Buckley commends Adelaide's trend-breaking "four-tall" forward half

The Adelaide Crows have well and truly arrived, running rampant in all three of their contests in 2025.

Leading the league with an absurd 410 points and 21 goals per game, coach Matthew Nicks has mastered the forward mix with a rarely utilised three-pronged attack.

Between Riley Thilthorpe (nine goals), Darcy Fogarty (nine goals) and Taylor Walker (six goals), the combination of the tall timber has appeared as fluid as ever, while Ben Keays (seven goals), Josh Rachele (six goals) and Izak Rankine (four goals) also offer up a major threat going forward.

AFL legend Nathan Buckley has been overly impressed with the forward half mix, complementing the club’s ability to get the best of every member of the front line.

“If we break it down...,” Buckley told SEN’s Whateley.

“Thilthorpe is fit and firing and looks up and about and looks imposing, I think it’s the beard – a very Viking look he’s going with.

“Fogarty has just continued to improve as a player and 'Tex' has always been a gun. He probably had one or two years where he looked like he was gone and that was four or five years ago.

“He has resumed the status that he has always had and that is an elite ball user, damaging in the air, left foot, right foot, and then you’ve got (Dan) Curtin who has been playing on the wing and sliding forward, playing second ruck at times.

“Adelaide have broken the trend; they are going for pretty much a four-tall forward look at times. Obviously in rotations you might have three of those in the forward line at any times.

“Walker gives them the aerial through the middle of the field if he wants but then can still win the ball on the ground, can still turn on a dime, go on his non preferred and lace up someone.

“They’ve done it slightly differently, moving the ball really quickly off the back. They are getting enough supply and enough effect from all of their key targets to be able to roll with it, that’s going to ask a few questions of second and third key defenders in opposition backlines.”

It has been the perfect start for the Crows, however, a challenge beckons as they head north to take on the in-form Gold Coast Suns at People First Stadium on Saturday.