Clinical Dockers smother Crows

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ADELAIDE'S rollercoaster season has continued in the West.

After an impressive first half, the Crows were blown away by grand finalist Fremantle at Patersons Stadium in the second as their finals hopes took a hit.

Vying to move ahead in the win-loss column for the first time all season, Adelaide had no answer when the fierce Dockers turned up their famed pressure valve in the second half, losing by 40 points.

Adelaide's Jason Podsiadly leaves the field at the first break. Photo by Daniel Wilkins. Source: News Corp Australia

The Crows led by two points at half-time but, as has been their Jekyll and Hyde character, they were found wanting in the third quarter when they just couldn't get their hands on the ball.

Incredibly, Adelaide — which was up for the contest early — had 145 fewer disposals than Fremantle and kicked only seven goals as it buckled under the relentless defensive pressure applied by Ross Lyon's disciplined outfit.

Adelaide's Rory Sloane gets a handball away near the boundary line. Photo by Daniel Wilkins. Source: News Corp Australia

The scoreboard was flattering to the Crows, who had 15 fewer scoring shots.

The Dockers went into the match having won 21 of their previous 23 games at Patersons Stadium, where they had conceded more than 12 goals only once.

In 14 of those games, they kept their opponents to single figures.

They did the job defensively again as the Crows' trio of tall forwards could manage only one goal between them.

Fremantle's David Mundy runs the ball out of the middle. Photo by Daniel Wilkins. Source: News Corp Australia

Josh Jenkins kicked one late goal and Taylor Walker and James Podsiadly failed to kick any.

Prized free agent small forward signing Eddie Betts also failed to boot a major as it was left to rookie Charlie Cameron to do most of the scoring.

He finished with a career-best three goals.

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Midfielder Scott Thompson, defender Brodie Smith, Cameron and ruckman Sam Jacobs battled valiantly for Adelaide but, as has been the case too often this year, too many players were down.

The Crows were forced into a late change before the game, with midfielder Matthew Wright failing a late concussion test and being replaced by debutant Cam Ellis-Yolmen, who was handed the green sub's vest.

Fremantle's Ryan Crowley keeps a close check on Adelaide's Patrick Dangerfield in the third term. Photo by Daniel Wilkins. Source: News Corp Australia

Patrick Dangerfield, as expected, was matched up by Fremantle's version of the human glove, Ryan Crowley.

Adelaide opted to tag Nathan Fyfe, rather than road runner Stephen Hill, with Sam Kerridge given the task.

Fremantle — with Aaron Sandilands on top in the ruck — made the early running but wasted opportunities in front of the sticks.

And they were made to pay as the Crows worked their way back into the game.

Fremantle's Zac Clarke flies high opposed to Adelaide's Ben Rutten but can't mark. Photo by Daniel Wilkins. Source: News Corp Australia

Dangerfield took Crowley away from the midfield coalface and inside 50 and it paid immediate dividends.

Dangerfield took three contested marks in the Crows' forward half, kicking one goal and dishing one out to teammate Cameron as the visitors broke to an early 10-point lead.

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Their early success was built on pressure and winning contested ball, with Adelaide leading the contested possession count 39-34 which resulted in a clear 17-9 advantage in inside 50s.

Fremantle had the chance to break the game wide open in the first half of the second quarter when it dominated possession and peppered the goals but its radar was again off line.

Fremantle's defender Zac Dawson celebrates a rare goal. Photo by Daniel Wilkins. Source: News Corp Australia

The Crows managed to keep their noses in front at half-time but the alarm bells were ringing for Brenton Sanderson's side.

The Dockers were getting a lot of the ball (219 disposals to 169) but the Crows had cleverly corralled them, allowing them only 19 inside 50s. How long they would be able to do that was the burning question? Fremantle provided the answer.

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