Injury-ravaged Demons stun Crows to shake up AFLW ladder

Injury-depleted Melbourne have pulled off one of the upsets of the season, with Tyla Hanks inspiring the Demons to a gutsy two-point win against Adelaide at Norwood Oval.

The Crows had won 12 of their past 14 matches at the fortress, but Matthew Clarke’s side spurned the opportunity to climb back into the top four, kicking just one goal despite controlling long periods of play after quarter-time.

In one of the grittier defensive displays of the season by a club with 12 players on its injury list, Melbourne booted two goals in the opening term and led all night despite not managing another major for the rest of the night.

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As frustrating as it was for the home fans, the neutral observer couldn’t help but admire the sheer will and determination of Mick Stinear’s charges, who improved to a 3-4 record to keep their finals chances alive.

Clarke was left to rue his side’s inaccuracy in front of goal, the Crows attacking in waves in the frantic final term, leading the inside 50 count to start the quarter 10-1 only to spray shots on goal or be repelled by the brave Demons.

FLYING START

The fired-up Demons flew out of the blocks with their attack on the footy and lightning-quick transition usually associated with the home side at its Norwood Oval fortress.

The visitors may have been a little fortunate with a 50m penalty helping Georgia Campbell slot their first goal, but there was nothing lucky about Alyssa Bannan’s deadeye conversion of a set shot from a tricky angle 35m out.

Melbourne had superior intensity and the top-three possession winners on the ground late in the first quarter, with Adelaide looking disjointed and flat in comparison, generally failing to enter forward 50 in a decisive manner.

DYNAMIC DUO

With Ebony Marinoff and Anne Hatchard inefficient with their disposal in the opening term, Hanks was the leading possession winner at the first break, but Adelaide’s dynamic duo led the charge in the second quarter.

Hatchard had 11 touches and Marinoff eight as the re-energised Crows hit back, winning the territory battle and almost doubling Melbourne’s inside 50s for the term.

The only problem was Adelaide couldn’t find the middle, blazing away for four points – Hatchard with two of them and Danielle Ponter rattling the post from close range – to finish the first half goalless and nine points in arrears.

The contest continued in much the same manner after the break, with the home side’s goal drought finally broken when Maddie Newman got on the end of a well-worked passage of play to mark and kick truly.

But with the dam walls threatening to break, Melbourne did well to put the brakes on the Crows to lead by four points at the last change despite failing to register a goal since the opening term.

SCOREBOARD

CROWS 0.1 0.5 1.5 1.8 (14)

DEMONS 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 (16)

PHELAN’S BEST CROWS:Marinoff, Hatchard, Randall, J Allan, Newman, Kelly. DEMONS: Hanks, McNamara, Campbell, Hore, Goldrick, Taylor.