Crows Claw Back From 28 Down to Stun Demons in Thrilling Home Win
What an absolute rollercoaster at Adelaide Oval this afternoon! The Adelaide Crows pulled off a gritty, come-from-behind victory over the Melbourne Demons in Round 17, clawing their way back from a 28-point second-quarter deficit to win by 13 points. It was a game full of momentum shifts, standout performances, and unfortunately, a worrying injury blow that may impact the Crows moving forward.
Coming into the match, the Crows made a late change with Wayne Milera out due to personal reasons, replaced by Lachlan Murphy. Zac Taylor returned to the side, and boy did Adelaide need all hands on deck. Melbourne, sitting at a tough 5-10 record before today, showed plenty of spark early. The Demons were wasteful in the first term but exploded in the second quarter with five straight goals—one of the highlights being an absolute screamer from Kozzy Pickett who soared above the pack to convert.
At that point, the Demons led by 28, and it looked like Adelaide might have left their rhythm in the sheds. But that’s when the Crows kicked into gear. Izak Rankine was simply electric—he kicked two of his eventual five goals during that second-quarter fightback, with big Tex Walker chiming in for his second as well. They narrowed the margin to just five points by halftime.
Also Read:- Wiaan Mulder Rises as South Africa’s Sixth Test Captain in Two Seasons
- England’s Euro 2025 Hopes Hinge on Response After Painful France Wake-Up Call
Then came the third quarter, and Adelaide wasted no time. Ben Keays dribbled through a crafty goal just seconds after the bounce, flipping the momentum entirely. Rankine added two more in what was arguably the match-defining period, with the Crows outscoring the Demons five goals to two. By the final change, they had a 15-point buffer.
Melbourne didn’t go down quietly. They cut the lead to nine points on two occasions in the last term, but Adelaide held firm. Rankine continued to dazzle, while Walker and Darcy Fogarty each added two goals. Captain Jordan Dawson was rock-solid with 25 disposals, Keays was everywhere—collecting 23 touches and two goals—and Jake Soligo showed maturity beyond his years in the middle.
On the Melbourne side, Jack Viney worked like a machine with a game-high 30 disposals and nine tackles. Jake Melksham was a real threat up forward with four goals, and Jacob van Rooyen looked promising with a couple of majors himself.
But the big concern for the Crows now is Josh Rachele, who went down late in the second quarter with a knee injury after an awkward landing in a marking contest. Early reports suggest it could be season-ending, and that would be a heartbreaking loss during such a critical stretch.
In the end, the Crows banked their 11th win of the season, pushing back into third place on the ladder. For the Demons, it's now five straight losses and a season that continues to slip away.
An emotional, gritty, and highly entertaining clash—Adelaide showed they’re serious about that top-two finish, and Rankine just stamped himself as one of the most dangerous small forwards in the game.
Read More:
0 Comments