Major Marvel boilover: Crows pull off 'one for the ages' in shock ...

Previously winless Adelaide has defeated Carlton in dramatic fashion, winning 16.4 (100) to 14.14 (98) at Marvel Stadium.

The encapsulating affair between two sides at opposite ends of the AFL spectrum saw the Blues succumb to their first loss of the 2024 season, with a late Sam Berry goal putting Adelaide ahead with a minute remaining in the game.

The Crows, now 1-4, while having played poorly to begin the year, never really seemed on the same lowly level as fellow 0-4 sides Hawthorn, North Melbourne and West Coast — and that showed on Saturday afternoon.

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CARLTON vs ADELAIDE — AS IT HAPPENED

“I’m looking forward to seeing what Matthew Nicks does with his midfield that’s lost its damage over the last four to five weeks,” Fox Footy analyst David King told the broadcast pre-game.

“Last year they were unbelievable ball in hand, particularly coming out of centre bounce clearances — but it’s gone, it’s dissipated.

“Now, they’re the least likely team to score winning a clearance, and the least likely team to score post-intercept.

“Matthew Nicks has to pull some levers here, he either has to change the attitude of this group and make them play with more dare, or he has to go to personnel.”

Carlton was dealt a significant pre-game injury blow, with star midfielder Adam Cerra (hamstring) ruled out of the game, replaced by ruckman Marc Pittonet.

The substitutes were Jack Carroll (Carlton) and Sam Berry (Adelaide).

Izak Rankine and Jake Soligo joined skipper Jordan Dawson as Adelaide’s initial midfield mix, adding a needed element of dynamism. Rory Laird started the match at full forward, but later moved back into the middle.

Adelaide’s opening goal by Ben Keays was matched by a Ben McKay mark and goal deep in the Crows’ defence.

McKay snapped his second goal just minutes later after another contested mark. He’s showing ominous signs early in this contest.

However, the Crows are pressing their case early for a potential upset. Their three first-quarter goals thus far have come from Carlton turnovers, as they hold a five-point lead.

After King’s pre-game claim that the Crows had “lost its damage”, Izak Rankine started all of Adelaide’s centre bounces in the first quarter. The livewire has been around the ball early.

The Blues answered Adelaide’s early surge, with goals to Marc Pittonet, Matt Cottrell and Charlie Curnow installing a seven-point quarter-time lead.

“When you’ve got Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow in your forward 50, why wouldn’t you want to go long and deep as quick as possible?” asked King at quarter-time.

“All five goals have come from either repeat opportunities from stoppage, or marks and free kicks close to goals — that’s the gap in the game.”

Goals to Rankine, Rachele and Keays opened the Crows’ second quarter account as they jumped back in front. It was short-lived, though, as another Curnow major levelled the scores at 43 halfway through the stanza.

Star Carlton half-back-flanker Adam Saad went down to the rooms and was assessed for a hamstring injury. He was later subbed out of the contest, with Jack Carroll entering the game.

“This is bad news for the Blues (and) Saad, who’s done a hamstring halfway through the second quarter,” Melbourne great Garry Lyon told the Fox Footy broadcast.

“That’s almost a compulsory month (out) of footy, these days, depending on how bad it is.”

Corey Durdin snagged an impressive major to edge the Blues ahead by a straight kick at the main change.

A magical Izak Rankine goal, followed by a composed Dawson set shot, put Adelaide ahead by five points.

Rankine has been incredibly influential today, and as King notes on the Fox Footy broadcast, the mercurial hybrid has attended 10 centre bounces thus far after having been to just 20 for the season.

After Ben Keays missed an opportunity to kick his fourth goal, Taylor Walker booted his fourth with a set shot, pushing the Crows ahead by seven points late in the third term.

A late Charlie Curnow set shot goal levelled the score at the final change. It seems we’re going down to the wire at Marvel Stadium!

“These Adelaide Crows, they just keep coming,” Jonathan Brown said at three-quarter-time.

The Blues threatened early in the final quarter but could only manage two behinds to show for it, before skipper Patrick Cripps snapped the first goal of the term.

Matt Crouch collided with Corey Durdin in a hard contest — will it be looked at tomorrow by Michael Christian?

Josh Rachele answered with a neat snapping goal to reduce Adelaide’s deficit to two points with more than 12 minutes remaining in the game.

Blues goals to Blake Acres and Curnow steadied Carlton’s ship before a Brayden Cook major made it a 10-point game with a tad over six minutes remaining.

A mesmerising mark in the goalsquare by Rankine led to another Adelaide goal! Four-point game.

Rankine missed a set shot that would have been his fourth goal. Four-point game with two minutes left.

And when Sam Berry snapped truly, the Crows led by two points with a minute left

Improbably, the Crows get over the line! 16.4 (100) to 14.14 (98) was the final score at Marvel Stadium.

