A relentless Adelaide outfit came as no surprise to Carlton’s AFLW coach Damien Keeping.
Despite holding the upper hand for the first three quarters of the match, the Blues fell just short at the final siren and were defeated by the Crows 2.5.17 to 2.2.14 at Thebarton Oval on Sunday.
“It was as we expected, a really contested game,” Keeping said after the match.
“We understood that the Crows were going to play that really aggressive, attacking type of game.”
In tough conditions scores were few and far between and it was the Crows who capitalised on their opportunities in the final term.
According to Keeping, player fitness wasn’t a concern for the Blues, rather “one to two little things” that proved his side’s undoing.
“I don’t think there was any one thing we can put our finger on right now,” he said.
“I wouldn’t put it down to fitness.
“When we look back at the review of the game there’ll be little things that we can improve on that will make a difference.”
Despite the loss knocking the Blues out of the coveted top two behind Adelaide (1st) and Brisbane (2nd), Keeping said his players were on the improve.
“As the season goes on we’re starting to see a high level of skill with ball in hand, gathering of the ball and marking,” he said.
“That’s (skill) improving from week to week and the more training time we can put into the playing group the better the spectacle is going to be from that perspective.”
The hotly contested battle between two of the league’s apparent heavyweights had spectators contemplating a grand-final re-match, but Keeping was quick to put things into perspective.
“I think we’re a long way off understanding who those two teams might be (in the grand final).”
“I think it’s (the competition) pretty even still.”
Carlton will look to return to the winners list when it lines up against an in-form Melbourne at Casey Fields on Saturday 25 February.
For non-Carlton access members*, a ticket must be purchased in order to support the Game Changers in their Round 4 match against the Demons, with Carlton’s first JLT Community Series match to follow.
*subject to capacity
