Crows dominate Saints in 63-point Round 1 statement win

The Adelaide Crows have made a commanding start to their 2025 AFL campaign, dismantling St Kilda by 63 points in a dominant display at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

The Crows’ attacking firepower was on full display as they ran away with a 21.9 (135) to 10.12 (72) victory, setting the tone early with a blistering five-goal opening burst inside the first 18 minutes.

Darcy Fogarty led the charge up forward with four goals, while Riley Thilthorpe (three goals) and Josh Rachele (two goals) capitalised on a dominant midfield performance.

The Crows’ engine room, spearheaded by captain Jordan Dawson (27 disposals, two goals), Izak Rankine (28 touches, two goals), and Matt Crouch (31 disposals, one goal), controlled the contest from start to finish, providing a relentless wave of attacking opportunities.

After taking a 37-point lead into halftime, Adelaide put the result beyond doubt with a devastating third-quarter blitz, slamming home seven consecutive goals in a ruthless 22-minute stretch.

New recruits Isaac Cumming, James Peatling, and Alex Neal-Bullen all hit the scoreboard in their first outings for the club, adding further depth to an already potent side.

Adelaide’s defensive unit, marshalled by Josh Worrell (25 disposals), Mark Keane (21 touches), and Rory Laird (29 disposals), ensured the Saints had few clean opportunities inside 50.

St Kilda, missing seven first-choice players, struggled to gain any real momentum despite solid individual efforts from recruit Jack Macrae (34 disposals) and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (27 touches).

The Crows’ dominance was so pronounced that veteran Taylor Walker was subbed out in the third quarter, making way for highly touted draftee Sid Draper, who impressed in his AFL debut.

Meanwhile, St Kilda found few positives, though Max Hall provided a spark with two goals in his debut game.

With this emphatic win, the Crows have sent a strong early statement, showing they are a team to watch in 2025.

They will now turn their focus to Essendon, where top online bookmakers have them at $1.95, looking to build on this momentum, while St Kilda will be left searching for answers ahead of Round 2.

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