Adelaide Crows forward Shane McAdam soars high for 'outstanding mark' as boilover brews
The Adelaide Crows got off to a blistering start against giant favourites the Geelong Cats this afternoon - and it was perhaps Shane McAdam who displayed their nothing-to-lose mentality best.
Experts and fans were shocked as Adelaide rocketed to a 12-point quarter-time lead, but the Crows delivered the premiership heavyweights another crushing and unexpected blow when McAdam flew high for an epic grab.
Remarkably, the Crows would end up taking a 38-point lead into the long break.
McAdam launched himself above a pack in the left-forward pocket early in the second term, hauled down the mark and walked back to kick the goal in front of a rapturous Adelaide Oval crowd.
"McAdam! Oh, he can fly!" Fox Footy commentator Anthony Hudson said.
"And he's launched in the late-afternoon sun in Adelaide and brought down an outstanding mark."
Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall was stunned.
"I thought he took off too early," Dunstall said.
"He was almost on the way down when he took it.
"Great hang time in the air."
When McAdam slotted the set shot, Hudson added: "And they'll start to believe at the Adelaide Oval!"
Shane McAdam flies high for his epic mark. Getty
Former St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt said his lead-up work was outstanding.
"Just the freedom to run and launch," Riewoldt said.
"Flew in from the side of the pack.
"This is what you like. It was the hard work he did before the ball's actually kicked. The hard lead out to the pocket and then he doubles back and that is just a great hang.
Dunstall added: "It's all leap, isn't it!"
Riewoldt labelled the Crows' first-half performance "incredible".
