Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks lamented the opening stages of Thursday night’s loss to Geelong, suggesting “we were still on the bus”.

An undermanned Crows conceded the first 10 inside 50s of the game and Nicks admitted post-match that his side were lucky not to have been blown out in the first quarter.

After experienced quartet Jordan Dawson, Taylor Walker, Rory Laird and Callum Ah Chee missed the trip to Victoria, many expected the Cats to run away with an easy win.

But apart from the opening exchanges, Adelaide was able to match their much more experienced rivals.

“The first 10 minutes were the issue, we were still on the bus,” Nicks said.

“That will be the one we will have to look at and look at the why.”

Adelaide did hit the front in the final term after Alex Neal-Bullen’s long-range goal, but Nicks wasn’t buying the gap in breaks between the two sides as a factor.

The South Australians played last Friday night, while Geelong was returning from its first bye due to Opening Round.

Although Nicks said there was “no doubt” the experience difference could have been a factor.

“I think when you lose the experience we lost, it challenges you,” he said.

“You take your top end as far as guys who are going to be able to control the game and they’ve been through what we’re about to go through.

“You’ve got guys coming in who are playing their first 10 games.

“We knew that was going to be a challenge tonight, we brought over a reasonably young side but not to the point where we’re sitting here 10 minutes in.

“There’s a lot of breakdown in that. We’d like to think we’ve got a lot more depth than that in our group.”

Adelaide defender Jordon Butts was taken from the ground for assessment minutes after he collided with the back of Lachlan McAndrew’s head in a marking contest.

Nicks said the concussion test was “really professional”.

The Crows coach said he was hoping to regain Dawson, Laird and Walker for his side’s next game with Fremantle.

Originally published as AFL 2026: Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks slams side’s poor start against Geelong