Adelaide have escaped with a heart-stopping and season-defining AFL victory over reigning premiers Brisbane after absorbing a barrage of behinds that included a controversial score review from a Callum Ah Chee shot.
Leading by 17 points at three-quarter time, the Lions conceded five unanswered goals to cough up the lead in the last quarter and “slaughtered” eight chances to drag it back in their favour thereafter, as Adelaide savour a 10.8 (68) to 8.15 (63) triumph at a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Callum Ah Chee controversially denied crucial goal in dying minutes.
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Brisbane kicked 0.8 to Adelaide’s 5.0 in the final term, and had 20 inside 50s to eight in that time, including the last 11 entries.
“They had about eight pristine looks at them and slaughtered them all,” James Brayshaw said on Channel 7.
But it was Ah Chee’s which was closest and most controversial, with Lions players celebrating a major before the goal umpire called for a score review, believing it was a behind.
With only distance camera shots at the wrong angles to review, evidence was nowhere near conclusive enough to overturn the decision, and the behind stood.
“You’ll never be able to overrule this. Impossible,” Matthew Richardson said when the ARC was engaged.
Brayshaw added: “No chance you’re turning it over from there — that soft call is huge. There’s no other angle; that’s it.”
Callum Ah Chee was denied what he thought was a goal. Credit: Channel 7 Speaking to Channel 7 after the game, Crows coach Matthew Nicks admitted they were “probably a bit lucky” to escape with the win.
Adelaide will retain a hold on third spot regardless of other weekend results and they’re just two premiership points behind the second-placed Lions.
Adelaide livewire forward Josh Rachele slotted three goals, as did did ex-Lion Ben Keays (20 disposals).
And their captain Jordan Dawson took a mark-of-the-year contender — and then goaled — during a final-term flourish which enhances the Crows’ status as a genuine contender.
Adelaide boast nine wins and four losses and appear certain to return to the finals for the first time since 2017.
Brisbane duo Cam Rayner and Charlie Cameron kicked two goals each and Norm Smith medallist Will Ashcroft was outstanding with a game-high 31 disposals.
Ashcroft’s midfield colleagues Hugh McCluggage (27 touches, one goal), Jarrod Berry (28 possessions) and Lachie Neal (22) also revelled in the wet.
The quartet overpowered the on-ball brigade of Adelaide for the initial three quarters before the Crows’ unheralded last term.
In slippery conditions, it took until the 21st minute of the game for Brisbane’s Rayner to score the opening goal.
Just 60 seconds later, the Lions struck again when Ah Chee bounced through a major.
The visitors led 2.3 to 0.6 at the end of a first quarter which could land Crows recruit James Peatling in strife for a sling tackle on Neale.
Adelaide are into the AFL top four thanks to a gutsy home win over the defending premiers. Credit: AAP The Lions champ wasn’t hurt when his head hit the turf but Peatling was penalised for a dangerous tackle certain to attract match review scrutiny.
Brisbane scored three goals in nine minutes to create a 21-point advantage midway through the second term.
But Adelaide responded to the danger with Rachele threading a remarkable 45m set shot from outside a boundary line to help reduce their deficit — the Lions led by eight points at halftime, 5.3 to 3.7.
That advantage was reduced to two points early in the third quarter when Rachele snapped his second goal — and some 26 minutes into the term, the home side were still within four points.
But late strikes from Cameron and Kai Lohmann gave Brisbane a 17-point buffer at three-quarter time.
Adelaide then stormed to victory with five goals to none in less than 18 minutes.
Tall forward Riley Thilthorpe triggered the spree with a classy goal on the run from an acute angle — Keays, Dawson, Rachele and Keays again followed with majors for an 11-point lead.
The Lions pressed late but could add only eight behinds in the final quarter — plus two attempts which sailed out-on-the-full.
– With AAP