It wasn’t just that the Crows were trailing a team that nobody rated.
It wasn’t just that they had managed only five goals in the half.
It was the apparent lack of energy and spirit on the ground, it was the indecisiveness of usually quick-thinking stars, it was the strange reluctance to chase, and it was the bizarre ritual of stopping, propping, handballing and turning it over.
Over-handballing was a contagious disease. I bet (former Essendon star) Derek Kickett wished he was playing for the Crows because 31,000 seat-squirming fans kept calling his name.
“Kickett,” we yelled. “Kickett, Kickett, KICKETT!”
There was only one shining light in the twilit gloom, and that light was Graham Johncock.
The stats didn’t do him justice. His extraordinary speed to close down dangerous attacks was thrilling, his sure hands were comforting, his ability to keep his feet in contests when others fell about him was magnificent, his leap to spoil much-taller opponents was colossal, his counter-attacking was heroic, his decision-making under pressure was almost flawless.
Johncock, and Richmond inaccuracy, were the main reasons the Crows were within reach at half-time.
The stadium compere spent the break asking spectators if they thought the Crows could “get back into the game”, but few sounded hopeful. “No wonder we are where we are,” mumbled a downcast bloke in the bar. I looked at the faces of dozens of Crows’ supporters and none of them was smiling. All were heavy with despair.
But something good happened at half-time. I wish I had been in the Crows’ rooms because maybe I would know what it was.
Maybe Johncock made a speech.
Whatever it was, from the first bounce the Crows were better on almost every front. The chasing and tackling were brilliant, the foot-passing pinpoint and the attack on the ball ferocious.
Johncock was still heroic, perhaps even more so, but now he had support. Class-act McLeod, although in pain, generated several scoring chances for others and kicked a goal himself. Petrenko started winning the ball in tight places and showed good pace. Douglas, Vince, van Berlo, Goodwin and Reilly applied pressure in the midfield and forced turnovers. Maric dominated the ruck (as he did all night), and Tippett loomed like a light tower up forward.
To their credit, the Tigers stood their ground and created scoring chances of their own, but by three-quarter time the Crows had edged ahead. Early in the last quarter the scores were tied, but then Doughty took his inspirational mark at full forward, played on and blasted a goal, and the rout began.
Was there relief after the game? You bet. AAMI Stadium had more relief in that pale dusk than you’d see in a silhouette of the Himalayas.
But, as you would expect in this season of horror, such positive emotions were tempered by the news that our two best players on the night, Johncock and McLeod, are now both on the injury list. This is a bitter blow because the team needs more - not less! - of their courage and passion.
Graham Johncock, in particular, showed how desperately he wants to play for the Adelaide Football Club, and how one man’s deeds can change the course of a game. The rest of the squad should draw inspiration from him. So should we all.
