The Numbers Comparison
Clearances (average per game)
Gold Coast - 41.2 (2nd)
Adelaide – 38.1 (13th)
Contested Ball (average per game)
Gold Coast - 152.2 (1st)
Adelaide – 136 (11th)
Uncontested Ball (average per game)
Gold Coast - 206 (18th)
Adelaide – 237.8 (9th)
Disposal Efficiency %
Gold Coast - 71% (15th)
Adelaide - 73% (5th)
Tackles (average per game)
Gold Coast – 66.1 (8th)
Adelaide – 65.4 (10th)
Inside 50s (average entries per game)
Gold Coast - 54.8 (3rd)
Adelaide – 54.4 (5th)
Game Breakers
Dion Prestia
Runner-up to Gary Ablett in the 2013 Club Champion voting, Prestia has been one of the AFL’s most consistent performers heading into the mid-point of the season. He has averaged 29 disposals in 2014, including a season-high 35 touches in his most recent outing against the Bulldogs.
He picked up a severe case of leather poisoning last season against the Crows, nabbing 42 touches in the side’s 28-point loss at Metricon Stadium.
He ranks seventh amongst the league’s leading disposal-getters, and is showing he is a star is on the rise.
Patrick Dangerfield
The 24-year-old superstar will enter Sunday’s clash with the SUNS feeling worse for wear, after fellow teammate Rory Laird admitted his co-captain will be playing “banged up”. But don’t expect that to stop the Crows’ brilliant midfielder.
He played through a troublesome back after injuring himself against Carlton on Sunday night, finishing with 11 clearances from his 25-disposal performance.
He can turn the game in an instant, and will demand plenty of extra attention from Guy McKenna’s coaching panel this weekend.
Scott Thompson
Time and time again Thompson has produced outstanding performances against the Gold Coast, averaging 35 disposals against the expansion team. His efforts include a 52-possession game when the two sides met for the second time in the SUNS’ inaugural campaign. Although he had just 21 touches when the two sides met in round 14 last season, consecutive 30-possession performances against Collingwood and Carlton suggest he will be one to watch at Adelaide Oval this Sunday.
Adelaide’s most recent team
B: Kyle Hartigan, Ben Rutten, Luke Brown
HB: Brodie Smith, Daniel Talia, Matthew Jaensch
C: Rory Sloane, Scott Thompson, David Mackay
HF: Sam Kerridge, Josh Jenkins, Charlie Cameron
F: James Podsiadly, Taylor Walker, Eddie Betts
FOLL: Sam Jacobs, Patrick Dangerfield, Richard Douglas
INT: Rory Laird, Brodie Martin, Matthew Wright
SUB: Jarryd Lyons
The Last Five
R14, 2013, Adelaide 16.15 (111) d Gold Coast 11.17 (83) at Metricon Stadium
R23, 2012, Adelaide 22.21 (153) d Gold Coast 9.8 (62) at AAMI Stadium
R1, 2012, Adelaide 19.23 (137) d Gold Coast 10.8 (68) at Metricon Stadium
R22, 2011, Adelaide 18.17 (125) d Gold Coast 9.10 (64) at Metricon Stadium
R8, 2011, Adelaide 20.10 (130) d Gold Coast 9.19 (73) at AAMI Stadium
In the Media
Following the Western Bulldogs’ controversial tagging tactics used to curtail Gary Ablet, Gold Coast senior coach Guy McKenna said he would be out to ensure his champion captain was given a fair opportunity at the contest this weekend.
"He (Ablett) expects to have a fair opportunity to go and contest the football and if that's unfair that should be umpired accordingly, so that's all I'm going to say," McKenna said
"I think the rules state that if you turn your eye on the ball and come back to bump someone before a stoppage, I always thought that was a free kick.
"That's what I need clarified. Because if it's not, that's fine, I'll ask our blokes to do it too. But last time I looked, I'm pretty sure it's a free kick."
Adelaide star midfielder, Scott Thompson, said the Crows would rely on a whole-of-team effort in stopping Ablett, and comfirmed his team would be out to rediscover its renowned pressure around contests.
“It would have been nice if the Match Review Panel gave him (Ablett) a week, but as a whole we will do our best to shut him down,” he said.
“(Our) tackles can vary week-to-week; total tackles is just a number and we just look at tackles made, that’s the key indicator for us,”
