A COUPLE of girlfriends (who sit firmly in the non-believers camp) stopped by on Saturday afternoon just before the first bounce.

I thought about hiding behind the couch with a cushion over my head but that seemed a bit over the top, bordering on insanity.

Instead I welcomed them warmly, put the kettle on, and then set the parameters – “you can talk quietly amongst yourselves while the game’s on but only draw me into the conversation during the breaks.”

They know the rules.

Kurt Tippett has to be the best thing to come out of Queensland since Powderfinger and the Bowen mango.

In a text book passage of play he tapped it down to Porplyzia who gave it to Douglas who found Burton who kicked a … err … point. Well, almost text book. Moments later Tippett kicked a goal giving Adelaide a handy 15-point lead at the first change.

By half time our lead was 25 and I was feeling comfortable; not in an arrogant way. I’ve been stung by that before, over and over again.

Now that I have a clear understanding of hubris and how it works I’m staying well away from getting too comfortable. In the back of my mind was last year’s loss to Fremantle at AAMI Stadium. It lives in that part of my brain under the heading “unexpected losses at home”, right next door to “heart-breaking one-point losses”, also featuring the Dockers.

I started to squirm a bit in the third. John Casey tried his best to lift my spirits: “Fremantle’s back line is carbon neutral; not many emissions coming from it.” I love a hint of social commentary in a footy broadcast but before I’d finished reveling in it Jeff Farmer had consecutive goals.

More squirming and at three quarter time the margin was back to 16.Forget the squirming. By midway through the final term I was twirling my hair so feverishly I almost gave myself a perm. Questions came from every direction. Where’s Adelaide’s pressure? Why so many turnovers? What was that down field free for? Who the hell cares – we’ll take it. And my contribution: 'why do we have to sit through such boring Jim Beam ads? Is there any danger of someone in the world of advertising coming up with something interesting? Sexism is such a bore.'

Just when the horror of round 16 last year was starting to envelop my whole being Andrew McLeod stepped up with a goal to give the Crows a 17-pont lead. McPharlin responded straight away but let’s not dwell on that. I’d rather dwell on Birdman’s leap and McLeod’s second goal of the term. Game over. Nice work boys.

The Crows iced the clock for the last four and a half minutes. The crowd didn’t appreciate it but credit has to be given to the players for holding their collective nerve while keeping control of the ball. Does it really matter how attractive the footy is? Surely it’s all about winning and the four points.

At the end of the match I was surprised to see my girlfriends were still in the kitchen chatting away about something meaningful, oblivious Adelaide had just won its third game of the season.

“Next week I get to see the Crows live in the flesh at the MCG”, I said interrupting them. “We play Carlton.”

“That should be easy. They haven’t won a game yet, have they?”

This is why I stick to my rules.