Honestly, it looked like Geelong was in deep trouble early on. They were down by 30 points in the second quarter, and it kind of felt like the game might slip away. But then Patrick Dangerfield just turned it on. The guy played like he was five years younger — kicked four goals and completely flipped the vibe of the match.
Geelong ended up winning by 19 points over Adelaide in the first game of Gather Round at Adelaide Oval. The final score was 18.11 (119) to 15.10 (100). Adelaide had the crowd, the momentum, and the early lead... but Geelong just refused to go away.
Jeremy Cameron was pretty quiet for most of the game, but he showed up when it counted — four goals as well, including a crucial one right near the end. That sealed it.
There was one bit of bad news, though. Tyson Stengle limped off late with what looked like a hamstring issue. The team thinks it’s not too serious, and with a bit of a break before their next game, they’re hoping he’ll be fine for Easter Monday.
Dangerfield Shows Up Big Against His Old Team
This was kind of poetic. Dangerfield used to play for Adelaide, right? And here he is, back at Adelaide Oval, just dominating when his team needed it the most.
In the final quarter, he kicked back-to-back goals that completely shifted the momentum. He was physical, he was quick, and he just wouldn’t let himself get tackled. People were actually calling him "untackleable" — which sounds wild, but honestly, it kind of felt true watching it.
Jeremy Cameron, like I said, woke up later in the game. He nailed two goals in the final quarter and helped lock in the win. He and Dangerfield basically took over when it mattered most.
Adelaide Started Fast… But Just Ran Out of Gas
Adelaide came out swinging. Izak Rankine — even with that calf worry before the game — was electric early on. He was everywhere in the first quarter and helped set up a bunch of their early scores.
Darcy Fogarty? Unreal second quarter. He kicked four goals in that term alone, which is apparently the best quarter any Crows player has had in ten years. Taylor Walker was doing his thing too, leading hard and creating space.
But after all that, they just couldn’t keep it going. The short turnaround might’ve hit them. You could see the energy drop in the last quarter. They just didn’t have much left in the tank, and Geelong made the most of it.
Geelong Fixed What Wasn’t Working — Just in Time
Let’s be real — Geelong didn’t look great in the first half. They gave up 72 points, which is one of their worst defensive starts in like a decade. There were missed tackles, messy turnovers, and it just felt off.
But something clicked after halftime. Coach Chris Scott made a few changes, and suddenly things looked tighter. The midfield started winning clearances. Forward entries looked sharper. And defensively, they calmed things down — even without key players like Tom Stewart and Jack Henry.
Stats-wise, they didn’t even have the ball more — fewer disposals overall. But they were way more efficient when they did have it. More inside 50s, more clearances. Basically, they just used their chances better.
Crows’ Forwards Still a Huge Threat
Even though they didn’t get the win, Adelaide’s forward trio — Walker, Fogarty, and Thilthorpe — is still scary good. Their spacing and how they rotate positions… it’s really hard to defend.
Fogarty was clearly the best of the three this time, especially with that huge second quarter. Walker had his moments but missed a few shots he’d probably like back. Thilthorpe didn’t get a ton of the ball until later on but still looked dangerous when he did.
Point is — if these three click at the same time, watch out. They’re still probably the Crows’ best shot at putting serious points on the board this season.
