Seven days makes all the difference as Crows pay for disappointing start

It was one way traffic to start the clash as drizzle fell across the ground but even that couldn't stop a red hot start from the Grasshoppers as they kicked out to a 24-point lead just nine minutes into the clash.

The margin got worse for the Crows as they were trailing by 44 points with the visitors able to kick seven unanswered goals in the opening term leading to an absolute spray delivered by coach Tom Groves to his side.

The hairdryer treatment at quarter time seemed to give the Crows the kick they needed as Jade Hodge was able to kick the first two goals of the second term to see the gap close to 37 points at the main break.

Another two goals to Hodge in the third term kept the home side within range of making a comeback before the Rovers were able to kick away in the final term kicking six goals to one, with Hodge kicking his fifth, as Coolamon came away with a 15.13 (103) to 5.3 (33).

Groves admitted it was always going to be difficult to make any comeback after Coolamon received the head start.

"It was very hard to come back from when they kicked the first five goals," he said.

"We worked back into the game really well in the middle of the game. It blew out towards towards the end and the five to 10 minute lapses really hurt us today.

"Coolamon really showed that they can score quite quickly if we weren't on the ball."

The Crows coach knows where the trouble started, which added to the frustration of the opening term.

"We just gave them a bit of space in the midfield," he said.

"It just shows if you are that little bit off how much a side can hurt you. We know what makes us a good footy side and we went away from that for too long today."

The disappointing aspect for the side will be that they showed what they are capable of last weekend when they picked up one of their biggest wins in recent years against Turvey Park to then come crashing back to earth just seven days later.

"It's a bit of a set back but there are things that we can take from the game. We worked back into the game well and there were passages where we looked ok," he said.

"It's just about getting that consistency. That has probably been the theme of the first four weeks.

"Besides Turvey, a half of footy is really hurting us. The boys are really disappointed in how they went because we know that we can be better than that."

The Crows hit the road next weekend to take on GGGM Lions.