1. The intent from the Eagles was clear from the outset with the pressure around the ball and it continued throughout the game. That commitment was evident in the numbers, winning the contested possession, clearance and tackle counts and it related to field position control. The Eagles had possession for 43% of the match, compared to Adelaide’s 40 and it translated to 60 inside 50 entries to 44 and an important win.

2. The midfield unit appeared to have greater synergy, particularly through Andrew Gaff, Tim Kelly and Elliot Yeo. All were strong possession winners with Kelly and Yeo gathering 26 and 23 touches respectively, with 12 contested disposals from both of them. Gaff played the transition role to perfection with 34 disposals, but only three of them contested as he provided his trademark outside run. In concert with Nic Naitanui and Luke Shuey the midfield ascendancy was a major factor.

00:23

Yeo finishes from Nic Nat's perfect tap

Nic Naitanui marks his 200th match with a stunning hitout to Elliot Yeo, who sneaks in a major

3. Senior coach Adam Simpson said during the week that Connor West had looked like an AFL player from the moment he walked through the doors at Mineral Resources Park and certainly he made an impressive start. He led the contested possession count on the ground, with 13 of his 19 disposals won in the cauldron of the battle. He also collected 11 ground balls and was an important inclusion in the midfield mix, along with another youngster we had already seen in a handful of games, Luke Edwards.

4. One of the players who set the standard from the start was club games record holder Shannon Hurn. A strong tackle on Taylor Walker in the opening minutes and a cluster of strong marks in the first quarter helped to set the tone for the day. Hi finished with 26 possessions, nine marks (five intercepts) and in conjunction with Jeremy McGovern (19 possessions, 10 marks, three intercepts) and Brad Sheppard (19 disposals, nine marks) the Eagles controlled the back half.

06:38

Highlights: Eagles v Crows

Check out all the highlights from a good day in Adelaide

5. A number of important players showed signs of their best form, none more so than small forward Liam Ryan, especially after half-time. Ryan has shown glimpses since returning from a shin injury, but 10 marks, five of them inside the forward 50, and three goals was a terrific return. With Jack Petruccelle (two goals) and Jamie Cripps, who had a blinder, the small forwards contributed 10 of the team’s 14 goals.