The Crows have lost seven of their last eight matches. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes
Sport by Jason Phelan 5th Jun 2021 10:50 PM | Updated: 11:06 PM
Frustrated Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks has dismissed the notion that the AFL investigation into his players’ breach of Covid protocols and the league’s subsequent heavy fine had any bearing on Saturday’s shock loss to Collingwood.
The understrength Pies blitzed Adelaide early then came from behind late to score a 12.6 (78) to 10.13 (73) win at Adelaide Oval.
The Crows were fined $50,000 by the AFL just hours before the match got underway after some players and officials were found to have not complied with face mask protocols on a commercial flight back from Sydney last Sunday.
AFL Rd 12 - Adelaide v Collingwood
Sport by Jason Phelan 5th Jun 2021 7:25 PM | Updated: 7:41 PM
Collingwood has pulled off a daring smash-and-grab border raid, Jamie Elliott starring with six goals in a surprise five-point win over the wasteful Crows at Adelaide Oval.
The Magpies were in South Australia for just under 12 hours on Saturday after being granted a much-debated exemption by SA Health, and the interlopers made the most of their opportunity, scoring a 12.6 (78) to 10.13 (73) win.
With injured stars Brodie Grundy and Taylor Adams dropping out of the side that lost to Geelong, the 16th-placed Pies were given little chance of victory by many, but stunned the home side to score their third win of the season.
Share We re extremely grateful we have got the opportunity to play in our home state this weekend in front of a crowd and we will do everything that is needed to keep that safe, Crows coach Matthew Nicks told reporters on Thursday. We are having COVID tests regularly to make sure that we re able to keep the virus out of the football club. But this week is an interesting one. Post-game is the most important after we have had contact with the Collingwood Football Club that are coming from Melbourne. We will go into a quarantine for 48 hours as a football club.