Port loss Crows ‘worst of season’

ADELAIDE coach Neil Craig has described his side’s 26-point loss to Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night as its “worst performance” of the season.

The Power dominated nearly every aspect of the game including a lop-sided clearance count (42-22) and the prized hard-ball gets (56-33).

Craig admitted Adelaide had been total outplayed by its cross-town rival.

“We were really poor at the stoppages. I haven’t seen the stats yet, but the number of scores they (Port Adelaide) had from stoppages would’ve been a lot,” Craig said after the game.

“We’re slow at the moment in terms of moving the ball and we’ve got a lot of work to do. Some of our aerial work at both ends of the ground, which is contested ball in my view, was really poor – sub standard [in the] AFL.

“I think the scoreboard flattered us in the end.”

The Crows, who managed just eight goals until three-quarter-time, kicked four majors in the final term in a rallying effort which was more face-saving than threatening.

Adelaide finished with the same number of inside50ms as the free-scoring Port, but was punished for inefficient delivery to its forwards.

Port Adelaide won the centre square clearances 16-7 and Craig said he would need to have a good look at the inner workings of his midfield.

“The thing that concerned us in the centre square, in particular, was their (Port Adelaide’s) capacity to walk out of there without any pressure on them,” he said.

“You can win a centre square [clearance] and the ball can just be booted forward, but I thought the way they came out of there was far too easy.”

The loss sees Adelaide slip out of the eight and go into round seven with a win-loss record of 3-3.

Showdowns are credited with creating a ‘finals-like’ atmosphere and Craig said Saturday night’s performance was a good indication of how far his side is from playing in September.

“The reality there is that we’re capable of playing some really good football, but our capacity to complete it and stay with the task for long periods of time is a long way off the mark,” Craig said.

“There’s only one way to overcome that and that’s to keep the heat on yourself and keep demanding a standard that we know we can play at, but for nowhere near long enough.”

Adelaide reported no injuries from the loss and will now take on the Western Bulldogs at AAMI Stadium next Sunday.