Quick Thoughts - Crows vs Giants
General - A really one-sided game. For the first time all year the Giants midfield dominated and the Crows got overwhelmed, to be fair to the Crows, their bare bones group has done an outstanding job for this to be the first time given some of the names getting genuine minutes for them. There was a very strong wind in this one that definitely had the teams alternating styles when into it and I have to say it suited the Giants more as their practised style suited the into the wind and the way they should play was heavily encouraged with the wind.
Crows - Just a rough day, they kicked very badly at goal, got an absolute hiding at the stoppages and didn't kick terribly well in general, not a good recipe. Really they were just outclassed at the end of the day and their effort levels dropped off a fair bit from recent weeks which was always going to be an issue if it happened. Still think they've had a great start to the year.
Walker - Non-2020 Tex was back today, low effort, complaining to umpires constantly, being beaten to the ball and not chasing or pressuring. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt that he's playing with a significant injury but it's hard to look past this being the norm over the last 8 or so years and especially the last 3. It's been a good run but I reckon this is the moment everyone who picked him kind of knew was coming and the decision is now in front of them... is this a blip and 2020 Tex will return next week or has the fairytale come crashing back down, the decision to bring him in was season defining and this next one might be the season decider!
Giants - Easily their best game of the year, I'm not going to point out the obvious, no wait, I am going to point out the obvious... What a difference playing Kelly on a wing makes, that it was the wing the play went through most of the day was an even bigger factor as he essentially became a defacto midfielder and his handballing genuinely tore Adelaide to pieces. Can't undersell how vital Whitfield also was but they got the ball in the hands of their best player, they got Hopper and Ward to stop trying to kick it and as much as I love his future, they got Green out of the main midfield mix, that Daniels got injured and thus wasn't in it was also a big bonus... Credit to Cameron, in round 7 he seemed to kind of remember who Josh Kelly is!
Taranto - Really strong score from him given that it was a pretty stock standard game by him, the last step for them is to get him to stop kicking as well but that's for another day. Clearance and contest work was top notch and he had a great game.
Kelly - Well colour me surprised... It's almost like he's one of the best midfielders in the league when he plays midfield for a whole game, I know, it's just shocking. Still not getting the prime role but the wind meant there was a dominant wing and he was on it all day and he made the most of it, again, his hands were on another level and there he is going at 85% DE which was just a different level to everyone else and his class just stood out. And now I will hold him for another 5 weeks because I will remember this game when he plays forward pocket next week...