]

That number makes yesterday's crowd at Unley the biggest so far in 2015. Imagine this will be bettered next week v Norwood though.

[therisingblues]

I'm a bit surprised by that crowd figure. I had thought that the North game was better attended, though that could have been just my perspective from a different standing position, but a fair few of the regular faces in the crowd were also absent. I reckon the North game had about 2,500 IIRC.
One thing though, I have never seen so many Crows fans at a Sturt game. I'd say one in twenty people wore Crows colours, so working on a theory of not every supporter dresses in their team's colours (though I reckon 80% of Sturt folk would wear something identifying them as a Sturt supporter at Unley) I'd hazard that they were about 10 % (optimistically) of the actual turn out, so an upper limit of 350 using the 3,500 as a base figure.
Anyone else at the game thinks the advertised figure is a bit higher than expected?

[Cambridge Clarrie]

It looked to be the largest crowd of the year to me. I would have said the ratio was more like 1:50 though. When the Crows kicked a goal you could literally spot the individuals who were clapping. Having said that I respect those Crows fans who do make the effort to attend SANFL games. Wonder if Chapman attends???

[matt35]

The game between Sturt and North had a crowd of 3,029 and Sturt v Centrals a crowd of 3,177.

My partner and I do head along to some Crows SANFL games where they don't clash with Glenelg, but unfortunately couldn't make yesterday. One thing I did observe listening to the commentary is that there did actually seem to be a bit of noise when the Crows scored a goal, something that does not usually come across. Certainly I noticed more social media promotion from the club this week, especially highlighting the player inclusions.

Certainly a big game at Unley next weekend!

[therisingblues]

Thanks CC and Matt. I guess it was my perspective that was a bit out. Against North there were clusters of people just about everywhere I wanted to walk whereas I seemed to be able to move more freely on Sunday, and that's how I measured the crowd, more or less. I also estimated the number of crows fans optimistically. I have never seen so many of them and their scarves/colours really stuck out amongst all that double blue. I reckon it was the number of big name crows having a run plus the crows played interstate. Anyway, if as many of them turned up as we did there'd have been 6,000 +.
Should pack it out this week against norwood if the weather is good.

[goddy11]

Not happy with Sturt playing the CrowsSanfl side into form. They play the Eagles after the bye and will have additional player back. They were our bogey side last year.