Crows escape surging Saints

Updated June 15, 2012 23:46:09

Spearhead Kurt Tippett kicked five goals as Adelaide eclipsed a fast-finishing St Kilda by four points on Friday night to join the top of the AFL table.

The Crows prevailed 17.13 (115) to 16.15 (111) at Football Park to post their ninth win of the season - level with pacesetters Collingwood and West Coast.

"I spent a lot of time looking at the scoreboard down forward and they just seemed to keep putting them on but luckily time ran out," Crows forward Jason Porplyzia told Grandstand.

"I remember Taylor Walker having a shot for goal a couple of minutes into the quarter and it was a sitter and he missed it from about 20 metres out.

"I thought 'geez I hope this doesn't cost us', and they went straight up the other end and kicked a goal and that seemed to spur em on a bit.

"But luckily we managed to hang on."

Tippett gave Adelaide an early ascendancy with three goals in the opening term against the Saints, who could slip out of the top eight by the end of the round.

Tippett and his dangerous team-mate Porplyzia (three goals) were the chief benefactors from an inspired ruck performance by Sam Jacobs.

The tap-man expertly fed a hungry bunch of Adelaide midfielders headed by the influential Scott Thompson and Patrick Dangerfield.

"It just seemed to fall my way - I spent a bit more time up forward and got on the end of a couple which was mice," Porplyzia said.

"I think we worked really well up there tonight as a forward group.

"We probably didn't have the dominance in the midfield that we've had in the past few weeks or it didn't feel like it anyway.

"The guys up there were making the most of their opportunities and working really well together."

The Saints, in contrast, had few clear winners apart from Nick Dal Santo, who was a stand-out with a tireless midfield display capped by two goals.

Skipper Nick Riewoldt and Arryn Sippos also kicked two majors but St Kilda were unable to bridge the early Tippett-created gap.

Tippett's initial onslaught was highlighted by a soaring mark as Adelaide established a 14-point lead by quarter-time.

Tippett leapt onto the back of Saint Justin Koschitzke and completed the spectacular overhead mark before converting his second major.

His team-mate Porplyzia took centre stage with a second stanza purple patch, booting three classy goals as the Crows created a five-goal break on the Saints.

But just as the visitors appeared on the ropes, they hit back with five of the next eight goals to creep back into a free-scoring contest.

Two late goals by Adam Schneider brought St Kilda within touch at half-time, 16 points down.

But the visitors withered in the third as Adelaide powered to a match-defining advantage, the Crows kicking five goals to St Kilda's two for the term to establish a 31-point buffer at three quarter-time.

But the Crows wobbled when Dal Santo and Riewoldt started final term scoring with goals as the margin was reduced to 21 points.

Tippett then stole the spotlight again, booting his fifth goal to restore Adelaide's command before two late majors by Saint goalsneak Stephen Milne got his side within 10 points with two minutes remaining.

But the visitors ultimately ran out of time with Leigh Montagna kicking a goal after the final siren to shrink the margin.

Adelaide: 17.13 (115) - Tippett 5, Porplyzia 3, Walker 2, Wright 2, Callinan 2, Thompson, MacKay, Jacobs

St Kilda: 16.15 (111) - Milne 3, Riewoldt 2, Schneider 2, Dal Santo 2, Montagna 2, Siposs 2, Goddard, Armitage, Steven.

AAP/ABC

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, st-kilda-3182, vic, australia

First posted June 15, 2012 23:30:43

View the original article here

Crows escape from the mire

Updated July 2, 2011 22:35:00

Adelaide spearhead Kurt Tippett kicked three priceless goals as the lowly Crows scored a seven-point AFL upset over Sydney on Saturday night.

The Crows broke a six-game losing streak before their lowest ever home crowd, winning 8.9 (57) to Sydney's 6.14 (50).

Only 23,063 spectators attended Football Park - less than the previous low Crows crowd of 24,597 in 1994.

Heavy rain was a factor in the small crowd, but Tippett defied the slippery conditions for a match-defining haul of goals.

The Crows forward was the only player in the game to kick multiple goals and his final major late in the last quarter sealed Adelaide's fourth win for the season.

The Swans held the early going in a fixture fought in constant rain which made goals a premium.

With star forward Adam Goodes prominent, the visitors slipped out to a 13-point lead some 18 minutes into the game.

The margin proved the greatest of an unrelenting battle as the Crows showed mettle missing during their previous six consecutive losses.

Adelaide trailed by seven points at half-time, with Goodes peerless early in the tricky conditions.

