Demons hang on as Crows swoop late, Giants thump Suns

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Melbourne have strengthened their hold on a top-four spot after surviving a late scare from a desperate Adelaide to win by four points.

The Crows kicked the first four goals of the last term to draw level with 15 minutes remaining before the Demons’ substitute Joel Smith steadied the ship with a mark and goal moments after being introduced to the game.

Kysaiah Pickett celebrates one of his goals for the Demons.Credit: Getty Images

His chance was created by a desperate Jack Viney who refused to yield when the Crows finally attacked through the corridor and put Melbourne’s defence under pressure after the final break. After drawing 20 points clear they looked home again but the Crows kept coming, drawing within four points with less than two minutes remaining.

Wayne Milera had a chance to put the visitors in front when he stormed out of the centre but the ball was spoiled through for a behind, enabling the Dees to hang on.

The Crows will be cursing as they left their run too late, leaving any chance of finals hanging by a thread, the loss their fourth in the past five matches seeing them slip to 13th on the ladder.

They will rue their inaccuracy in front of goal, with nine behinds from set shots. They also failed to stop Melbourne’s bursts of three unanswered goals that came in the second, third and fourth quarters.

Although the contest was relatively even for the first three terms, the Demons were able to create more fast entries as they chained handballs through the corridor and found teammates deep inside 50.

Max Gawn marks strongly.Credit: Getty Images

By contrast the Crows lacked adventure when they had the ball, meaning many of their shots at goal were from beyond 40 metres, with Izak Rankine, who did his hamstring in the final three minutes, their only dangerous forward until Taylor Walker stepped up with three goals in the frantic last term.

Adelaide’s pressure and effort was strong, but they could not penetrate Melbourne’s defence which quickly moved into position and dared their opposition to take a risk. In short unless Rankine, their skipper Jordan Dawson (who had a brilliant second half), or first-gamer Luke Nankervis had the ball they struggled to change the angles and create dangerous entries.

Although Melbourne have missed champion midfielder Clayton Oliver since round 10, the absence of Rory Laird and Josh Rachele was more keenly felt by the Crows.

Jake Lever and Harry Schoenberg collide.Credit: Getty Images

Adam Tomlinson was outstanding early in defence for Melbourne after being included to replace Harrison Petty, but it wasn’t just individual efforts that were keeping the Crows at bay, it was Melbourne’s system.

With Steven May and Jake Lever sitting back behind the ball and wingmen Ed Langdon and Lachie Hunter pushing hard to block the corridor, the Crows needed to get speed on the ball to improve their scoring chances.

When they finally did, they worried the Demons, kicking seven goals in the final quarter. But it was not enough as Melbourne recorded their second consecutive win by less than a goal.

MELBOURNE
2.2 6.4 11.7 14.13 (97)
ADELAIDE
1.4 3.9 6.13 13.15 (93)

GOALS
Melbourne: Chandler 3, Pickett 2 Melksham 2, Gawn 2, Smith, van Rooyen, Viney, Neale-Bullen, Woewodin.
Adelaide: Walker 4, Rankine 3, Keays 2, Murphy, Fogarty, McAdam, Smith.
BEST
Melbourne: Viney, Brayshaw, Pickett, Gawn, Langdon, Petracca, Neale-Bullen.
Adelaide: Rankine, Dawson, Milera, Nankervis, Walker.
INJURIES
Adelaide: Murray (knee), Rankine (hamstring).
CROWD
33,122 at the MCG

Giants jump back into the eight

Red-hot GWS are inside the top eight for the first time since round one, grabbing a sixth straight win with a 40-point victory against Gold Coast on Sunday.

Six of the third quarter’s seven goals saw the Giants turn an arm-wrestle into a comfortable win at Manuka Oval, skipper Toby Greene’s three majors crucial.

Adam Kingsley’s men are now 10-8 and a massive chance to play finals in his first season in charge, after their campaign looked close to dead when they were 4-8 after round 12.

Greene became the hugely influential forward-half factor his side needed as the game wore on, taking some clever marks and creating chances for his teammates while booting 3.4.

Toby Greene was among the goalkickers again for GWS.Credit: Getty Images

And the Giants’ pair of gun backs were also in full flight to deliver another stellar defensive display, Harry Himmelberg and Sam Taylor combining for 22 marks while keeping Suns pillars Levi Casboult and Ben King to one goal between them.

Stifled early by a Suns outfit intent on keeping their season alive, GWS’s slick running game emerged as proceedings wore on, prime movers Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly joined by half-back Lachie Ash to slice through the middle at will.

They found six individual goal scorers in an explosive third term, none better than Toby Bedford’s snap seconds before the siren after some dazzling work from fellow forward Brent Daniels to break 31 points clear.

It was a disappointing fadeout from a Suns side who began their afternoon playing high-pressure footy. Led by a six-clearance term from Sam Flanders and Jack Lukosuis’ creativity around goal, they had pinched a seven-point lead at quarter-time.

But GWS hit back with three straight in the second and looked to break free as Greene took over, only for late majors for Ben Ainsworth and Jack Lukosius to get the Suns to the half just two points behind.

GWS
3.2 6.7 12.8 15.13 (103)
GOLD COAST
4.3 6.5 7.7 9.9 (63)

GOALS
GWS: Greene 3, Riccardi 2, Daniels 2, Brown 2, Kelly, Lloyd, Bedford, Coniglio, Cumming, Angwin.
Gold Coast: Lukosius 3, Ainsworth 2, Hollands 2, Casboult, Oea.
BEST
GWS: Whitfield, Coniglio, Himmelberg, Greene.
Gold Coast: Flanders, Witts, Hollands, Atkins.
UMPIRES
Power, Chamberlain, Toner, Rebeschini.
CROWD
10,026 at Manuka Oval.

– AAP

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