AFL Finals Scoreboard
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!
Josh Rachele is having a really impactful first half, working so hard from midfield into the forward line. No Bulldog was willing to go with him there as he pushed forward into space.
He marks and converts his second to give Adelaide an 11-point lead with four minutes to play in the second.
Cal Ah Chee puts Adelaide in front!
Jordan Dawson just split the entire field open with one kick from half-back to Rachele, who somehow had the entire outer wing to himself.
Rachele went inside to Soligo, and eventually Ah Chee was able to crumb a loose handball, break a tackle and snap a goal. He's a proven finals performer and he's making his mark here for the Crows.
Brayden Cook has his second and the Crows are level
Taylor Walker hasn't been having a brilliant night, but that's a telling intervention. He was much too strong for Williams in the one-on-one inside 50, and then he was clever to spot Cook running into goal from the other wing.
This one is ebbing and flowing with these momentum swings in the second. We're all tied up again.
Aaron Naughton gives the Bulldogs the lead!
Three quick ones for the Dogs! Naughton has finally held on to one of these long bombs in his direction, albeit on the second attempt, and goes back to convert.
The Crows have been rocked by these quick ones as the Dogs take a lead they might feel they have deserved all along.
A shocking free kick allows Arty Jones to level it up!
Arty Jones was running back with the flight in an attempt to mark, but spilled the beans with Michalanney nearby. Somehow the ump has decided Michalanney infringed upon Jones, handing him a free kick which would have been insanely soft in round 10, let alone an elimination final.
Jones kicks the goal and blows some kisses to the crowd, who respond with a chorus of boos. We're all tied up.
Joel Freijah snaps one back for the Bulldogs
Freijah has been busy tonight and has now hit the scoreboard with a clever snap from the middle of the pack.
Similar to Rachele's goal, it's little moments of quality that are deciding this game at the moment. Back to a one-goal game.
Josh Rachele with a moment of class for the Crows!
The game has been screaming out for some real quality, and it's Rachele who provides it a forward 50 stoppage. Only needed a split second to get a brilliant snap away from the congestion.
This one has been a tough watch at times, but players like Rachele can elevate it. Crows up by 12 now.
QT: Adelaide 3.1 (19) leads Western Bulldogs 1.7 (13)
The Western Bulldogs lead the inside 50 count 19-11, but have managed only 1.7 from that return. Too often the ball has been bombed on Aaron Naughton's head, and Mark Keane and co are well on top in the air.
The Crows have done a better job of taking their opportunities, but have ridden their luck at times too. Still, apparently this is the first time they've won a quarter in a final under Matthew Nicks, so they're in no hurry to turn that down.
Brayden Cook finds another for the Crows
When Adelaide has been able to breach the Bulldogs' press they have found so much space out the back. This time it was a combination of Neal-Bullen and Cook who used that space to create a goal.
The Dogs are dominating the inside 50s but are not using it well enough going forward. Crows lead by six late in the first.
Ben Keays wobbles one through for the Crows
Adelaide weathered a bit of a storm from the Bulldogs, coughing up only one goal in the process. Now they're looking to hit back the other way.
Keays had a look at the goals moments earlier but missed his snap. This time, despite a fumble, he was able to get boot to ball and send a bomb through from 30 out. Crows back in front.
Ed Richards kicks the Bulldogs' first
Ever since Fogarty's goal, the Bulldogs have had total territorial control of this game. The Crows have not been able to get out of the back half at all, and despite a few Bulldogs misses, finally the goal has come.
Naughton marked a ball which he knew was touched but the umpire didn't, dishing off quickly to Richards who snapped truly. Impressive early signs from the Dogs.
Darcy Fogarty kicks the opener for the Crows
The Bulldogs couldn't kill the long ball in, but once it hit the deck I don't think they were expecting big Fog to do the crumbing.
Could be a trucky night for the big Adelaide forwards in the wet, but perhaps not if Fogarty is that good off the deck. Quick little pick up and snap from the edge of the goalsquare and the Crows are away.
There's a VERY late out at Adelaide Oval
Western Bulldogs defender Michael Sellwood is OUT. He's been pulled after hurting something in the very final warm ups.
Lachie McNeil is coming in to replace him, and is literally running across the ground to join his teammates after the national anthem. That is a big loss for the Bulldogs too, coming up against a very dangerous Crows forward line.
The Welcome to Country and anthem are complete, and we are ready at last for this one. The rain is tipping down, making it four out of four finals this week to have been played in the wet.
Players are in position, here we go.
