2003 Pre-Season Cup
Adelaide secured its first pre-season title when it defeated Collingwood by 31 points in the 2003 Wizard Home Loans Cup final at Melbourne’s Telstra Dome.
Collingwood kicked the opening two goals of the match but the Crows were in front by quarter-time and then led by 32 points at half-time after a four-goal blitz in the last ten minutes.
Collingwood lifted to trail by 13 points during the final quarter but the Crows kicked away to win the trophy and $200,000 cheque.
Champion Crows midfielder Andrew McLeod won the Michael Tuck Medal as best afield in another damaging display on a big stage, adding to his two Norm Smith Medals from the 1997 and 1998 AFL grand finals.
McLeod had 24 disposals and kicked two goals while Tyson Edwards, Chris Ladhams, Simon Goodwin and Matthew Bode also enjoyed the benefits of Matthew Clarke (38 hit outs) and Rhett Biglands dominating in the ruck.
Seven-time All-Australian Wayne Carey made his debut for the Crows and kicked two goals, including a clever snap in the final term to end a run of Collingwood goals. Ian Perrie’s three goals were all kicked in the first half.
Carey, Mark Ricciuto and Mark Bickley all had limited game time as they prepared for the premiership season.
Adelaide defeated Port Adelaide, West Coast and the Kangaroos on the way to the grand final.
It was Adelaide’s first pre-season title after losing grand finals in 1994 and 1995.
The team:
B: Ben Hart, Nathan Bassett, Martin Mattner
HB: Nigel Smart, Ken McGregor, Jason Torney
C: Brett Burton, Tyson Stenglein, Brent Reilly
HF: Matthew Bode, Mark Stevens, Ronnie Burns
F: Tyson Edwards, Ian Perrie, Chris Ladhams
R: Matthew Clarke, Simon Goodwin, Andrew McLeod
Int: Rhett Biglands, Mark Ricciuto, Mark Bickley, Graham Johncock, Wayne Carey, Michael Doughty.
Coach: Gary Ayres
Adelaide 0.4.0.1 1.8.0.3 1.9.0.4 2.13.0.8 (104)
Collingwood 0.3.0.2 0.4.0.4 0.6.0.7 1.9.1.7 (73)
Goals: Perrie 3, Biglands, Carey, Stevens 2, Edwards, Johncock, Ladhams, McLeod.
Best: McLeod (Michael Tuck Medal), Edwards, Bode, Clarke, McGregor, Bassett, Smart, Ladhams.
Crowd: 43,571 at Telstra Dome
