Adelaide Crows secure nail-biting win over Geelong Cats
FT: Adelaide 11.9 (75) defeats Geelong 10.14 (74)
By Chris De Silva
Unbelievable scenes at the final siren as Geelong presses forward one last time with five seconds remaining but the siren beats Tom Stewart!
One last lasso call allowed Bailey Smith to send the ball forward and if there were another 20 seconds remaining, the Cats might have stolen this one.
What a massive win that is for Adelaide. They end a five-year drought against Geelong in the most excruciating way possible.
Adelaide skipper Jordan Dawson says his side needs to work on closing out games better after almost blowing another one, but my goodness that will feel good for the Crows.
Dawson was absolutely sensational tonight. He finishes with 22 disposals and three goals.
Dan Curtin with arguably his best game of AFL football, finishing with 26 disposals, while Taylor Walker kicked two goals.
There was an incredible bit of drama late as Darcy Fogarty's go-ahead goal was chalked off by the ARC, but in the end that behind proved to be the match-winner in the end.
Bailey Smith finishes the match with a game-high 34 disposals, while Cats skipper Patrick Dangerfield was also outstanding with 30 disposals, seven clearances and a goal.
Dan Curtin takes what could be a match-winning grab as Max Holmes looked to go frward!
Adelaide with possession with 23 seconds remaining.
One minute to go
Adelaide has a ball-up 47m out from goal.
Josh Rachele got in the way of Jordan Dawson there on a marking attempt.
Hall-Kahan wins a free kick with a huge tackle!
The debutant!
Mark Blicavs tries to evade Hugo Hall-Kahan, but gets trapped 40m out from goal.
Into the final two minutes
Geelong has a throw-in around 45m out from goal.
Pressure on Adelaide's defence here.
Three minutes to go in Adelaide
Crows holding on for dear life right now as Patrick Dangerfield gives away a pair of free kicks in quick succession.
Still enough time for Geelong though with the margin just one point.
Score review denies Fogarty!
Oh my goodness, everyone's favourite thing!
Play is held up and the umpires call for a score review and the ARC has determined that Fogarty's shot has scraped the goalpost!
What drama!
Adelaide's lead back down to just one-point. Geelong kick-in instead,
Fogarty goals to put Adelaide back in front!
Darcy Fogarty drills a huge set shot from right on the 50m arc to restore Adelaide's six-point lead.
That is a hell of a kick from that range in these circumstances and conditions.
Adelaide couldn't have had the ball in safer hands, maybe Walker's.
Centre bounce incoming. Crows by six with 3:50 left on the clock.
Bowes levels the scores with another one!
WE ARE ALL KNOTTED UP AT THE ADELAIDE OVAL!
Geelong once again locks the ball in their forward half after a kick-in and Jack Bowes receives a handball from Tom Atkins and drills it on the run.
Scores level with 4:51 left on the clock. Hall-Kahan back on the ground.
Henry misses an easy shot on the run
Geelong breaks through after a kick-in and Ollie Henry is all by himself.
He takes a mark right on the 50m arc and then runs to within striking distance, but misses to the left.
Margin six points with 5:12 left on the clock.
Walker misses a snap from directly in front
Could that be a massive miss?
Taylor Walker has a snap on goal after evading a would-be tackler, but misses to the right.
Mannagh drills a massive goal on the run
Geelong forces a repeat forward 50 entry after a Crows kick-in and Shaun Mannagh drills one from 45m out on the run.
What a finish that is.
Geelong has kicked 5.8 for the night from plays generated from the forward half.
Adelaide's lead down to six points with seven minutes left.
The good news for the Crows is that Hugo Hall-Kahan looks like he's ready to come back onto the ground.
Bowes fails to hit target with dribbler
Jack Bowes has a running shot on goal and decides to go for a dribbler instead of a normal shot.
Not sure about that decision, as the ball squirts through to the right for a behind.
Adelaide leading by 13 points with eight minutes remaining.
Crows duo bruised and bloodied after head-clash
Oooh boy this is very nasty.
Adelaide debutant Hugo Hall-Kahan has collided heads with Nick Murray while going for a loose ball and the pair both come off the ground with blood streaming from their faces.
Hall-Kahan is holding his nose, while Murray is holding his left eye.
Meanwhile, Jordon Butts is also off the ground with his right calf wrapped up in ice.
Adelaide, for the time being at least, is down to one fit player on the bench.
Into the final 10 minutes at the Adelaide Oval
Adelaide holding a 14-point lead as we head into the final 10 minutes of play here.
The next goal looms as HUGE. There is a big difference between the feel of a 20-point margin and an eight-point one.
Henry gets the quick response for Geelong
Geelong again makes Adelaide pay out of the centre clearance!
The Cats get a deep inside 50 entry and the the ball causes chaos among Adelaide's defence.
Ollie Henry gets on the end of the loose ball after a spoil attempt and goals from close range to keep the Cats in it.
Meanwhile, Cal Ah Chee is on the bench with his tracksuit on so he'll play no further part tonight. The word is he's got a hamstring issue, but we'll clarify that as we know more.
Ah Chee doesn't have either of his legs iced up, so hopefully it's not a major injury.
Dawson unloads from long-range for another major
Is there a better kick of the footy in the competition than the Crows skipper?
Dawson takes a contested mark 55m out from goal and then swings onto that left boot to draw to a few metres outside 50 and absolutely FLUSHES it.
Dawson's now got three for the evening and Adelaide leads by 19 points with 13 minutes left.
Scott abused by Crows fans at three-quarter time
Some vision emerging out of Channel 7's coverage involving Geelong coach Chris Scott.
Scott was on the end of some abuse from Adelaide's fans as he came down onto the ground and had a word with security.