Adelaide forward Riley Thilthorpe has celebrated his comeback with two goals before missing the team song for a post-match running session.
Named as the Crows’ substitute for his return to the AFL from a knee injury, the 22-year-old came off the bench to seal the 10.11 (79) to 5.9 (59) win over St Kilda on Saturday night.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Riley Thilthorpe misses team song for post-match running session.
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Thilthorpe was “pumped” afterwards even with the knowledge that he would be put to work on a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval while his teammates enjoyed the immediate spoils of victory.
“One of the great crimes, this. He won them the game! Not good enough! Where is he?” Jack Riewoldt joked in commentary, telling Crows great and board member Mark Ricciuto: “I want heads to roll over this.”
Ricciuto had his tongue firmly in his cheek when he replied: “Nah, run him into the ground.”
Dean Brogan added on the ABC: “That would be the worst feeling to stay out there while everyone is celebrating.”
Thilthorpe has turned heads after bulking up while on the sidelines as he looks to secure his spot in the team for the rest of the year and beyond.
“So good, so much fun to be back out there with the boys. It’s something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” he said of his comeback.
Thilthorpe’s return was the bright spot in a slog of a match, with Lachlan Sholl also kicking two goals for Adelaide.
The Crows booted four goals to none in the last term while the Saints managed only two goals after quarter-time, slipping to 15th on the ladder behind Adelaide.
Emerging Crows on-baller Jake Soligo revelled in the wet with 25 disposals, as did stalwarts Jordan Dawson (26 disposals) and triple club champion Rory Laird (31).
St Kilda defender Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera collected a team-high 29 possessions and Mattaes Phillipou was a standout with 20 possessions and a classy third-term goal.
Mason Wood and Cooper Sharman kicked two majors each while Hunter Clark (21 touches) and the recalled Zak Jones (20) were busy.
The Saints led 3.3 to 2.1 at quarter time, with Sharman slotting two set-shots and Phillipou prominent with eight disposals including three clearances.
But the tide turned in the second quarter as the Crows scored three goals to one to take a four-point half-time advantage, 5.5 to 4.7.
Adelaide gained ascendancy around the ball as rain made ball-handling tricky, with the home recording 18 inside 50s to St Kilda’s eight for the quarter.
Heavy rain continued throughout the third term, resulting in a scoring stalemate as both sides failed to kick a major for almost 23 minutes.
The deadlock was broken in style by the Saints’ Phillipou, who bounced through a 55m goal when near the boundary line.
That strike got St Kilda to within one point but the Crows responded two minutes later when Sholl neatly collected a half-volley in the goal square and converted.
Adelaide held an eight-point buffer, 6.10 to 5.8, at three-quarter time and gained precious breathing space 11 minutes into the last term when Billy Dowling goaled.
– with AAP
