Betts stars as Crows beat Dockers in AFL

Adelaide remain hot on the heels of Sydney in the race for second spot on the AFL ladder after posting a 72-point win over Fremantle at Domain Stadium.

Eddie Betts booted six goals and Josh Jenkins kicked five in the 21.16 (142) to 11.4 (70) rout on Sunday afternoon.

The result kept Adelaide in third spot – only a few percentage points adrift of the second-placed Swans.

Greater Western Sydney’s upset loss to West Coast on Saturday means the Crows are a win clear of fifth spot before games against Port Adelaide and West Coast.

Fremantle remain mired in 16th spot with a 3-17 record.

Assistant coach Peter Sumich has already departed, and president Steve Harris has announced he will follow suit at the end of the season, with vice-president Dale Alcock to replace him.

The Dockers were dealt another blow when ruckman Aaron Sandilands failed to play out the match.

Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich booted two majors to move to 699 career goals.

Forward Michael Walters (five goals) fought bravely until the end, but Adelaide boasted far more match-winners all over the park.

Crows speedster Charlie Cameron provided the highlight of the match in the fourth quarter when he took four bounces and burned off Connor Blakely to set up Jenkins’ fifth goal.

Betts booted two goals in the first term to help set the tone.

Spearhead Taylor Walker was kept goalless by Dockers defender Alex Silvagni in the first half.

But with the Crows boasting eight separate goal-kickers, the visitors went into the long break with a commanding 31-point lead.

Pavlich showed some spirit just before halftime, booting a long-range goal before fighting back at the niggle of Adelaide defender Kyle Hartigan.

The stand-off sparked a mini-melee as players from both sides rushed in, and Pavlich unleashed a couple of gut punches that might be looked at by the AFL’s match review panel.

However, given he will be rested for next week’s clash with GWS anyway, a one-match ban won’t bother him too much.

Jenkins booted three goals in the third term as the margin started to get ugly.

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