Jack Bowes Returns as Adelaide Vs Geelong Teams Locked In

Adelaide vs Geelong was settled on Thursday night at Adelaide Oval, with both clubs locking in their final teams for the Round 13 opener at 7pm ACST. Jack Bowes was back for the Cats after strong VFL form, while Adelaide handed Hugo Hall-Kahan a debut.

Geelong Bring Back Bowes

Bowes was one of three changes that pushed Geelong’s final group into place, alongside Jack Martin and Ollie Wiltshire earning selection. Brad Close was dropped, Mitch Edwards was managed and Lawson Humphries missed with an ankle injury.

The recall fit Geelong’s recent run of results. The Cats had beaten Sydney and Brisbane before losing to Carlton, and they arrived with six consecutive wins over Adelaide behind them. That record gave their team announcement extra weight, because the matchup had already leaned their way through a long stretch.

Adelaide Hand Hall-Kahan Debut

Adelaide answered with its own changes. Taylor Walker returned, Hall-Kahan was named for his first senior game, and Izak Rankine missed with a calf injury while Riley Thilthorpe sat out through suspension.

The Crows came into the game off a bye and with a season shaped by close margins, having lost four games by single figures. Their most recent outing before Thursday night came against the Hawks, so the final selection told the story clearly: Adelaide had to reset quickly, and Geelong had to protect a run that had already carried them past Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide in the same season.

Adelaide Oval Sets the Tone

For readers following the teams, the key change was not just who returned or missed. It was the shape of the contest before the first bounce. Adelaide had a debutant and a veteran back in the side, while Geelong kept a winning core together even with a handful of changes. That left the Round 13 opener at Adelaide Oval as a straight test of whether the Crows could interrupt a six-game Cats streak in the matchup.