The Western Bulldogs’ top-four hopes are all but over after a Darcy Fogarty-inspired Adelaide romped to an upset 39-point AFL victory at Adelaide Oval.
In his 100th game, Fogarty kicked an equal career-high five goals and handed off another to guide the Crows to the 17.9 (111) to 9.18 (72) victory on Sunday.
The Bulldogs were riding a four-match winning streak and would have risen to within a victory of the teams sitting second to fourth if they had beaten the Crows.
But the loss leaves Luke Beveridge’s men in seventh spot with a 12-9 record, two wins adrift of the top four with just two rounds remaining.
Even if the Bulldogs beat North Melbourne and GWS in the final two rounds, it’s unlikely to be enough for them to snare a second-chance position in the finals.
The Bulldogs were their own worst enemy in front of goal against Adelaide, with Sam Darcy (1.5 and one out of bounds) the worst offender.
Darcy’s sole goal came from three metres out with just over two minutes remaining in the match.
Goalkicking aside, the 21-year-old was prominent throughout with 21 disposals, five marks and a game-high 11 score involvements.
Marcus Bontempelli overcame a quiet start to finish with 26 possessions and two goals, but he tallied only two clearances and didn’t have his usual impact.
Matt Crouch (32 disposals, seven clearances) and Lachlan Sholl (34 disposals) racked up big numbers for Adelaide, while Reilly O’Brien (59 hit-outs) monstered Tim English (15 hitouts) in the ruck.
Although the Bulldogs won the inside 50m count 59-43, Adelaide kicked 6.1 from centre clearances in an impressive display.
The only concern for Adelaide was an injury to Tex Walker, who was subbed off in the third quarter after being accidentally poked in the right eye by English.
The Crows stunned the Bulldogs with five goals to one in the opening quarter.
Alarm bells were ringing when Ben Keays’s third goal of the match late in the second quarter extended the margin to 33 points.
Bontempelli, who had been held to just nine disposals up until that moment, won a free kick in the dying seconds of the half before converting after the siren to give his team a pulse at the long break.
A strong mark and goal by Bontempelli to start the third quarter reduced the gap to 20 points, but it was the Fogarty show for the rest of the term.
He kicked two goals and set up another to Josh Rachele as the margin ballooned to 41 points at three-quarter time.
Star Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton was subbed off with six minutes remaining in the third quarter in a surprise tactical move.
Naughton had just four disposals and a single behind to his name.
Fogarty kicked his fifth goal in the last quarter, but the biggest cheers were saved for Daniel Curtin when the No.8 pick from last year’s draft slotted the first two goals of his career.