AFL

Stewart looms large in Crows' planning for Cats

Jun 3, 2026

AFL — Tom Stewart was big in Geelong's win against Adelaide last time they played and the Crows remember. -AAP Image

Adelaide know better than most that it pays to avoid five-time AFL All-Australian defender Tom Stewart when kicking into attack.

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It's also easier said than done and Stewart is a major focus for the Crows ahead of hosting Geelong on Thursday night.

When the two teams clashed in round three, Stewart had nine intercept possessions as the Cats held off Adelaide by eight points.

Stewart is elite at picking off opposition kicks inside 50m and he also kicked a goal in the March 26 clash.

"He's a thorn in a few sides' backsides ... great player," Crows forward Darcy Fogarty said.

"Ideally, not kick it to him. He puts himself in good spots.

"As a team, we're really going to work around how we can nullify him, and I guess we'll just play through it, and play good grounded footy."

There are big questions marks on Adelaide as they come out of their mid-season bye.

While they are mid-table with a 6-5 record, that features losses to the Cats, Brisbane, Hawthorn and Fremantle.

Fogarty has played in their last two games, having previously been sidelined since the Geelong loss with a back injury.

"I just had a little bit of a bulge (sic) disc… I was able to get some running back in under the legs, which was good, and I think that set me up really well for the second half of the season," Fogarty said.

"For me personally, it's about how I can come back and impact some more games and to work on that, I don't want to overthink it too much.

"There's a lot that you can consume yourself with, but I am really excited to attack the second half of the season.

"It's just controlling what I can control, and a lot of the time that's in the contest, and being able to impact, and then taking the opportunities in front of goal."

Adelaide lost Riley Thilthorpe to suspension and Izak Rankine to a calf injury.

Veteran forward Taylor Walker will return from injury to take Thilthorpe's place and last week's mid-season draft pick Hugo Hall-Kahan will make his AFL debut.

"We had the one training session with him, but we watched his highlights, and he's a pretty smooth mover," Fogarty said of the 22-year-old defender.

"Everyone's pretty excited to play alongside him, and then for the forwards to play ahead of him, and get some delivery."

An ankle injury has sidelined in-form Geelong defender Lawson Humphries, while ruckman Mitch Edwards was managed and Brad Close was dropped.

Jack Martin, Jack Bowes and Oli Wiltshire will take their spots.