Quick Thoughts for that one!
General - What a great game of footy, so good to see an arrogant team get punished for it, start your best player at FF to rest him is a statement and was great to see the Crows start like they were offended with all that aggression, loved it. They ran out of steam but held on!
62 hitouts another very low total, I think at this point we can call it, that game was fierce and still not a lot of stoppages and a lot of the ball pinging around!
Crows - Effort, it's amazing what effort can do. Blues should just watch this tape rather than their own and they'll know why they lost. Pies can do the same really. Crows just showed great heart, totally undermanned as well with 1 down, the Cats using the injury sub for some extra run late and two guys playing without a leg and a shoulder! Just courageous. Enjoy it Crows fans, great win.
Laird - Everywhere. Ratio to me seems harsh in a very low scoring DT game, thought he was a class above to be honest but I guess the 4 clangers got graded harshly. Very happy with the pick though.
Walker - Turned back the clock for this one. Might benefit from the more open game as a genuine leading forward.
Sholl - Great game from him, owned his wing. Did run out of steam a little.
Keays - Was phenomenal, if he could kick he'd be a star, as it is he's very good. Tackle and pressure was elite but his gut run to spread from the contest might have been even better in this one.
Lynch - So important to the Crows. Played a good game.
Sloane - He seemed way more prevalent than his DT supports, SC nailed it with him. Looked great and when Berry and a Rowe came out tackling he lifted to match them, was great.
Rowe - Outstanding, played higher than I expected, perhaps the injuries helped a bit with that, but just works to contests, presents, uses it well and just a good little player. Had him as a bench guy but might be more than that.
Smith - Not a great game for him, thought he was better than his ratio, did leave early with injury so good he gutsed out whatever it was.
ROB - Ruckmen ey? Like the rest, struggles to get to the contests with it moving so fast and not getting the stoppages to make an impact.
Berry - He faded but his first half set the tone. You can't do more than that as a rookie to get more games. Would say that he was comfortably better today than Chayce Jones has managed in two years.
Butts - He beat Tomahawk pretty soundly today, looked to intercept a bit and will find it easier to score with a lesser opponent.
Cats - Arrogant, Danger at FF to start was just arrogance at its finest, basically treating it like a bye and it showed in the first quarter when the Crows just embarrassed their effort levels. They fought back well and got their game going but Crows were defiant.
Parfitt - Good role, played well, shame he lost his forward status.
Danger - As stated, played FF for the first quarter, cost them the game effectively. Was rundown more times today then I reckon he has been for his career. Did a nice job to bounce back from a slow start. Suspension seems very likely, should be 2 weeks by my read with Kelly not going to hospital or anything.
Smith - Massive last quarter from him, pretty sure he went 50+ in DT. Rules going to suit him.
Guthrie - Another who seemed outside the mid early and then went in and played well.
Stewart - Massive last quarter, believe he put up 44 in SC from about 15 in DT, not bad! If he's going to score like that he'll be the top defender in SC when he has a decent game. There's no way watching that he was better than Laird for mine.
Blicavs - Moved to ruck/wing after being well beaten down back and they looked better for it.
Hawkins - Well beaten, really well beaten. Couple of goals were basically jail break goals as well. Not sure if the rules will suit him as well as some others but he is also a good leader and when he got back to that he did get a bit on top.
Clark - Phenomenal SC effort from him, couple of nice kicks but he didn't do much else to my eye and it definitely felt like his DT was a better indicator than his SC. Role was solid, Menegola injury (if real) sure doesn't hurt his odds of staying in. He was alright and he scored great, that's a good outcome.
Zuthrie - Role not the wing he played and played well in preseason. Will score like this regularly.
Atkins - Thought he was really solid off half back. Used the ball very well. Definitely should hold the spot.