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Adelaide Crows vs Geelong Cats Preview & Tips - Crows to edge Thursday showdown in AFL

Adam Cusworth

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Last updated: 08 Apr 2025

Adam Cusworth 08 Apr 2025

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Adelaide Crows vs Geelong Cats expert predictions for Thursday’s Round 5 AFL game
Crows favored narrowly with 3-1 record
Key player battles: Riley Thilthorpe vs Tom Stewart

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Adelaide Crows (Getty Images)

Adelaide Crows vs Geelong Cats Preview

Adelaide are backed to edge past Geelong in what should be a real arm-wrestle to start Gather Round. The Crows are 3-1 after the first month of footy and head in as slight favourites. Take the Crows between the 1-39 point margin.

The Crows top the competition for goals per game this season.
Adelaide rank 2nd for disposals per game, Geelong are 14th
Tom Stewart has averaged 30 disposals in his past four matches against Adelaide.
Riley Thilthorpe has kicked 14 goals this season

Head to Head

Geelong have won the last four matches between the two sides. Three of those were at GMHBA Stadium. The Cats took out the Round 2 clash last season at the Adelaide Oval by 19 points before claiming a five-point thriller in Round 21.

Jeremy Cameron was the difference with six goals in that match, while Tom Stewart had 28 disposals. Riley Thilthorpe booted three for the Crows.

Tom Stewart is one player the Crows will need to monitor and has averaged 30 disposals from his past four against Adelaide. Rory Laird and Jordan Dawson have both gone at 25+ in that period.

Cameron has kicked 15 in his past four against the Crows. The Cats have won three of their past four against Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval.

Adelaide Crows Form

Adelaide have been the highest scoring side this year, averaging over 19 goals per game. They produced some big scores in early season wins over St Kilda, Essendon and North Melbourne before going down 90-91 against Gold Coast.

Riley Thilthorpe, Darcy Fogarty and Taylor Walker have combined for 36 goals so far and are the first trio in the AFL to kick 10+ goals through four games since 2016.

The Crows have been finding a stack of the footy and rank 2nd for disposal differential, 4th for clearances and 4th for inside 50s. Jake Soligo, Jordan Dawson, Matt Crouch and Rory Laird are all averaging 25+ disposals this season.

Adelaide Crows Team News

Plenty of interest in the fitness of Izak Rankine with the star playmaker copping a knock to his calf. Matt Crouch was rested from the Gold Coast match and is the obvious inclusion, should Rankine not come up.

Don't expect too many other changes to the side that went down to the Gold Coast Suns. Of their best 22, Josh Rachele is the biggest name on the sidelines and he will be out of action for at least a few more weeks with broken ribs.

Geelong Cats Form

The Cats controlled the football last week against Melbourne, setting up the 39-point win with uncontested possessions, before capitalising with 17 marks inside 50. Patrick Dangerfield played primarily as a forward and booted three goals, while Tyson Stengle snagged two.

The former Bulldog, Bailey Smith, picked up 28 disposals, which is bang on his average for the season.

Geelong will structure up defensively in a bid to thwart Adelaide and are conceding just 10 goals per game this season. The Cats missed Tom Stewart in their two losses (coming off injured in one). No coincidence that Geelong’s two wins have been in with the general in the back half.

Geelong Cats Team News

Jack Henry will miss from the side that took on Melbourne last weekend with the young defender sustaining a hamstring injury. Jake Kolodjashnij is still at least a week away

Verdict

Adelaide v Geelong

The Crows are red-hot but Geelong's defensive structures led by Tom Stewart will keep the Cats in this. Riley Thilthorpe can continue his good form in front of goal

Adelaide Crows 1-39

Winning Margin 40+

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