Presenting all you need to know about the Crows ahead of the big Friday night clash at the Adelaide Oval
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Beaten by Richmond in last year's Grand Final, the Crows started the season in great style. With Rory Laird and Bryce Gibbs leading the way, they established a 20-point lead after the first three quarters of their round one match against Essendon at Etihad Stadium. But they ran out of legs in the last term, going down by 12 points in an effort that their coach, Don Pyke, labelled "disappointing".
Josh Jenkins kicked five goals and Taylor Walker four as the Crows hit back to defeat Richmond by 36 points at Adelaide Oval in round two.
Pyke's men continued their good form when they cruised past St Kilda at Etihad Stadium in round three. The final margin in that one was 49 points. It was Adelaide's ninth straight win over the Saints.
What they're saying
Pyke held his weekly press conference on Wednesday and was asked whether he expected Pies skipper Scott Pendlebury to match up on Rory Sloane in the wake of Pendlebury's excellent effort in quelling the influence of Carlton star Patrick Cripps last weekend.
"I think Rory prepares now for the eventuality that he might get a run-with," Pyke replied. "Last week, from looking at the game, it was more of Pendlebury being accountable for Cripps at the stoppage. One of (Cripps') great strengths is to win clearances, and he kept him down to five clearances on the night, so he did a great job there. What view they take against our midfield and how they want to go about it, we'll see, but we'll talk about the possibility of that happening for Rory."
Scott Pendlebury beats Patrick Cripps to the ball during the Magpies' win over the Blues last weekend (AFL Photos)
Injury list
The Crows have a number of players under injury clouds, key defender Daniel Talia among them. Talia only walked laps when the Crows trained on Thursday morning. Speaking after the session, assistant coach Scott Camporeale insisted that Talia would line up against the Pies.
"Talia misses a session every now and then," Camporeale said. "Off a six-day break at Etihad, he is old enough to know his body and Talia is playing his 150th game tomorrow night, so we let him go about how he wants to go about his preparation pre-game."
Players to watch
Bryce Gibbs (26 disposals, 10 tackles, one goals) and Rory Laird (32 disposals, six tackles) were outstanding against St Kilda last weekend. Former Collingwood player Paul Seedsman (26 disposals, eight marks, two goals) was also among the Crows' best players. Seedsman and recent Rising Star nominee Tom Doedee were impressive across half-back.
Last time: Round 19, 2017 at the MCG
Match report excerpt: Collingwood and Adelaide have played out a thrilling draw after Crow Mitch McGovern kicked a goal after the siren to level the scores.
It was a devastating moment for the Magpies who looked to have survived a huge comeback from Adelaide after the Crows recovered from a 50-point deficit early in the third quarter.
The Crows drew within three points in a dramatic final quarter but the Magpies looked to have held off the fast finishing Crows with three quick goals to drag the lead back out to 21 points.
The Crows would not go away, though, and kicked the next three goals before the Magpies hit the post twice as it pushed its slender lead out to six points.
McGovern then took a huge pack mark just seconds before the final siren and then kicked truly for scores to be level with Collingwood kicking 15.13 (103) to Adelaide's 16.7 (103).
Adelaide's Mitch McGovern hauls in the mark that broke Pies' fans' hearts in 2017 (AFL Photos)
COLLINGWOOD 4.3 9.6 12.9 15.13 (103)
ADELAIDE 2.1 3.4 10.4 16.7 (103)
GOALS
Collingwood: Adams 3, Wells 3, Reid 2, Blair 2, Hoskin-Elliott, Thomas, Elliott, Moore, Treloar
Adelaide: McGovern 4, Jenkins 3, Otten 2, Lynch, Seedsman, Walker, Cameron, Mackay, Knight, Smith
BEST
Collingwood: Wells, Sidebottom, Adams, Howe, Moore
Adelaide: Crouch, Walker, Smith, McGovern, Douglas, Jenkins, Mackay
INJURIES
Collingwood: Blair (nose)
Adelaide: Keath (wrist)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Margetts, Meredith, Ryan
Official crowd: 33,269 at the MCG
