AAMI Practice Match Review: Adelaide vs Fremantle — SuperCoach 2026 Takeaways

In the Showdown state of South Australia, even a practice match between rivals carries weight. And Adelaide, hosting Fremantle at Adelaide Oval in their season opener, delivered an 80% performance that still produced a 13-point win and a string of positive signs for anyone with Crows or Dockers players in their team.

The Crows won 14.9 (93) to 11.14 (80), but Fremantle's 14 behinds tells its own story — the Dockers had the ball, they just didn't execute in front of goals. In a match played under perfect conditions at one of the game's most iconic grounds, the kicking inaccuracy will concern Fremantle coaches heading into the final preparation week.

The Match in 60 Seconds

Adelaide controlled the ruck battle through Riley Thilthorpe, who outplayed Luke Jackson convincingly in a result that shifts the ruck rankings for the 2026 season. Thilthorpe's 23 hitouts and 5 clearances gave Adelaide's midfield first use consistently, and Rory Laird (27 disposals) made hay behind the ball.

Josh Rachele's midfield experiment continued — he rotated between the forward line and the centre square, picking up 20 disposals in a role that Adelaide appear committed to developing. Fremantle's best work came through Caleb Serong, who delivered 27 disposals and 8 tackles in the kind of output that justifies his price tag entirely.

Three Players to Watch for Round 1

1. Riley Thilthorpe (RUC, $862,000) — Adelaide

The numbers: 23 hitouts, 5 clearances, 2 goals. Dominated Jackson.

Thilthorpe is ready to make the step from "solid premier-tier ruckman" to genuine top-3 SuperCoach RUC in 2026. His ability under the new ruck rules — pure athleticism and timing — suits his body type perfectly. Against Jackson (no slouch himself) he was comprehensively better, giving Adelaide's midfield easy access at every centre bounce.

At $862,000 he sits in an interesting zone — not the cheapest premium but clearly capable of delivering 100+ scoring. If Adelaide's midfield gets him consistent clearance work, he could be this season's undervalued ruck.

Verdict: Premium RUC buy. If Grundy is R1, Thilthorpe is your R2 with no hesitation.

2. Caleb Serong (MID, $1,071,000) — Fremantle

The numbers: 27 disposals, 8 tackles. Best on ground for the Dockers.

Serong's output in a competitive practice match confirms what we already knew — he's one of the three or four most reliable premium midfielders in the country. Twenty-seven disposals and eight tackles is a genuine 130+ Fantasy-point performance, and doing it against Adelaide's midfield in their backyard makes it more impressive.

Verdict: Must-have premium MID. There is no "wait and see" with Serong — buy him and move on.

3. Josh Rachele (FWD, $612,000) — Adelaide

The numbers: 20 disposals, 1 goal. Midfield minutes confirmed.

Rachele is the most interesting role change in the 2026 comp. Adelaide are deliberately moving him through the middle — his disposal count was generated via the onball group, not from forward half exploits. If this translates to 35%+ CBA in the regular season, his scoring profile shifts significantly.

At $612,000 as a FWD, the upside from confirmed midfield time is compelling. The risk is Adelaide reverting to his forward-only role under pressure.

Verdict: Buy if the CBA experiment holds. Watch the first two Round 1 quarters closely.

Other SuperCoach Notes

• Rory Laird (DEF, Adelaide): 27 disposals. Still doing Rory Laird things — elite disposal, consistent defence. The set-and-forget premium DEF option who never disappoints.
• Hayden Young (DEF, Fremantle): 22 disposals, outstanding metres gained. His running ability off half-back generates fantasy points without needing much direct involvement.
• Andrew Brayshaw (MID, Fremantle): 21 disposals. Another reliable performer for the Dockers' crowded midfield.
• Josh Treacy (FWD, Fremantle): Quiet day with 1 goal from 8 disposals. Don't read into it — key forwards take time to hit form in pre-season. The ceiling is still there.
• Ben Keays (MID, Adelaide): 18 disposals. Steady contributor who won't excite but won't let you down either.

Injury Watch

| Player | Club | Issue | R1 Impact | |--------|------|-------|-----------| | James Peatling | Adelaide | Hamstring (managed) | Monitor — conservative | | Jake Soligo | Adelaide | Heart condition | Ongoing — TBC | | Nathan O'Driscoll | Fremantle | Foot | Managed — expected fit |

The Bottom Line

The ruck battle settled one debate: Thilthorpe over Jackson in 2026. That's not a slight on Jackson — it's a recognition that Thilthorpe has taken another step in his development, and his performance at the second ruck contest of the season (Adelaide Oval conditions, against a legitimate opponent) makes him a genuine top-3 choice.

Serong remains the Dockers' most reliable fantasy asset. Rachele's experiment is intriguing — if Adelaide go with it consistently, the FWD line just got an 80+ average midfielder hidden inside it.

-AG

For more pre-season analysis, see our Rookie Power Rankings Traffic Light Guide and the AAMI Community Series wrap.