Fans flock to support stoic Crows
Phil Walsh had a saying he used to impress on his Crows charges: “Just get the job done.”
And midfield veteran Scott Thompson says “we’ll be doing our best to do that” when Adelaide takes on West Coast in Perth on Saturday night, just eight days after their coach was murdered in his home, allegedly by his son Cy.
Turning up at all will be enough to garner the applause of the football community, after a week in which winning games has been far from the thoughts of most.
“It certainly puts a lot of things in perspective,” said Thompson, “but Phil would want us to win.”
Thompson today became the first Crows player to face a packed media conference, while the team held an open training session this morning – their first since Walsh’s death.
It drew hundreds of fans, with AAMI Stadium resembling more a match day from years gone by. Car parks quickly filled, fans lining up for a sausage sizzle decked in Adelaide scarves and guernseys before squeezing into the lower bays of the northern stand.
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Margaret Trampnau walked hand in hand with her nephew, clad in red, blue and gold. She was down visiting from Queensland and came with her brother and sister-in-law, “mad Crows supporters”.
“It’s just so sad, just tragic,” she said.
Thompson said the “love and support” shown from fans and the broader community had been “overwhelming for everyone”.
“I think Phil would really like that,” he said.
“Clearly there’s so many things going through people’s heads at the moment; everything is still so raw, there’s probably a lot of questions everyone has (and) you can only go day by day.
“As a group and as a club, we’re focused, we’re clear with our direction now.”
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And there was an eerie normality about the players going through their paces, tackles, marks and goals drawing warm applause from the throngs of supporters in the stands.
“Early on it was probably a bit surreal, but now there is a bit of normality back in what we’re doing,” agreed Thompson.
“There was quite a bit of energy out there, I think … we’ve actually trained quite well.
“It’s important to stick together, doing things together … everyone deals with certain situations in their own way, and feelings and emotions.
“The fact we’ve been around each other a fair bit, the group is in the best possible place.
“There’d be a million thoughts going through everyone’s mind, but I’m looking forward to getting back out there again and sticking tight with the team … We are looking forward to attacking West Coast.”
Seated at the back of the stand behind the goals, watching the ball sail through intermittently, was supporter Sue Stephens.
“My family and I have been Crows supporters since day one … I used to bring my son down here when he was a teenager to watch them practice, but not so much now the children are all grown up,” she said.
Having been present for two Crows premierships and Sunday’s emotion-charged gathering at Adelaide Oval, she returned today, “just to show a bit of moral support”.
“I don’t know what my thoughts are, to be perfectly honest…(I’m) devastated, absolutely devastated, it’s all been such an emotional week,” she said.
“I guess it was good to see them out there again, but who knows how long it will take them to get over it all.
“You just hope for the best.”
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