Adelaide: Western Bulldogs midfielder Matthew Kennedy admitted superstar teammate Sam Darcy put himself ahead of the team when he gave away two reckless 50-metre penalties during a third-quarter brain fade in Friday night’s heart-stopping win over the Crows, 14.10 (94) to 13.10 (88).
Darcy, well beaten by Jordon Butts for much of the night, conceded the first 50-metre penalty for collaring Butts, and then gave away another just a few seconds later when he flung Josh Worrell to the ground.
Butts let Darcy, and the Bulldogs, off the hook when he missed a sitter – which would have been his second of the night, and of his 87-game career – as the Crows came charging before falling short.
Kennedy is full of admiration for Darcy’s competitive edge, but believes the 208-centimetre spearhead’s actions weren’t acceptable.
“He [Darcy] is a competitor, but he knew he was in the wrong,” Kennedy told this masthead.
“You’ve got to fight and compete – and we love that edge he plays with – but that’s just too far.
“He’ll be the first to agree that’s putting yourself ahead of the team, which we just don’t accept.
“He’s probably lucky he [Butts] missed as well.”
Adelaide rallied from a 25-point fourth-quarter deficit to pinch the lead on Izak Rankine’s stunning goal from the scoreboard pocket. It was a moment made all the more remarkable given Rankine’s otherwise quiet night in his return match from a lengthy suspension for using a homophobic slur against Collingwood last season.
Bailey Williams equalised for the Dogs, before Oskar Baker sealed it with an even better finish than Rankine’s, slotting a miracle from the opposite pocket on the south-western side.
Kennedy was in the centre of Adelaide Oval when he saw Baker let fly.
The silence from the masses told him all he needed to know as the Dogs moved to 3-0.
“I was in the middle and praying that it went through,” Kennedy said.
“When the crowd went silent, that’s when I knew it went through.
“He’s in super form, Oskar.
“A lot of people don’t see how hard he runs off the ball and all the little things he does to turn the ball over [our way].
“To see him get the reward with an awesome moment like that, with a goal from the boundary, was pretty special.”
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said he’d happily take the win, but added his side has plenty to work on despite their 3-0 start to the season.
“I’ll take the win any day of the week,” Beveridge said.
“[But] I think both teams behind closed doors will say it was a pretty messy game with a lot of pressure.
“So I was proud of the boys to hold sway under significant pressure in that last quarter.
“We take those chocolates and fly home with some contentment about the result, but we know there is a lot to work on.”
Votes
Joel Freijah (Western Bulldogs) 8
Buku Khamis (Western Bulldogs) 8
Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) 7
Jordon Butts (Adelaide) 7
Jordan Dawson (Adelaide) 7
With Roy Ward
