ADELAIDE:    5.2    9.9    17.12    27.16 (178)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY:    2.4    4.7    5.8    8.11 (59)

Adelaide has brushed aside the Giants with relative ease, scoring an important percentage boost as the race for the top four tightens, winning by 119 points.

For a side that was expected to have a minimal impact in the competition in its debut year, the Giants have surprised everybody, but it appears that the lengthy AFL season is starting to take its toll.

Before last week’s annihilation by Hawthorn, Greater Western Sydney had only lost by over 100 points once – in round two to North Melbourne. 162 points last week and 119 this week suggests this side full of young exceptional talent is probably ready for a few weeks rest – which unfortunately is still several weeks away.

Adelaide did what they needed to do and that was mercilessly put the new side away. Richmond faced a similar situation yesterday and failed to claim the four points, so the Crows would have been aware that taking these new sides lightly is a position fraught with danger.

The Giants were competitive in the first half but ran out of legs far too quickly. The Crows kicked 18 goals to four in the second half and the match at times resembled a very simple training drill. Adelaide finished with 13 goalkickers and probably spent the majority of the last term looking ahead to their pivotal clash next week with the West Coast Eagles.

For the Giants, it’s a tough situation for coach Kevin Sheedy, who would be imploring his players to give more but would know that they have already been pushed to their current physical and psychological limits due to the demands of the elite level of footy.

Votes

3 Porplyzia

2 Thompson

1 Jacobs

GOALS
Adelaide: Porplyzia 4, Callinan 4, Sloane 3, Vince 3, Douglas 2, Jacobs 2, Thompson 2, Lynch 2, Smith, Jenkins, Van Berlo, Rutten, Mackay
Greater Western Sydney: Cornes, Haynes, Davis, Greene, Patton, Treloar, Ward, Wilson

BEST
Adelaide: Thompson, Vince, Reilly, Porplyzia, Jacobs,Wright
Greater Western Sydney: Ward, Greene, Treloar, Davis, Cornes, Coniglio

INJURIES
Adelaide: Tippett (concussion) replaced in selected side by Lynch, Henderson (ankle), Martin (hamstring)
Greater Western Sydney: Palmer (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Chris Knights replaced Ricky Henderson in the second quarter
Greater Western Sydney: Luke Power replaced Rhys Palmer at half-time

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Fleer, Hosking, Mollison

Official crowd: 7669 at Skoda Stadium