The Adelaide Crows are set to rely on their two longest-serving players, Taylor Walker and Brodie Smith, as they prepare for a significant home match against the Collingwood Magpies on Saturday night. This encounter holds particular importance for the Crows, who aim to end a challenging near decade-long streak without a win over Collingwood.
Coach Matthew Nicks announced that Smith, a veteran with 269 games under his belt, will step in for Rory Laird, who recently faced a one-game suspension for rough conduct. Nicks expressed disappointment about Laird’s absence but is optimistic about Smith’s contribution.
“Brodie has put his hand up right throughout the year,” Nicks stated during a press conference. “He probably plays in a lot of other backlines across the league at the moment. It has been a tough year for him to sit one-back, but he deserves his opportunity again.”
Smith has played in seven matches this season. Meanwhile, Walker, a seasoned player with 297 games, will take the place of Chris Burgess after the team narrowly defeated the lowly West Coast Eagles by just nine points in Perth. Nicks wants to put that performance behind them, hoping it was merely an anomaly.
“If you go back through the history of the game, there’s been teams that have had success off the back (of) a little drop away here and there,” Nicks noted. “We hope that’s the case, that we can get straight back on the horse.”
Adelaide’s last victory over Collingwood occurred in 2016, leaving them on a streak of 10 consecutive losses against the Magpies, including a draw in their prior clash. The previous five encounters have all been tightly contested, with Collingwood winning by margins of ten points or less.
“This match is a great lead-in to finals,” Nicks remarked. “To come up against a team that has been the benchmark, on our home deck as well, is really exciting for us. They have a lot of experience in their group, and experience is crucial in close games—knowing what to do to win and what to do not to lose.”
Reflecting on past performances, Nicks acknowledged that Collingwood has historically had the upper hand in these close encounters, but remains confident in his team’s improvement.
“We’re getting better and better every time we play,” he stated. “We’ll continue to build our confidence, and we know that at the right time, the result will go our way.”
As the Crows gear up for this pivotal match, the focus will be on leveraging veteran experience to shift the narrative and secure a much-needed victory against a formidable opponent.
