THERE are no more second chances. Every error from here on in will be magnified, but both Adelaide and Fremantle are well-versed in the do-or-die nature of semi-finals.

Can the Crows progress to a fifth preliminary final? Or will the Dockers see the perennial contenders go out in straight sets?

>> Get to the Crows v Dockers semi early on Saturday and check out the Oxygen Bar and disposable camera giveaway

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 16

Adelaide v Fremantle at Norwood Oval, 3.05pm ACDT

Head-to-head: Adelaide – seven wins, Fremantle – one win
Last time they met: Adelaide 5.9 (39) defeated Fremantle 0.6 (6), week two, 2024

Ebony Marinoff (31 disposals, 19 tackles) and Anne Hatchard (29 disposals, two goals) starred for Adelaide, holding the Dockers goalless on their home deck. It was a steadfast defensive performance from the Crows, who forced Fremantle's shots on goal wide and at a distance, before breaking free to attack on their own terms. A lot has changed in the time since, however, as Fremantle's Aine Tighe and Adelaide's Eloise Jones both played in this game, before being struck down with long-term injuries in the following weeks.

Key match-up: Jess Allan v Mim Strom

Last week, Mim Strom was the gamebreaker for the Dockers in a stunning performance that bore a record 55 hitouts, 26 disposals and a goal, albeit against an inexperienced ruck division. This week, Strom must take on another elite ruck in Jess Allan, and find a way to support her midfield in a similar fashion.

Allan's connection with her midfield unit is exceptional. She leads the League for average hitouts to advantage (11.1) and wins 55.8 per cent of ruck contests, while she boasts the likes of Marinoff, Danielle Ponter, Hatchard and Chelsea Randall at her feet. Strom's midfield might not have the star names that Adelaide does, although Aisling McCarthy has shot up through the ranks this year, but their ability to operate as a unit under Strom has been impressive.

It is around the ground that the pair also compete so well, Strom more in terms of a defensive tall, while Allan tends to get involved in aggressive attacking chains. As a result, they are ideally matched to go head-to-head all afternoon, and have significant impact on their respective side's fortunes.

Where it will be won

Unfortunately for Adelaide, everything still comes back to its ability to convert its chances. That means both in terms of accuracy and generating opportunities once in scoring range – both of which have reared their heads at different times in recent weeks. Fremantle is also very good at restricting its opposition in attack, conceding a goal from just 14.1 per cent of inside 50s against, and conceding a shot on goal from just 34.2 per cent of entries.

The Dockers' goal accuracy has been concerning at times this year as well, but they have had players step up in front of goal in clutch moments, with Gabby O'Sullivan's late goal last week just the most recent example.

They are the second and third-best teams in defence this year, with Adelaide conceding only 25.9 points per game, and Fremantle 27.0 – more only than minor premier North Melbourne.

In terms of style, these sides differ greatly. Adelaide leads the League for contested marks with an average of 6.6, and Fremantle brings up the rear with just 3.1 per game, while the Crows are more of an end-to-end transition team, and the Dockers are more reliant on generating scores from forward-half intercepts.

Fremantle's slow first quarters is something the club has started to lean into, almost conceding a quarter one loss with the goal of coming home strong, but it cannot allow Adelaide too much early leg rope, because it is one of the toughest teams to reign in once it has gathered momentum.

Heat policy

With the temperature forecasted to hit a top of 37 degrees before a wind change, possibly rolling through in the second half, the AFL has enacted the heat policy for this match.

Breaks at quarter-time and three-quarter time have been lengthened from six to eight minutes each, while half-time will be four minutes longer, now at 18 minutes.

Each team will also be allowed two additional water carriers, for a total of seven.

They won't have to wait for breaks in play (a set shot or after a goal), and can enter the field of play at any time.

Tip: The Dockers won't make it easy, but the Crows will reach a fifth preliminary final. Adelaide by nine points.

ADELAIDE has won through to its sixth preliminary final, comfortably accounting for Fremantle by 37 points in a semi-final at Norwood Oval on Saturday.

The Crows had far too much class across the park for the Dockers in the 7.7 (49) to 1.6 (12) result, the West Australians having done extraordinarily well to make a semi-final given the absence of stars Kiara Bowers, Ange Stannett and Aine Tighe.

CROWS v DOCKERS Full match coverage and stats

There were plenty of nerves on show early –  such Caitlin Gould's opening set shot smothered on the mark – and in the early stanza, Fremantle was working overtime to unsettle Adelaide.

But the Dockers couldn't find the middle of the goals themselves, and it took a lunging Chelsea Randall's boot-studs to scrape home the opening major.

After an extended quarter-time break – the heat policy well and truly in place for the 35-degree conditions – it was Adelaide who flexed its mighty muscle.

Like they've done all year, the Crows locked the ball in their forward half, but finally, they were able to convert, piling on four goals to take a game-winning 29-point lead into half-time.

Acting Fremantle captain Hayley Miller spent most of the second term receiving treatment on a sore knee, but returned after half-time to play forward, while star recruit Gab Newton worked through some discomfort after landing heavily on her back in a first-term marking contest, picking up a corked hip along the way.

Dockers coach Lisa Webb confirmed post-match Miller’s issue was much more serious than appearance suggested, having played out of the goal-square amid a “significant” patella tendon injury.

On the rare occasions Fremantle was able to get the ball into attack, the forward structure was more often than not askew, struggling to hold their positions against the strong Adelaide backline, led by Zoe Prowse and Chelsea Biddell.

It was a well-rounded team performance from Adelaide, who had a number of players stand up at different moments, including the elusive Taylah Levy, a hard-running Maddi Newman and crucial link Chelsea Randall, while Ebony Marinoff found plenty of the footy.

Gabby O'Sullivan and Aisling McCarthy ran hard for the Dockers, while Emma O'Driscoll stood up well under enormous pressure in defence.

Finally, the Crows find the goals
Converting inside 50 opportunities has been a constant issue for Adelaide all year, but the Crows appeared to banish at least a few of their forward-line demons against the Dockers. While the vast majority of their scores came from general play, rather than set shots, Adelaide would have been relieved to have somewhat righted the ship. On the other side of the coin, unlike North Melbourne last week, Fremantle was unable to capitalise on its rebound when the opportunity presented.

Battle of the ruck superstars
The in-form Mim Strom and Jess Allan played out an intriguing battle within the war, and split the points fairly evenly. Given Strom's scintillating form over the past few weeks, that effectively counted as a win for Adelaide. Strom finished with 33 hitouts, 13 disposals, 115m gained and three clearances, while Allan's numbers read 29 hitouts, 10 disposals, 186m gained and two clearances

Up next
Adelaide will take on Brisbane at Brighton Homes Arena in a preliminary final, with the match details to be confirmed on Saturday night. Fremantle's season is over, the Dockers bowing out in fifth or sixth position depending on the results of Saturday's second semi-final between Hawthorn and Port Adelaide.

ADELAIDE         1.1     5.3     7.5     7.7     (49)
FREMANTLE     0.3     0.4     1.5     1.6     (12)

GOALS
Adelaide: Randall, Levy, Munyard, Martin, Ballard, Marinoff, Ponter
Fremantle: Seth

BEST
Adelaide: Marinoff, J.Allan, Newman, Prowse, Randall, Hatchard
Fremantle: Newton, O'Sullivan, McCarthy, O'Driscoll, Strom

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Fremantle: Miller (knee)

Crowd: 2,011 at Norwood Oval