Goodes set up Sydney's opening goal and kicked their second and when team-mate Craig Bird booted another the Swans established the match high lead.

But Adelaide hung in the contest and two unanswered third term goals gave the hosts a one-point lead at the last break.

The gallant Swans reversed the deficit and took a one-point buffer when Paul Bevan goaled in the 18th minute of the final term.

But subsequent goals to Adelaide youngster Rory Sloane and Tippett confirmed a Crows victory to mark the 200th game of their half-back Michael Doughty.

Adelaide: 8.9 (57) - K Tippett 3, I Callinan, J Petrenko, N van Berlo, R Douglas, R Sloane.

Sydney: 6.14 (50) - A Goodes, B McGlynn, C Bird, L Jetta, P Bevan, R O'Keefe.

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, sa, adelaide-5000

First posted July 2, 2011 22:13:00

View the original article here

Eagles escape against Suns

Expires:Friday, September 2, 2011 7:18

The West Coast Eagles have defeated the Gold Coast Suns 85-67 in the AFL.

View Transcript

Tags: australian-football-league, perth-6000

View the original article here

Swans narrowly escape North

Updated May 28, 2011 17:34:00

Sydney became the second team in as many weeks to erase an early North Melbourne lead as the visitors escaped Docklands with a one-point victory on Saturday afternoon.

Just a week after the Kangaroos let Brisbane reel in their 21-point first-quarter advantage, Brad Scott's men watched as the Swans came from 22-0 down in the opening term to win 10.12 (72) to 9.17 (71).

The ball was in North's attacking 50 for the last minute of the game, but the Kangaroos could not generate a scoring chance.

Swans key defender Heath Grundy was best afield and he took a saving mark with seconds left to ensure the four points, while Ben McGlynn kicked three goals.

While Sydney has five wins and a draw from nine matches, the loss broke the Kangaroos' hearts.

They only have two wins from nine games.

North kicked two goals midway through the final term to hit the lead by five points.

Key forward Drew Petrie then took a mark well within scoring distance, but a free was paid against him instead.

After McGlynn's goal at 22 minutes, the Swans used their famed defensive pressure to kill off North's frantic attempts to score.

North made a blistering start, with Petrie kicking two goals and Aaron Edwards posting another within the opening eight minutes.

Veteran Swans midfielder Ryan O'Keefe made it clear that his side could not afford to make barren starts if it wanted to play finals footy.

"[The three-goals-to-none start] was like they were at Arden Street training," he told Grandstand.

"We can't do that and - no disrespect to them - but if you play the top four teams we'd be more than that down, so that's something we really have to address.

"Our starts have been really good generally so this is pretty disappointing."

Lindsay Thomas had a set shot midway through the term to give the Kangaroos a 26-point lead, but his goalkicking yips continued.

He fluffed the shot, taking his season tally to 10.22.

Even worse, the Swans quickly worked the ball down the other end of the field and Jarrad McVeigh put them on the board with a goal.

O'Keefe said Thomas was not the only one to struggle with accuracy.

"We didn't make it easy on ourselves, that's for sure," he said.

"I'll take the blame, I missed a couple of really easy goals.

"If you miss easy shots on goal and you don't put any scoreboard pressure on ... the Kangaroos are really good, they fought it out til the end and they played really hard footy.

"It could have gone either way in the end.

"Sometimes you just have to win and we're just lucky enough to come away with the win and that was what we needed."

Grundy went onto Petrie, curbing his influence, and Rhyce Shaw's great stopping role on Brent Harvey robbed the Kangaroos of run through half forward.

The margin was only two goals at quarter-time and the Swans continued to build momentum early in the second term.

They kicked the next four goals to take an 11-point lead.

North key defender Scott Thompson was the most unlikely of saviours, kicking two goals before half time.

Thompson, North's best player in this match, had only kicked one goal in his previous 58 senior games.

The Kangaroos led by two points at the main break and the clash continued to see-saw through the third term as neither team could take control.

North defender Michael Firrito appeared to be reported for a silly late bump on McGlynn, gifting Sydney a goal from the 50m penalty that followed.

The Swans kicked three goals to two in the third term for a four-point lead at the final break.

Sydney: 10.12 (72) - B McGlynn 3, A Goodes 2, J McVeigh, L Johnston, L Roberts-Thomson, M Seaby, S Reid.

North Melbourne: 9.17 (71) - D Petrie 3, A Edwards 2, S Thompson 2, D Wells, J MacMillan.

- ABC/AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, vic, melbourne-3000, north-melbourne-3051

First posted May 28, 2011 17:00:00

View the original article here