Whenever you watch Adelaide play, whether or not it’s on tv or dwell in individual, your gaze is nearly inevitably drawn to the behemoths.
Riley Thilthorpe is an utter colossus, particularly in opposition to an opposition just like the Western Bulldogs with neither the important thing backman to go mano e mano with him, nor the defensive construction to clog up area round him. Whether or not on the lead, in a pack and even at floor degree, his six-goal haul ruthlessly uncovered the Bulldogs’ greatest weak point.
Within the ruck, Reilly O’Brien certainly has the best ratio of high quality to supporter disdain of any participant within the competitors – I nonetheless can not work out for the lifetime of me the issue many Crows supporters have with him. Not for the primary time in opposition to Tim English, he dominated the skies each at ruck contests and across the floor, with a number of clutch marks within the remaining quarter taking part in his function to perfection after which some.
Of smaller stature however equal affect, Jordan Dawson across the ball is one more of the Crows’ monsters who dominates by sheer measurement: the textbook big-bodied midfielder, the captain’s finest asset could be his phenomenal left foot, which after durations of waywardness this 12 months regarded again to its devastating finest in opposition to the Bulldogs, however an in depth second is his potential to push ahead and create mismatches in opposition to nearly any opponent, particularly given the opposition’s talls are busy minding the right key forwards.
He doesn’t get wherever close to the identical quantity of adulation, however Mark Keane is definitely essentially the most improved participant within the AFL this season. Reworking from a restricted stopper right into a borderline A-grade key defender and authorized monster-hunter, he blanketed the significantly larger Sam Darcy within the air (with loads of assist from a Crows backline that did their homework and executed completely on the Canine’ plans to focus on their brightest star) – and I can truthfully solely respect the backman darkish arts he employed to repeatedly stop Darcy from getting his arms to full extension when flying for the ball and getting away with it practically each time.
It’s round these lynchpins, one up ahead, two in midfield and one down again, that the backbone of a very good crew is cultivated: however what brings all of them collectively, the glue that gels Matthew Nicks’ total recreation plan, the important thing that turns these Crows right into a professional premiership contender with nearly each base lined, is a 20-year outdated with one in all soccer’s extra outstanding athletic profiles.
And admittedly, it’s time we began speaking about Daniel Curtin extra.
The Western Australian has come a good distance since he was seen as a expertise critical sufficient for West Coast to contemplate buying and selling their rights to Harley Reid to attempt to nab him again within the 2023 draft.
Taken as a flexible utility who may settle at both finish, he performed seven video games in his debut season final 12 months, and it’s no shame to him in any respect to say he regarded a shade out of his depth, as most key place youngsters do.
It’s to the infinite credit score of Nicks and his teaching employees that in his second 12 months, they’ve discovered a job for Curtin that not solely permits them to squeeze such a high quality participant into their finest 22 regardless of already being overstuffed for key forwards, however that has given them a real secret weapon that no different crew within the AFL has across the floor.
Curtin has been tasked with making the wing place his function – maybe the hardest, most thankless process in fashionable footy, his purpose is to push again exhausting so as to add his peak and attain to marking contests defensively and chop out the Crows’ defence, whereas additionally given licence to move ahead and create mismatches in opposition to opposition wingmen unlikely to deal with his 197cm body, regardless of how uncooked.
That’s a hell of rather a lot to ask of anybody, by no means thoughts a younger participant nonetheless constructing their recreation: and for the primary two months of the 12 months, Curtin’s impression was primarily structural. His disposal counts have been low, he not often hit the scoreboard, however he was a dependable goal to kick to up the road and assist deliver the ball to floor if the opposition had a spare tall additional afield.
Statistically, although, you’ll be able to monitor his enchancment the longer the season has gone: he has had two-thirds of his inside 50s since Spherical 9, his marks have skyrocketed from 3.1 per recreation as much as Spherical 10 to just about 7 since, and after posting 250 metres gained simply as soon as within the first 9 rounds, has executed it in 5 of his final eight (with a 249 thrown in too).
Saturday in opposition to the Bulldogs was a career-best in lots of features: 26 disposals is the equal-best he has ever achieved, matching his tally a fortnight in the past in opposition to a significantly much less intimidating opponent in Richmond, whereas eight intercepts, eight rating involvements, seven floor ball will get and 11 contested possessions are all both career-highs or pushing the earlier marks rattling shut.
