SEEING Adelaide finish atop the home and away ladder is something we've become accustomed to, with this season no different. What was different this year, however, was the way the side played to achieve the feat for a third time. 

Looking toward their fourth Grand Final appearance, the Crows' game style is a fascinating one. No longer the relentless, high-scoring side of 2019 and 2021, they have instead focused on suffocating opponents and this year became the first side in AFLW history to concede fewer than 20 points on average each week with just 19.4. 

The territory game 

Adelaide's impressive defensive performance actually rarely occurred in its defensive 50 arc. The side's impressive backline has tended to sit quite high up the ground, trapping opposition sides in their own back half, and facing an impenetrable wall of Sarah Allan, Chelsea Biddell, Marijana Rajcic and Chelsea Randall when looking to exit defence. 

The Crows boast three of the top ten interceptors in AFLW history, while newfound defender Biddell leads the side this year with 60, and hard running midfielder Hatchard provides support with 48. 

Most intercepts in AFLW history 

Player	Current Club	Career Intercepts
Kate Lutkins	Brisbane	282
Sarah Allan	Adelaide	251
Breanna Koenen	Brisbane	244
Libby Birch	Melbourne	240
Meghan McDonald	Geelong	237
Stacey Livingstone	Collingwood	229
Chelsea Randall	Adelaide	227
Kerryn Harrington	Carlton	225
Marijana Rajcic	Adelaide	220
Ebony Antonio	Fremantle	217

 

Averaging the most intercepts in the competition this season with 61.5, once they win the ball back the Crows have been able to possess the ball neatly with the third-most average possessions in the competition (230.4), 55.1 per cent of which are uncontested. 

This was no more evident than in the side's wins against Carlton and GWS in rounds five and seven respectively. 

 

The momentum shifts in Adelaide's narrow victory over Collingwood in round nine is also represented in its possession heat maps, with the Pies able to win some rare time in attack against the Crows in the second and final quarters. In that game Adelaide recorded its lowest inside 50 tally for the season with just 27, while Collingwood had 25 of its own - the fourth-most conceded by the Crows this year. 

The Crows' match-up against Melbourne in round four also has their early control represented by their possession heat map. Adelaide took the game away from the Demons in the first quarter by simply not allowing them any ball in their forward half. 

Wall-to-wall pressure 

Going hand in hand with Adelaide's high defensive structure is the incredible pressure it applies. While this pressure is not strictly represented on the stat sheet, averaging 55.2 tackles and 26 one percenters this season, it is more done so due to the minute space the Crows allow the opposition to operate in. 

It was this pressure that threw the Demons off their game in round four, as Adelaide handed the side their solitary loss of the season. 

Adelaide's forward pressure has been a big part of its territory control this season - once the ball goes into attack, the side does everything possible to keep it there. Averaging 12.3 tackles inside 50 per game, the third-most in the competition, Ashleigh Woodland has laid 21 tackles inside 50 to go with her 21 goals. 

Unsurprisingly, Ebony Marinoff leads the side for tackles with 80 - 18 of which were inside 50 - but Rachelle Martin's relentless work from contest to contest sees her second at the club with 59 tackles - 13 inside the attacking arc. 

Where they are vulnerable 

The biggest chink in Adelaide's armour this season has been its efficiency once in attack. Granted, practically living inside 50 means repeat opportunities at goal created and every minute the ball spends in the side's attacking zone is a minute its opposition isn't scoring, but Adelaide's average goal efficiency of 15.4 per cent is the lowest of all this season's finalists. 

Their goal accuracy of 33.2 per cent is also the second lowest this year, trailing only St Kilda. This inaccuracy has been covered by the sheer number of shots the Crows are taking at goal, with 16.5 per game - second only to Brisbane in 2022.  

It was this poor accuracy that played a hand in their only loss of the season, in round six against the Western Bulldogs. The Crows goaled from just 35 per cent of their shots on goal, compared to the Dogs' 88.9 per cent, eventually falling by one point. 

	SCORING SHOT DISTANCE	ADL POINTS FOR	% OF SCORE
RD6 v WB	<30 metres	3.3.21	43.8%
	>30 metres	4.2.26	54.2%
RD9 v COLL	<30 metres	1.2.8	26.7%
	>30 metres	3.4.22	73.3%
ADL SEASON TOTAL	<30 metres	36.31.247	55.5%
	>30 metres	24.37.181	40.7%

 

In that loss to the Western Bulldogs, and their slim round nine win over Collingwood, the Crows were forced to take longer shots at goal which in turn forced more pressure on their attempts to score. 

If Melbourne are to claim its first AFLW Premiership, it will be off the back of taking away Adelaide's territory game. Force the Crows' shots long and wide and possess the ball in their own attacking half. It won't be easy, but it is possible.