AFLW 2025: West Coast outclassed by Adelaide Crows despite late Eagles fightback

Adelaide’s elite pressure and fluent ball movement was the difference as it held off a final quarter West Coast surge to register a 17-point victory at Norwood Oval on Saturday.

The Crows capitalised on a big win in territory, posting a 7.6 (48) to 4.7 (31) Pride Round victory, inspired by veteran midfielder Ebony Marinoff, who collected 30 disposals and seven clearances for 637 metres gained.

The Eagles were again given great service by Ella Roberts (19 possessions) but she was unable to exert her typical influence.

The Crows won the clearance count, 31-15, an inside 50s 43-23 and hammered the Eagles on the outside with 45-30 uncontested marks.

Adelaide jumped West Coast in the opening term, establishing a territory dominance that would be the trend for the game.

The ball was shifting rapidly between the arcs, but the Crows were far better set up in attack and made the most of a 14-4 inside 50 count.

The Eagles’ defence was under enormous pressure, typified by a dropped mark from Emma Swanson that allowed Adelaide’s Grace Kelly to swoop and goal.

The Crows would have been further in front than 14 points at quarter time if not for the work rate of West Coast key defender Georgie Cleaver.

Cleaver hauled in three marks and had eight disposals in a dominant opening term.

The Eagles were winning at the contest but being punished on the outside.

Adelaide’s defensive pressure and tackling went up another notch after quarter time, with Ebony Marinoff leading the way, and had the first three goals of the match.

The Eagles finally registered their first major midway through the second term and it was the goal of the match.

Isabella Lewis swooped on a loose ball, had two bounces and used her pace for separation.

It triggered a period of more fluent ball movement from the Eagles, with Roberts busy at the coalface, with the team kicking longer down the line with confidence.

But it didn’t translate into scoreboard pressure with Charlotte Riggs and Lauren Wakfer both missing prime opportunities.

Riggs ran into an open goal but pulled her kick after being run down by a ferocious takle from Zoe Prowse. Adelaide made the Eagles pay shortly after when Madison Newman laid a desperate tackle on Zoe Wakfer and converted from a slight angle.

The inside 50 count at that point was 23-12 and the Eagles were a shadow of the confident team that had posted successive victories by 45 and 42 points in the lead up.

The Crows pressure was elite and the Eagles seemed to struggle with the narrow Norwood Oval.

Adelaide was unrelenting in the third term, kicking the only two goals of the quarter through Eloise Jones and Brooke Boileau.

They had dominated uncontested possession, but also edged ahead at the contest by three quarter time when they had stretched the lead to 29 points.

Adelaide won contested possessions 30-20 in the third quarter and smashed the Eagles for inside 50s, 13-3.

The Crows were desperate to make a point oming off a shock loss to Richmond, in a game when they succumbed to pressure.

The Eagles knew what to expect – the Crows had not lost consecutive games since 2020 – but just couldn’t get any skin in the contest.

The six-day break and travel also wouldn’t have helped.

Whenever the Eagles forged forward Prowse and Sarah Allan were ever present to defend for the home team.

When Newman bounced a goal over Roberts’ head for the opening goal of the fourth quarter it was a matter of limiting the damage rather than chasing the win.

The Eagles might have been outplayed but they maintained a high work rate, and were rewarded with late goals to Mikayla Western, South Australian Riggs and Swanson but another from a Lucia Painter set shot was erased on review.

It was a disappointing result for Eagles pair Charlie Thomas and Roxy Roux who were celebrating their 50th games.

The Eagles face Geelong at Sullivan Logistics Stadium on Friday night as they work to get their maiden finals push back on track.

Two of their final three games are at home and they will need to win both, or jag an away win against Sydney in round 11, to make the post-season.