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It took a four-goal final term to lift the Crows 13.9 (87) to 12.6 (78) over the Eagles and place one hand on the 2025 minor premiership.<\/p>\n
Riley Thilthorpe proved Adelaide\u2019s hero with three goals – including two in the final term, after shrugging off a brutal Liam Duggan bump that\u2019s sure to land the Eagle in hot water with the Match Review.<\/p>\n
Duggan made contact with Thilthorpe\u2019s head, forcing him from the field for a concussion test before he was cleared to return.<\/p>\n
The win ensures Adelaide is a step closer to completing the greatest rise in V\/AFL history, moving up from 15th to 1st across seasons.<\/p>\n
The Crows are now a game clear at the top of the table with two games to play and are the only team guaranteed to play finals.<\/p>\n
THE 3-2-1…<\/p>\n
3. 20-YEAR LOW AVOIDED AS CROWS HOLD ON<\/p>\n
Adelaide only had to secure the four points over West Coast to put one hand on the minor premiership. <\/p>\n
But they needed every minute of the contest against the Eagles in Perth to get the job done.<\/p>\n
Izak Rankine proved Adelaide\u2019s hero with 20 touches in the second half including the goal with eight minutes to play to put his side back in front.<\/p>\n
And from there, the Crows avoided one of the all-time AFL upsets.<\/p>\n
Adelaide had battled all day against an Eagles outfit inspired by the farewells of club legends Dom Sheed and Jeremy McGovern.<\/p>\n
Not since Round 9, 2005 had last placed beat first in the AFL \u2013 dating back to when Collingwood upset West Coast.<\/p>\n
Despite their bravery, it was Adelaide who stood tall in the final term.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is a dagger through West Coast,\u201d Will Schofield said of Riley Thilthorpe\u2019s goal from outside 50 late in the final term.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love this \u2013 knew exactly what he was doing\u2026 gave a little love to the crowd as well,\u201d Matthew Pavlich added.<\/p>\n
It was the Thilthorpe\u2019s battle with undersized Eagle Reuben Ginbey that proved the match-up of the day.<\/p>\n
Ginbey, giving away 10cm and plenty of size to the bigger Thilthorpe, battled admirably all match \u2013 only days after being controversially left out of the AFL\u2019s 22 under 22.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot sure how it happened him getting left out of that to be honest,\u201d Schofield said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s playing in the worst backline in the comp.\u201d<\/p>\n
And despite the late goals to \u201cthe beast\u201d in Thilthorpe, Ginbey was one of his side\u2019s best in an admirable losing effort.<\/p>\n
Adelaide\u2019s highly vaulted defence \u2013 which was ranked #1 in the AFL for points against from turnover and points against in the last six weeks \u2013 was largely beaten by the Eagles forwards.<\/p>\n
Jobe Shanahan proved a handful for Mark Keane as the Eagles opted largely for a four-man forward line to bolster their backline.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdelaide just can\u2019t move it past halfway \u2013 turning it over under pressure,\u201d Schofield said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom a mindset point of view, it\u2019s a really different game for Adelaide to travel to Perth. Top of the ladder vs bottom of the ladder. You know the expectations are you beat this side.<\/p>\n
\u201cWest Coast go, \u2018well we\u2019re just going to have a shot at the top\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without star Taylor Walker, the Adelaide attack just didn\u2019t look dangerous until the final term, in one of the great escapes.<\/p>\n
2. BIG CROW SHRUGS OFF \u2018DANGEROUS\u2019 ACT<\/p>\n
Eagles milestone man Liam Duggan is in hot water for his decision to bump Riley Thilthorpe in the third term.<\/p>\n
Thilthorpe had his head over the ball when Duggan came crashing through from the other direction.<\/p>\n
The big Crow was left sprawled on the Optus Stadium turf as a result of the contact to his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe day getting worse for the Crows,\u201d Adam Papalia said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWas definitely contact to the head.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuggan there, going the bump.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fox Footy\u2019s Matthew Pavlich and Will Schofield agreed Duggan would face scrutiny for his actions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is not good at all \u2026 He\u2019s holding that left shoulder,\u201d Pavlich said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuggan, has got to be said, is in strife going the bump.\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you elect to bump, it doesn\u2019t matter what your intentions are, if you get them high, you are in trouble,\u201d Schofield added.<\/p>\n
Thilthorpe spent more than five minutes on the bench getting his neck worked on before he was cleared to return.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looks really sore in the neck. That is a dangerous action,\u201d Pavlich said.<\/p>\n
While the moment left Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks with his hands on his head in the box, he would have been pleased with his young star\u2019s return late in the term.<\/p>\n
1. \u2018WHERE HAS THIS BEEN\u2019<\/p>\n
Eagles coach Andrew McQualter said it pre-game: \u201cIt is about effort today\u201d.<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s certainly what we saw from West Coast throughout the match against the first-placed Crows.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were disappointed in that last week with our effort, it\u2019s really a non-negotiable,\u201d he told Fox Footy pre-game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were disappointed in our work rate last week.\u201d<\/p>\n
After an inspirational pre-match address from retired premiership hero Jeremy McGovern, who was medically retired earlier this year, the Eagles were pumped up from the opening bounce.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was a bit nervous doing it \u2013 I think he swore a bit doing it,\u201d McQualter laughed.<\/p>\n
But whatever was said certainly worked.<\/p>\n
Despite an 8-1 centre clearance count in the first term, West Coast found their fight in the second and third to take a shock lead.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been incredible. Their pressure has been absolutely first class,\u201d Freo great Matthew Pavlich said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe crowd are absolutely loving this type of effort that has at times been inconsistent this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw them use some of the signature that has been Andrew McQualter. Fast hands, this run from behind, the forward handball \u2026 The fightback was fantastic.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve ben desperate today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Four Eagles on the field had never played in a win \u2013 Tom McCarthy, Jobe Shanahan, Archer Reid and Hamish Davis.<\/p>\n
Remarkably, the impressive performance was in front of West Coast\u2019s lowest home crowd since Round 14, 2022.<\/p>\n
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