These eight intercepts have been all of the extra essential given the early-game damage of key again Jordon Butts: that may have been a deadly blow for Adelaide 12 months in the past in opposition to Sam Darcy and a working scorching Aaron Naughton, however Curtin from there performed a extra defensive set-up than he had been – and it labored a deal with.
Whether or not flying for top balls to assist deliver them to floor, double-teaming Darcy together with Keane and Josh Worrell, or in any other case getting again as the person on the final line of defence, two-thirds of Curtin’s 26 disposals got here in defensive half – the right profile for an unsung hero.
The Bulldogs kick a purpose right here after a superb Rhylee West rove, however this was simply in regards to the first time I can recall Curtin being within the space of a protracted kick contained in the Canine’ 50 and never influencing: he’d as an alternative arrange because the free man within the goalsquare for the fast snap ahead that the Crows weren’t sharp sufficient to drive.
However a lot extra of his impression on the Crows is within the intangibles: within the worth of getting a giant man with an unimaginable tank make and affect so many aerial contests from one finish of the bottom to the opposite. Mark Blicavs, in any case, has been doing it for Geelong for practically 300 video games.
Because it transpired, this match’s most crucial contest got here within the remaining minute of the second half. The Crows held a well-deserved 13-point lead, but had confronted vital warmth from the Bulldogs within the earlier half-quarter, wresting again their benefit to some extent the place the house aspect may most likely go in happy with their work on the essential break.
Mark Keane, as is the Crows’ wont, kicks lengthy to a contest on the boundary at half-back with 45 seconds to go. Below the ball, Tim English and Reilly O’Brien jostle on the drop zone, with the massive Bulldog managing to take entrance place and searching set to both take a mark or drive the ball again the Canine’ manner…
… and flying in from the aspect, at full attain, knocking the footy clear and turning a possible shedding state of affairs right into a Crows win, is that man Curtin.
He’s not executed but, both: hitting the bottom nimbly, he’s a part of the yellow, blue and orange wave that surges by the Bulldogs’ excessive defensive press down the Marvel Stadium wing, getting on the top of a handball, weaving previous a James O’Donnell tried sort out, and passing fantastically off his non-preferred left foot to Brayden Cook dinner at half-forward.
In two performs, Curtin has opened the door for the Crows to take full benefit of the Bulldogs’ greatest weak point. They assault so single-mindedly in each side of their type and construction that in the event you can break it up the bottom, you’re left with precisely the state of affairs Cook dinner has kicking inside 50: a gun key ahead with a whole 50’s value of area to run into, goalside of an opponent eager to take the aggressive place out in entrance.
Thilthorpe marks within the pocket, snaps by his fourth purpose of the quarter, and in a stroke the Crows lead by 19. It’s a back-breaker.
It’s unattainable to say definitively whether or not the Crows’ eagerness to kick to contests wherever potential, each down the road and inside 50, is in recognition of Curtin’s aerial affect, or if his aerial affect has come because of that eagerness and is simply a type of good twists of fortune that may change a premiership push.
Daniel Curtin celebrates a purpose. (Picture by Michael Willson/AFL Images by way of Getty Photographs)
Both manner, he’s the right hyperlink man to attach each factor of Adelaide’s system: they’ve had stars up ahead for years, their defence has come alongside in leaps and bounds this season, and their midfield has by no means been stronger. Due to Curtin, there’s seldom a disconnect, and definitely to not the extent that the Bulldogs so often undergo amid the monster scores in opposition to flag contenders they now ship nearly on a weekly foundation.
If Marcus Bontempelli doesn’t get the three Brownlow Medal votes for his one-man try to pull the Bulldogs dwelling, they may most likely go to Thilthorpe for his six objectives. Dawson, with 27 disposals and two majors, is the likeliest candidate to spherical out the 3-2-1.
However I’d be shocked if Curtin’s coaches votes weren’t on the very excessive finish of the size once they come out through the week. And I hope the Rising Star winners are taking be aware.
So, as a matter of reality, ought to each different crew within the finals race. Adelaide have a secret weapon – and in the event you can’t cease Dan Curtin, the Crows develop into considerably more durable to maintain in test.
