Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Olympics
Football
Netball
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Full Noise by SN
Thursday Fallout: Depth exposed as Cats grind Crows down
SEN • March 27th, 2026 9:20 am
The consequences from this one won’t be drastic. It’s hard to take a lot away from a dirty wet weather game.
But there could be some queries over the depth of the losing team.
Geelong found a way to grind out an eight-point win (68-60) over Adelaide in wet and windy conditions at GMHBA Stadium on Thursday night to kick off Round 3.
The Crows had been fortunate with their personnel in 2025 which helped them finish on top after the home and away season.
So it was always going to be interesting to see how their depth went when it was tested.
Going out of the side was Jordan Dawson, Taylor Walker, Callum Ah Chee and Rory Laird - tallying 903 games.
Coming in was Hugh Bond, Finnbar Maley, Luke Nankervis and Zac Taylor - tallying 77 games.
That’s a massive difference in experience - 826 games to be exact.
Taylor was good with three goals, Maley chopped out in the ruck, Nankervis and Bond were quiet.
They lacked class, punch and inspiration without Dawson and there was way too much for Josh Rachele to do, especially with Izak Rankine tagged and often deep forward.
The depth of Matthew Nicks’ Adelaide side was exposed. The Crows were brave, but without that experience some cracks started to show - not dramatically, but decisively in the end.
The contest was there, the pressure was there, the effort was there. But there was some sturdiness and know-how in the clinches missing.
Last year the Crows rode a wave of momentum and continuity. The injury toll didn’t bite. But without that luxury against the Cats at a venue they've found it hard to win at, the experience gulf was noticeable.
For Chris Scott’s Cats it was a grind, but they found a way as they always seem to do. The system stood up, again.
Bailey Smith and Max Holmes went crazy in the middle, Tom Stewart led from the back, Jack Martin and Ollie Dempsey were crucial inside 50, and the weight of numbers (67-45 inside 50s) told in the end.
The fallout isn’t massive, yet, but the Crows would want to avoid any further injuries to key players if they want to contend.
Andrew Slevison
