Adelaide will show no mercy when they clash with Essendon on Saturday, as both teams try to re-ignite their finals hopes.
CROWS coach Brenton Sanderson says he will continue to encourage his defence to attack through the corridor despite statistics showing Adelaide has been more successful this season when it plays safe.
There's a clear trend emerging in the Crows' inconsistent year — in their wins they move the ball around the boundary more often but when they gamble and take the ball through the corridor they lose.
Sanderson wants his team to keep choosing the "high risk, high reward" option of carrying the ball through the middle of the ground because it's what the AFL's elite do.
Five of the teams who use the corridor the most - Geelong, Fremantle, Collingwood, Port and Sydney - sit inside the top six on the ladder.
The Crows are ranked third in centre corridor use but enter Saturday night's game against Essendon at Etihad Stadium in 10th spot because they've been badly punished by opposition sides when they turn the ball over in this part of the ground.
"We've turned the ball over in our defensive half almost more than any other side this year," Sanderson said.
"When we've played poorly and lost the opposition has turned the ball over in our defensive half ...
"(And) it's a short distance to go back to the opposition's goal to score."
So as Adelaide prepares for what could be a season-defining clash against the Bombers, Sanderson faces a classic "development v results" coaching decision.
Adelaide Crows coach Brenton Sanderson believes in the "high-risk, high-reward" approach. Picture: Sarah Reed.
Does he cop the short-term turnover pain to fast track his team's development into a genuine top four threat?
Young defenders like Luke Brown and Rory Laird aren't going to develop into reliable long kicks if they never try them on game day.
Or does the desire to return to the top eight after a disappointing 2013 season take precedence and result in a more risk-averse game style?
"We still promote corridor. That for us is where we can create some better attacking play," Sanderson said.
"We would love a lot better ball use out of our D50.
"Smith, Reilly, Jaensch are good kicks, Laird and Brown are neat kicks (and) Otten, Talia - we're still working with those guys to ensure we're getting good ball use out of D50.
"It's an area we have to keep improving on for sure but we'll always still promote corridor ball use."
Staying aggressive when the pressure is on is a theme Sanderson - and his players - have promoted all season.
Essendon star Paul Chapman has decided to skip this weekend's crucial match with Adelaide in favour of a showdown with his former club Geelong a week later.
The Crows coach repeated the message yesterday, saying it was even more important this week against Bombers side which restricts forward entries better than any other team.
"When we're not going well we can't afford to go back into our shells," Sanderson said.
"We have to keep taking the game on, be bold, be brave, that's when we're playing our best footy ...
"Essendon's pressure is very good. They're the number one side in preventing inside 50s in the competition - they only give up 42 a week.
"We're going to have to be really on top of our game if we're going to beat this side."
PLAYING SAFE
Adelaide's use of the corridor from defence this season
Wins - 19.9%
Losses - 28.4%
R13 v Kangaroos - 17.2%
CORRIDOR KINGS
The AFL sides who play through the middle the most
Geelong - 38.5%
Fremantle - 35.7%
Adelaide - 33.1%
Collingwood - 32.9%
Port Adelaide - 31.5%
Sydney - 31.1%
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