THE 3-2-1 …

3. ‘TEX OF LAST YEAR’ RETURNS AFTER PUNDIT’S PERFECT PREDICTION

Brisbane legend Jonathan Brown harbours a soft spot for key forwards but may also have a crystal ball based on his pre-match assessment of Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker.

An All-Australian in 2023, the 33-year-old has endured a testing start to the season on the field while also mourning the recent death of his father-in-law Rob Brown, a revered cameraman in Adelaide who had a distinguished career with the Seven Network.

Although Walker had only kicked three goals leading into the clash against Carlton at Marvel Stadium, Brown predicted the Crows forward would have an impact based on an improved performance when taking 10 marks against Melbourne a week ago.

“A lot of people see him as gone. I don’t see it that way. I thought he was building back towards his best last week,” Brown said.

Manned by quality Carlton defender Jacob Weitering, Walker started superbly in a match in which he kicked four goals and gathered 14 disposals.

A zipped pass inside the forward 50m arc enabled Ben Keays, who was impressive when finishing with three goals, to kick the first goal of the match.

Walker then hit the scoreboard himself with set-shot goals from near the 50m arc, kicked from both half-forward flanks, as Adelaide kicked its highest first term score this season.

Weitering hit back in the second term but Walker was able to kick the first goal of the third term to level the score as Adelaide showed significant pluck against the unbeaten Blues.

He later found Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson, who was deployed forward in a tactical switch by Crows coach Matthew Nicks, to set up another goal for the Crows.

Late in the term he was able to soar high to take a strong mark over the back of Jacob Weitering in a demonstration he has the spring back in his step.

“There were some reasons for his slow start to the season. He had a back injury. He had the tragic loss of his father-in-law, which emotionally can play on you,” Fox Footy analyst Garry Lyon said.

“(But) this is Tex of last year. This is All-Australian Tex. We know his ability to finish is impeccable. He is dangerous every time (he gets it).”

2. SUPER SUB SAM AS CROWS SPIN MAGNETS IN WIN ‘FOR THE AGES’

Talk about a super-sub! In a remarkable final term, Sam Berry injected pace and pressure into the game for Adelaide and ultimately kicked a remarkable match-winner.

When it comes to substitutions, the efforts of the Crow will be hard to top this year.

In a dynamic quarter of football, Berry gathered the footy nine times and had four score involvements, including the outstanding snap in heavy traffic from 40m out to clinch the lead for Adelaide with just over one minute left in the match.

It is a win that might yet kickstart the season for Adelaide, who had lost their last seven matches when the margin was less than one goal.

As Garry Lyon said in commentary, “that is one for the ages”.

But the timely introduction of Berry was just one of the key tactical decisions that sparked a return to form for Adelaide.

Josh Rachele, who snapped an important goal in the last term, was used more up the ground and had an impact, while Jordan Dawson added a different look to the Crows attack.

“I think we all think (Rachele) is going to get there. It will make life easier for him if he can go into the middle and have an impact in there as well,” Lyon said.

Izak Rankine has been used in the centre more this season but was a regular in the middle against Carlton in an extremely promising performance when finishing with 23 touches.

Shifted forward late, Rankine had a critical impact.

He closed the margin to within a goal and then missed with a set shot that would have given Adelaide the lead with just under three minutes remaining.

“What a performance by the boys. The Blues are going extraordinarily well but we fought hard and we are happy that we won,” Rankine told Fox Footy.

“(I’m playing) a bit more on-ball. We spoke about getting a bit of spark in there. Nicksy put a bit of trust in me and hopefully I have earned that trust.”

The Crow is hopeful the triumph over Carlton will be the catalyst for Adelaide to get on a roll.

“We wanted to start the year well and push for finals. We didn’t lose a whole lot of faith. We kept believing,” he said.

“We have a win on the board and we will just try to carry this on to next week and the week after.”

1. BLUES STAR’S EPIC RETURN

It was a delayed start, but Carlton midfielder Sam Walsh began the 2024 season in the same vein he finished last year, namely magnificently.

The 23-year-old, who averaged 32 disposals per final last September, was outstanding in every facet after missing the opening month of the season with a back injury.

Walsh led all-comes when it came to possessions when finishing with 34 disposals, was clearly hungry for the contest given he also tackled with vigour throughout the match.

In all, he laid 13 tackles for the match, five more than the next best on the field in his skipper Patrick Cripps.

He also won seven clearances and was able to move the footy inside the forward 50m arc 11 times, which was far more than any other player.

Not surprisingly, the Carlton midfielder drew praise from Fox Footy expert Jonathan Brown.

“What a mighty game he has had, Sam Walsh,” Brown said.

“There is no chance he was coming in as the sub. He is one of the best players in the competition.”

Former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon was similarly impressed by the deeds of Walsh, who was an All Australian in 2021, saying he had “been absolutely outstanding”.

Carlton has some injury concerns ahead of a big fortnight to come against the Giants and Geelong, with Adam Saad and Mitch McGovern both suffering hamstring injuries.

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