How a tactical masterstroke and a historic fourth quarter secured Adelaide's first title
In short: In 1997, St Kilda entered the Grand Final as heavy favourites, boasting the league's best player. Yet, a series of unexpected coaching decisions and a legendary scoring blitz turned the match into one of the most unforgettable upsets in Australian rules football history.
The 1997 AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was a clash of contrasting trajectories. St Kilda arrived as the dominant force of the season, having secured the McClelland Trophy with a 15-7 record—the most wins by a top-ranked team in a season without exceeding six losses. Their roster featured Robert Harvey, the season's Brownlow Medalist, and was buoyed by a powerful run of seven consecutive victories leading into the decider.
Adelaide, however, entered the match as underdogs. Having only joined the competition in 1991, the Crows had reached the Grand Final for the first time, led by coach Malcolm Blight. The match was complicated early on by the loss of star forward Tony Modra to an ACL injury, forcing Blight to move Shane Ellen into the full-forward role. This tactical shift proved decisive, as Ellen kicked five goals, including the opening score.
The game's turning point arrived in the third quarter. While St Kilda's Austinn Jones provided a moment of brilliance with a spectacular goal from near the centre square, Adelaide found a higher gear. Blight executed another masterstroke by moving Darren Jarman from the midfield to the forward line. Jarman responded with a historic performance, booting five goals in the final quarter alone to secure a 31-point victory.
The win was also a triumph of versatility. 21-year-old Andrew McLeod, playing in a midfield role, earned the Norm Smith Medal for his instrumental ball-winning and defensive pressure. By winning four consecutive finals to claim the premiership, Adelaide joined an elite group of clubs, marking a definitive moment in the club's early history.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 1997 AFL Grand Final
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