ADELAIDE coach Matthew Clarke conceded his chargers still need to improve a number of aspects of their game despite some heroics from Crows young gun Abbie Ballard. The 20-year-old booted two goals in three minutes in the final term, her first two goals in her six-game AFL Women’s career, to help Adelaide run over the top of a gallant Richmond outfit by nine points, 5.6 (36) to 4.3 (27).

Clarke said the Crows used their get out of jail free card to secure the victory, with the Adelaide coached conceded his side was “well and truly in a bit of strive” during the third term. They were well down on the inside 50s and trailed the Tigers by eight points at the last change.

“I thought the composure and the ability to stay calm at the break and just reset and obviously finish the game really strongly,” Clarke said. “We did have a slight breeze in that final quarter, but particularly for some of our younger players to experience that and then Abbie kicked a couple of really important goals. We were very happy to get our first win.”

Clarke said Ballard always bought the tenacity with her game and has a potent left boot, but was yet to hit the scoreboard in her fledgling career, until now.

“She’s had a really, really good preseason,” Clarke said. “She was on the edge of selection a lot of last year but she’s just forced her way into the team including the game last week.” Obviously if you’re playing small forward you’ve got to hit the scoreboard and that’s probably been the one piece that’s been missing, so for her to finish two really important goals was a great moment for her.”

Despite the impressive finish, Clarke said there was nothing he particularly asked for at the final break other than encouraging his onballers to get their hands on the ball and get back on top of the Tigers to give their forwards opportunities.

“They’d owned the game (to three quarter time), I think the inside 50 differential was significantly out of whack, so we asked our midfielders for a bit of a lift to obviously get the ball forward,” he said. “We made one little structural change, we pushed Chels (Chelsea Randall) down forward, but in the end, we just have to get a little bit better in the contest. “Their aerial, ground ball contest was really good all day. “We were behind in that area, but we were able to equalise and maybe get on top a little bit and get some ball in our end.”

After going down to Melbourne at home in Round 1, Clarke said the game brought up more areas of improvement for the reigning premiers, but said it was vital to be able to come away with the four points and kick-start their season.

“The Dees got us on the outside,” he said. “We need to keep getting better, we’re not where we need to be just yet, but I thought it was a really important day for our group because it’s a brand new season and to work through some adversity over the last week and to come out and be challenged again and to find a way to win was really important.”

Clarke praised his defence in the final three quarters, only conceding two goals in the last three quarters to ensure the Crows were in the game heading into the last term.

“I thought in the first quarter we actually were playing pretty well and we were a bit jumpy down in the D50 and gave up a couple of cheaper goals,” Clarke said. “But from then on they settled and played a really strong game. I thought Chelsea Biddell was really, really strong, both her aerial and her composure with the ball coming out of there. “But as a collective, they came together and held on.”

Adelaide returns home in a massive Round 3 clash against North Melbourne, with the Roos coming off a close loss to Melbourne following a massive win over Gold Coast Suns in Round 1.