AFL Finals: Adelaide Crows defeat Western Bulldogs

FT: Adelaide 14.6 (90) def Western Bulldogs 9.14 (68)

They've done it. It didn't matter how, Adelaide just had to win tonight. And when they reflect upon the evening, they won't remember that wobble at the start of the last quarter when the lead slipped away. They'll remember Tex Walker, Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty stepping up, and then Izak Rankine putting the icing on the cake like only he can.

In that last quarter you could clearly see the Crows had learned from last year. Instead of panicking when it looked ropey they took a deep breath, settled, and went again. This was a mature win for a club that needed it so badly.

It's the end of the road for the Bulldogs in 2026, another season of nearly but not quite. Injuries bit throughout the season, and yet they remained a serious throughout. They threw everything at this one, but it proved to be a bridge too far in the end.

Adelaide will play Brisbane at the Gabba next week for a spot in a preliminary final. With some pressure finally released, who knows what the Crows are capable of?

Josh Rachele kicks another! It's party time!

The kicking in danger law might have been scratched after that Keays one earlier, as Rachele has just punted that one out of English's hands, but it does not matter a jot right now.

Rachele has kicked his third to cap off a fantastic night. With 30 seconds to play it's time for the Crows to enjoy it. Not even a Ryley Sanders consolation goal can dampen enthusiasm.

Izak Rankine has kicked a freak goal! Crows are home!

How has he done that?!? How has Izak Rankine possibly done that?!

It's a checkside snap from the behind post! It's physically impossible! It's beyond all scope of understanding!

The lid has come off now at Adelaide Oval, the Crows are home. And in some style now.

Darcy Fogarty might have iced it for the Crows!

Thilthorpe. Walker. Fogarty. When the whips were cracking, when all seemed momentarily lost, the three Adelaide big fellas have stood up and made a difference. They might have just kicked the Crows into a semifinal.

Thilthorpe took a massive contested grab in the middle of the park and quickly went forward to Fogarty. He needed to nail the set shot and indeed he did. It's a 17-point game with five minutes to play. Crows nearly there.

Taylor Walker brings the house down! The Crows by 11!

There's a fairytale finish up for grabs here for Tex, in what is his final ever game at Adelaide Oval. He is determined to make sure his final home game for the Adelaide Crows isn't his final game anywhere.

Tex marks 50 from goal and the set shot never looked like missing. A huge blow struck by the veteran as the Crows get some breathing space.

A controversial call in the build up though, with Bailey Dale penalised for kicking in danger. Ben Keays grabbed his face and conned the umpire, even though it was the ball that hit him and not Dale's boot.

Riley Thilthorpe answers back for the Crows!

They are calling out for the big dogs, and the biggest of all steps up for Adelaide!

The Crows did well there, taking some heat out of the contest and killing some of the Dogs momentum with some kick-mark footy for a while. Eventually it leads to a mark inside 50 from Thilthorpe, who nails a difficult set shot from a tight angle. Big goal. Crows by five with 12 minutes to play.

Aaron Naughton hits the post! But the Dogs are in front

Sheesh, that was a big chance for the Dogs. Naughton took a screamer about 40 from goal, but his set shot couldn't sneak inside the right upright.

The Bulldogs lead it, but that is a real missed opportunity. It's all going the way of the Scray at the minute.

Ed Richards! Brilliant Bulldogs goal! Scores tied!

We haven't even played five minutes of this last quarter, but the Adelaide lead is gone!

Richards has just pierced his way from the wing to half forward with two bounces and drilled a brilliant goal on the run from 50. The Dogs are absolutely flying right now and Adelaide Oval has been silenced. What have the Crows got left?

Will Lewis has two! The Dogs are charging back!

Incredible! The unheralded Lewis has kicked two in a couple of minutes to drag his side right back into this final!

This one was far more impressive too. He outbodied Keane on the boundary line, took the scraps and then nailed a brilliant left-footed snap. How's the Adelaide nerves now?

Will Lewis strikes first for the Bulldogs!

They needed it, and Lewis has delivered it. Luke Beveridge has thrown Buku Khamis forward by the looks of things to try to mix things up, but it was Bontempelli who found Lewis with a really clever kick off the left.

Lewis was strong to take the one-handed mark and converted the set shot. Back to 12 points. Game very much on.

3QT: Adelaide 9.5 (59) leads Western Bulldogs 5.10 (40)

It's a goalless third quarter for the Western Bulldogs. Aaron Naughton had a set shot from 30 out, nearly directly in front with a minute to go and hit the post.

The Crows kick the only two goals of the term to take a 19-point lead into the final change. The Dogs are looking a little leggy after their exploits last week, but do they have one more charge in them?

No tomorrow for these two sides, and only one quarter left to play.

Five minutes left in the third

The scoring has dried up big time, it's a war of attrition late in the premiership quarter.

A goal either way before the final change would be massive. The Dogs have been burning entries again, as they have all night. Can the Crows punish the other way?

Ben Keays with another floater and another goal!

Keays has two, both of them speculative snaps that have somehow floated high and through the big sticks.

Rory Lobb is fuming on the goal line, claiming Thilthorpe had thrown him off the ball as Keays' snap landed short of the line. There wasn't enough in it, and in truth it's a poor effort from Lobb.

Crows by 19 points now with 14 minutes to play in the third.

Izak Rankine has his first for the Crows!

Rankine has been effective in the midfield so far tonight but until now hasn't really impacted much going forward. That's changed now, as he gets on the end of a pass inside 50 and converts from directly in front.

There were a couple of shocking turnovers in that passage, the most costly of which came from Ryley Sanders. His brain fade in the middle of the ground was punished by Rankine.

The second half is underway

The Doggies have been clutch kings this year, winning all the close ones in 2026. If it stays tight to the end, they'll be drawing on that for sure.

Ball is in the air and the second half is underway.

HT: Adelaide 7.2 (44) leads Western Bulldogs 5.8 (38)

It was six points to Adelaide at quarter-time and it's six points to Adelaide at half-time too.

The momentum swung a few times in that second quarter as the small forwards of the respective sides began to make their presence felt. It's an absolute scrap all over the ground, so it's just the little flashes of class and quality that are making the difference.

Impossible to call this one from here, it really is neck and neck.

Arty Jones has another and responds for the Dogs

This is a man in form alright! He and Naughton remain the biggest Bulldog threats, and they combine there as Jones gets on the end of the Naughton pass inside 50.

Jones nails the set shot for his second and pumps his teammates up. The game has come to life in the second term.

Josh Rachele bags another! Crows making a move!