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Adelaide: Western Bulldogs midfielder Matthew Kennedy admitted superstar teammate Sam Darcy put himself ahead of the team when he gave away two reckless 50-metre penalties during a third-quarter brain fade in Friday night\u2019s heart-stopping win over the Crows<\/a>, 14.10 (94) to 13.10 (88).<\/p>\n Darcy, well beaten by Jordon Butts for much of the night, conceded the first 50-metre penalty for collaring Butts, and then gave away another just a few seconds later when he flung Josh Worrell to the ground.<\/p>\n Butts let Darcy, and the Bulldogs, off the hook when he missed a sitter \u2013 which would have been his second of the night, and of his 87-game career \u2013 as the Crows came charging before falling short.<\/p>\n Kennedy is full of admiration for Darcy\u2019s competitive edge, but believes the 208-centimetre spearhead\u2019s actions weren\u2019t acceptable.<\/p>\n \u201cHe [Darcy] is a competitor, but he knew he was in the wrong,\u201d Kennedy told this masthead.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got to fight and compete \u2013 and we love that edge he plays with \u2013 but that\u2019s just too far.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019ll be the first to agree that\u2019s putting yourself ahead of the team, which we just don\u2019t accept.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s probably lucky he [Butts] missed as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Adelaide rallied from a 25-point fourth-quarter deficit to pinch the lead on Izak Rankine\u2019s stunning goal from the scoreboard pocket. It was a moment made all the more remarkable given Rankine\u2019s otherwise quiet night in his return match from a lengthy suspension for using a homophobic slur<\/a> against Collingwood last season.<\/p>\n Bailey Williams equalised for the Dogs, before Oskar Baker sealed it with an even better finish than Rankine\u2019s, slotting a miracle from the opposite pocket on the south-western side.<\/p>\n Kennedy was in the centre of Adelaide Oval when he saw Baker let fly.<\/p>\n![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/b782c995eb0d08a5d0aef5b99a628cf6199cdb35d75adf8aed218beb63e35775.gif\")
Sam Darcy\u2019s brain fade against the Crows wasn\u2019t ultimately as costly as it could have been.Seven<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fa318d1a44e12778dfd0e9af92867ca9631e70e6.jpeg\")
The versatile Joel Freijah was superb for the Bulldogs as they held off the Crows at their Adelaide Oval fortress.AFL Photos<\/p>\n
![\"Oskar](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/eb55e6cd596bf8f881460560de22f5a955a952a1.jpeg\")
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