Crows coach backs Rachele, doesn’t want ‘robot’ players

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Crows coach backs Rachele, doesn’t want ‘******’ players

Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks has urged his players not to become “robots” despite Josh Rachele’s verbal barbs and goal celebration backfiring in an ill-tempered loss to Port Adelaide.

Rachele kicked a brilliant second-quarter goal at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night and goaded Power fans by pointing to his teeth while he celebrated in their faces on the boundary line.

It came after the Crows’ livewire forward had lit the fuse on Adelaide radio during the build-up, when he claimed “Port supporters don’t have many teeth”.

He also said he didn’t care if the Power faithful jeered him and followed up with a faux apology on social media before the game.

Crows captain Jordan Dawson and teammate Darcy Fogarty also taunted Port with provocative pre-match comments that fanned the flames of the rivalry.

But the Power had the last laugh in their 11.14 (80) to 8.10 (58) victory, locking in a top-four finish, while the Crows will miss the finals.

“When you’ve got a night like tonight where it’s got everything, part of that is the theatre and part of that’s the adrenaline that’s pumping through people’s bodies,” Nicks said.

“People in the stands, their heart rates are through the roof, and from our players and their point of view, they’re doing it as well with physical fatigue and working their way through.

“So emotions are high. It’s a part of footy and if we stamp that out we become robots, and it worries me.

“But we can get carried away at times. I think most people in the stadium did tonight.”

Adelaide led by nine points at halftime as they chased a fourth consecutive win over their arch-rivals, but were outscored seven goals to two after the main break.

Nicks conceded Port responded better to a third-quarter flashpoint, when Dan Houston flattened Crows forward Izak Rankine with a high bump.

“You learn a fair bit from tonight,” Nicks said.

“When you look back on the key moments in that second half, some of our guys are still understanding where composure is needed.

“The emotion’s high but there’s a key to that – you’ve then got to knuckle down and play footy.”

Nicks said Rankine was “up and about” after the game, having been driven off the ground on a medical cart.

Rankine will miss the Crows’ final game of the season when they take on ladder leaders Sydney at the SCG on Saturday night.

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