Callum Wilkie and Jack Steele look dejected after St Kilda's loss to Adelaide in round one, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

ST KILDA coach Ross Lyon refuses to use a spate of injuries as an excuse for a lacklustre 63-point loss to Adelaide to open its season.

Instead, Lyon pinpointed a lack of composure as cause for concern as the Crows banked a confidence-boosting victory at Adelaide Oval.

CROWS v SAINTS Full match coverage and stats

Spearhead Darcy Fogarty booted four goals and was among a dozen goalkickers for Adelaide, which kicked five goals to none in the opening 18 minutes to set an ominous tone for the Saints.

St Kilda's preferred attack was decimated for the clash with seven injured first-choice players unavailable including forwards Max King, Mitch Owens, Cooper Sharman and Dan Butler.

"I don't like to use excuses – it's next man up," Lyon said.

"Clearly we're a young list that gets a bit more vulnerable (with injuries) but that's the path which we've chosen.

09:16

Lyon post-match, R1: 'We also want to be better than that'

Watch St Kilda’s press conference after round one’s match against Adelaide

"But we also want to be better than that.

"(We're) probably more disappointed in our lack of composure to the plan, but pressure does funny things to people and coaches."

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

  • 20:08

    Mini-Match: Adelaide v St Kilda

    Extended highlights of the Crows and Saints clash in round one of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season

    AFL
  • 09:30

    Nicks post-match, R1: 'It's a great start'

    Watch Adelaide’s press conference after round one’s match against St Kilda

    AFL
  • 09:16

    Lyon post-match, R1: 'We also want to be better than that'

    Watch St Kilda’s press conference after round one’s match against Adelaide

    AFL
  • 08:12

    Highlights: Adelaide v St Kilda

    The Crows and Saints clash in round one of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season

    AFL
  • 00:43

    Jack goes whack from distance for cool consolation

    Jack Higgins wheels around after taking the mark and sends home a beauty from outside 50

    AFL
  • 00:46

    Dawson does it all in this wild 65m goal

    Crows captain Jordan Dawson follows up his own clearance with a sensational strike from distance

    AFL
  • 00:39

    New Crows on the block start to rock

    Adelaide recruits James Peatling and Alex Neal-Bullen join the party with a pair of cracking goals in the third term

    AFL
  • 00:37

    Wood you look at that: Saint sinks bomb

    Mason Wood scores a beauty from beyond 50 after his hopeful effort manages to slip through the hands of Darcy Wilson

    AFL
  • 00:43

    Rachele lighting up your telly with ridiculous finish

    Josh Rachele shows how dangerous he is around the big sticks with a dazzling spin and strike

    AFL
  • 00:47

    Captain fires up the troops with trusty left

    A pumped-up Jordan Dawson adds to his side's super start with a classy snap

    AFL
  • 00:38

    Cumming through: New Crow opens his account

    Adelaide gets off to a flying start as recruit Isaac Cumming earns his first major for the club

    AFL

The Saints were overpowered by a Crows midfield led by captain Jordan Dawson (27 disposals, two goals), Izak Rankine (28, two goals), Jake Soligo (29, one goal) and Matt Crouch (31, one goal).

"Our guys ... brought the fight that we were after," said satisfied Crows coach Matthew Nicks.

"The challenge now is for us to do it week after week, but it's a great start."

"There were periods in the game where I thought it was a reasonably vanilla battle ... but we took our chances when we had them," Nicks added.

09:30

Nicks post-match, R1: 'It's a great start'

Watch Adelaide’s press conference after round one’s match against St Kilda

Nicks, who is yet to take the Crows to the finals as he embarks on his sixth season, senses something brewing – but it's yet to be proven.

"I'm confident our guys are maturing; organically, we're growing as a group," Nicks said.

"We added this year some really high-level acquisitions. We brought in a young kid today, Sid Draper from the draft, who showed that he has a lot of potential to be a really strong player in this League.

"So with those, you've got to be confident in your group; I'll back the group in."