Adelaide midfielder Rory Sloane clears out of congestion. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser
ADELAIDE'S final hopes now rest with the AFL Commission.
The Crows yesterday moved a significant step closer to a break-even 11-11 win-loss count and the potentially lucky ninth spot on the AFL ladder with a nine-point home win against North Melbourne.
Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson last night put on the public record the challenge he has set his players to win their last four games of the home-and-away season - the Kangaroos yesterday, the Western Bulldogs on Sunday at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne at home and West Coast in Perth - to square the win-loss ledger at 11-11.
And if the AFL Commission eliminates Essendon from the top eight - for bringing the game into disrepute with the contentious supplements program at Windy Hill - Sanderson will eagerly accept a finals berth on default for Adelaide.
"I would be lying if I said I was not (hoping ninth spot qualifies for next month's finals)," said Sanderson. "I am (comfortable with that).
"If this year ninth means eighth, I'm sure that club will take it. But that is just speculation. We'll just try to win 11 games this year. We have won eight and there are three to go. We want to win 11. That is the mentality we've got. And what will be will be. It is out of hands a little bit."
In stark contrast to the Showdown loss seven days earlier - when the Crows gave up a 20-point advantage in the last nine minutes - Adelaide yesterday wrestled back the lead midway through the last term and strangled a seemingly buoyant Kangaroos unit.
"We saw a bit of character from a young group .... we saw some boys who did not want to lose," said Sanderson, after admitting it had taken three days for his players to overcome the derby loss to Port Adelaide.
"To be honest, from the coach's box the body language from our boys did not look great. At the five, seven-minute mark of that last quarter it looked like we were tired. To their credit, the boys dug deep. They found a way to win."
Sanderson last night noted Adelaide again relied on "the same names to light up the game." These were midfielder Rory Sloane yesterday with his 18-touch second half and lead ruckman Sam Jacobs, who overcame his challenge from North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein by dominating the hit-outs with 33 taps.
Sanderson also paid tribute to captain Nathan van Berlo for holding Kangaroos playmaker Brent Harvey to just 16 touches after he had averaged 35 in the past month.
Sanderson described yesterday's win as "ugly" and tainted by recurring issues with goalkicking (11.13) and poor tackling that puts Adelaide's mission of a strong four-win finish to the season at risk.
"They're our constants," said Sanderson of Adelaide's concerning goalkicking accuracy and loose tackling. "Once again today, people slip us in the tackles and if they don't slip us, we give away a free kick. It is a real frustration of mine. It is an issue for our squad that we have to get better at.
"And we need to get better at goalkicking. I think we are the most-inaccurate side in the competition which does not help you win too many games."
Sanderson's delight in the progress of his young players was highlighted last night when he declared the Crows could overcome the draft sanctions lingering from the Kurt Tippett saga by upgrading two rookie-listed defenders, Rory Laird and Kyle Hartigan.
"If Laird was in the draft next year, he would go in the top 15 or 10 - so there is our first pick," said Sanderson. "Hartigan would go in the 20s. So there are our first two picks - Laird and Hartigan."
Adelaide reported only one concern after the game with first-year midfielder Mitch Grigg dealing with a sharp knock to the top of one of his hips.
Experienced midfielder Scott Thompson was subbed at the last change for the second time in a month.
This time Sanderson made the call against Thompson to assign a shutdown role on Kangaroos midfielder Daniel Wells to substitute Matthew Wright.
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