GEELONG'S smashing around the clearances was the chief reason it came up short in a top-of-the-table clash against Adelaide on Friday night, coach Chris Scot says.

The Cats trailed the Crows by 19 in clearances at the final change and Scott said he was disappointed his side was unable to match Adelaide's intensity given what was at stake. 

The Cats eventually went down by 21 points after trailing by as much as 42 during the third term. They now slip one-and-half wins behind the Crows and will drop to third if Greater Western Sydney beats Richmond on Sunday.

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"Over the course of the night, it was disappointing for us that they beat us around the ball as well as they did," Scott said after the Adelaide Oval clash.

"Particularly at the clearances. We were minus 19 in clearances. That was the biggest reason we were seven goals down."

Scott's two stars - Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood - were solid but not super-human in their efforts, and other Cats weren't able to step up around the ball. 

Scott believed the Crows' clearance edge came down to effort and said there was no coaching tactics that contributed to Adelaide's statistical advantage.

"There was no reason in terms of the numerical advantage (numbers at the stoppage) that should have won the clearance by 20," he said. 

"They were good around the ball. Their pressure was really good. 

"They're a kicking team. They play the territory game a bit. When you get a team that wants to play that way and they beat you around the ball and the clearances by 20, the game is on their terms."

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Dangerfield was the subject of intense speculation throughout the week after injuring his left foot the previous weekend against Hawthorn. He was only passed fit to play on the morning of the match. 

Scott said the superstar midfielder was not at his best but still thought his impact was solid. 

"I thought he was OK," Scott said. 

"Like a lot of players every weekend, he was less than his best physically but good enough to play ... He was far from our worst. It appears as though he's pulled up OK.

"In retrospect, on what wasn't a great night for us, that (selecting Dangerfield) was seemingly a good decision."

WATCH: Chris Scott's full media conference

Joel Selwood was sick heading into the game, but Scott refused to use that as an excuse and praised his captain's ability to still have an impact despite a heavy tag from Riley Knight.

Mark Blicavs left the field during the third term for the Cats with an ankle injury. He was on crutches after the match but Scott was unable to expand on the extent of the injury. 

"He was sore enough not to come back on," Scott said. 

"I can't shed any light on it."