Crows show no mercy in demolition of Eagles (2024)

CAPTAIN Jordan Dawson has triggered a Kuwarna scoring avalanche in a 99-point belting of Waalitj Marawar.

Dawson produced a masterly 32-disposal display in the Crows' 21.11 (137) to 5.8 (38) triumph at Adelaide Oval in Sunday's twilight fixture.

CROWS v EAGLES Full match coverage and stats

Kuwarna amassed 7.4 to 0.2 in the first stanza with Dawson kicking two goals, setting up another, gathering 12 disposals and having five inside-50s in the term.

Dawson's brilliance set a dominant tone for the Crows, who now hold 12th spot with four wins, a draw and six losses.

The Eagles (16th, three wins, eight losses) entered the game with three wins from their past six matches, but slumped to their biggest loss of the season.

Dawson finished with nine inside-50s and nine marks and was among 13 Kuwarna goalscorers - winger Chayce Jones kicked three and Taylor Walker, Darcy Fogarty, Josh Rachele, Brayden Cook and Ben Keays slotted two each.

"Daws' first quarter led the way and it seemed like the guys just got on board and momentum was then with us," coach Matthew Nicks said after the match.

"He leads by example on the field, I think that's what everyone can see.

"He has got the other part too ... there's a reason we picked him as our captain, it wasn't just because of what he was doing on-field.

"He's as good as any."

Adelaide winger Lachlan Sholl had a game-high 34 disposals, midfielders Matt Crouch (30 touches) and Rory Laird (31) were busy, and coach Matthew Nicks had the luxury of resting young on-baller Jake Soligo, who was substituted at half-time with the result settled.

West Coast's veteran defender Jeremy McGovern (25 possessions, seven marks) battled against the tide, Tim Kelly collected 23 disposals and No.1 draft pick Harley Reid was largely subdued with just five disposals in the opening half and 14, plus a goal, for the match.

With Dawson in full flight early, Adelaide recorded their highest-scoring first quarter since logging 7.5 against the Eagles in round 13 last year.

West Coast couldn't manage a goal until the seventh minute of the second quarter when Jack Williams converted a set shot.

And while the visitors scored three majors for the term, the Crows continued their scoring spree with another six goals to create a 61-point half-time lead, 13.5 to 3.4.

Adelaide broke the 100-point barrier 24 minutes into the third term - they scored five goals to one in the term and took a whopping 86-point lead into the final change.

The Crows then cruised to a percentage-boosting win with three goals to one in the final term.

"I don't think anything can be an excuse for what we did today," Eagles coach Adam Simpson said post match.

"You have got to be honest, pragmatic, a sense of understanding that some days you're not going to have great days.

"But I thought we were sort of past these types of losses."

The Velvet Fog is rolling in
Kuwarna's front half was expected to be one of the best in the league this year and, while it doesn't always come together, it is starting to find a new focal point. Taylor Walker's past three seasons have been his best, but age may have finally slowed the big Texan. In a case of perfect timing Darcy Fogarty is finally starting to reach his potential and his all-round performance against the Eagles was as good as any in his career so far. He's had bigger bags of goals but his presence was as commanding as Walker's as he clearly starts to take control of the forward line.

Not another Harley talking point
Sorry, but it's impossible not to take something new from every Harley Reid performance, and this week it was his never-say-die attitude. Sure, he was the youngest Eagle running around on Sunday, but when all seemed lost - and let's face it, all was lost - Reid refused to throw in the towel. Instead, he chose to raise the fight with a five-minute burst in the third quarter that took the attention of 40,965 Crows fans off their rampaging side, world troubles and the next Bridgerton episode for a moment and threw them into the future. And what a future it is - one that will include many more talking points to be sure.

Hopes and prayers
Whenever the Eagles next head to Adelaide Oval there are sure to be a few players whose hearts will start beating erratically. Sunday's 99-point loss follows a 122-point shellacking at the venue in round 13 last year, results that can only reasonably be expected to leave some scarring. Whatever their religious or cultural beliefs, the Waalitj Marawar players will be saying a few prayers next time they're in the City of Churches.

KUWARNA 7.4 13.5 18.9 21.11 (137)
WAALITJ MARAWAR 0.2 3.5 4.7 5.8 (38)

GOALS
Kuwarna: Jones 3, Walker 2, Rachele 2, Fogarty 2, Keays 2, Dawson 2, Cook 2, Soligo, Sholl, Schoenberg, O'Brien, Murphy, Burgess
Waalitj Marawar: J.Williams, Waterman, Reid, Darling, Cripps

BEST
Kuwarna: Dawson, Sholl, Jones, Fogarty, Laird, Crouch
Waalitj Marawar: Kelly, McGovern, Yeo, Reid

INJURIES
Kuwarna: TBC
Waalitj Marawar: TBC

SUBSTITUTES
Kuwarna: Sam Berry, replaced Jake Soligo at half-time
Waalitj Marawar: Tyrell Dewar, replaced Alex Witherden at three-quarter time

Crowd:40,965 at Adelaide Oval