Adelaide

Booney wrote:

Gingernuts wrote:Apparently the Champion Data list analysis is out and Adelaide's ranking has dropped dramatically purely based on Dangerfield's departure.

The question on everyone's lips is obviously - no Dangerfield, no Crows?

Personally I think Dangerfield's departure has presented a real opportunity to the whole squad. The best teams aren't reliant on 1 man (see Hawthorn).

This is true and it's fair to say Adelaide are not one of the best teams. When a middle of the road team loses it's out and out best player there is trouble ahead, at least for the short term.

You note Hawthorn, who is Hawthorns "best" player? Hodge, Mitchell, Roughead? It's harder to pick the best player in the top sides as they have 3 or 4 at the top of their game. Adelaide's best player was Dangerfield by some margin from Walker, Sloane, Talia, Betts, Jacobs etc. He was by far and away the best Adelaide player. Not only that, 26 touches, 15 contested, 7 clearances per game just went home. That's very, very hard to replace as players around the ball, even Sloane, would have known Danger was there at any moment to extract it from a contest.

It does give Sloane, Douglas and if fit Crouch (B) more opportunity to be the ball winner but that detracts from their ball using on the outside.

I think it's good timing to have a new coach at the same time Dangerfield left, Pyke can't build his midfield around the bloke who isn't there so there will be a shuffling of the roles in Adelaides midfield. Won't be easy. For mine, losing Dangerfield makes Adelaide top 8 chances very difficult ( with the draw they have added to that )

9-11 wins, 9th-12th.

My comment about the best sides not relying on 1 player was more in the context of Adelaide's ultimate aim of developing a premiership contending squad, rather than just in reference to 2016.

I personally think Adelaide will surprise and still make the 8 this year. To be honest though in the grand scheme of things and after really 3 years now of drama, my main hope for 2016 is just for a drama free year for the club and the players, so they get a full season of 'clear air' where they can just focus on the game they love.

When you think about what has happened since 2012, it really is incredible what the Club has gone through:
- Tippett defection & subsequent sanctions/suspensions;
- Dean Bailey suspension;
- Death of Dean Bailey;
- Walker's knee injury;
- Sanderson sacking;
- New CEO;
- New Coach;
- Murder of new Coach;
- Defection of best player;
- Another new coach.

Clear air, that's all we need. Some clear air FFS.

Just be glad you're not Essendon!

Yes fair call!

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about that list of challenges is that despite them all we still managed to make the finals and win a final last year. This is why I am still quite optimistic about what 2016 holds. The playing group is clearly quite resilient, and adversity can forge result in strong team bonds.

I think you've got the cattle in the important positions to make the 8.

Defence is solid with Talia the key big man, Laird a running / intercept defender and Smith rebounding with length and accuracy. I won't go into the remaining players there as I don't see a lot of real high end talent after those guys.

Middle with durable Jacobs, Sloane, Crouch's, Douglas etc is capable, I wrote Thompson off last year, can he still be a contributor at his age? I think yes, he's the most likely to prosper from Danger leaving, Thompson can again be the bull in under the packs.

Forward is Adelaides trump, Walker, Betts, Jenkins, Lynch, Cameron offer targets tall and small, mobility, a real headache for opposition teams.

Thing is -

Can the defenders keep opposition sides down to a manageable score?
Can the midfield win enough contested ball without Dangerfield? ( THE biggest question )
Can Burton get Adelaide to top level fitness? His record at Brisbane wasn't flash, Poulos did ok but Adelaide haven't been the same since Schwerdt left.

With a tough, tough draw I think Adelaide will be one of the sides to drop out of the 8 this year. Not far, but I think they will win 9-11 games.

Josh Jenkins was at the trots on Saturday night, maybe just for the cup or perhaps watching one of his horses race, anyway he looked bigger, stronger & fitter than he has in the past

Chambo Off To Work We Go wrote:Just be glad you're not Essendon!

Nostradamus?

The Club has been posting the obligatory training photos - I have to say Brad Crouch is looking in superb knick, almost has a Mark Ricciuto like physique about him.

I don't want to speak too soon for fear of jinxing him - but if he can get through the preseason games without incident and slot straight into the midfield it'll go a long way towards covering loss of Dangerfield's contested ball work.

Looks like rumours of Troy Menzel reporting for pre-season in average knick are correct:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/adelaide-recruit-troy-menzel-needs-to-improve-fitness-says-crows-coach-don-pyke/news-story/859e8e9ee296b6ff6da0f58d16536316

No doubt the Club will sort him out in due course - but a fair few punters have him as a lock for the Round 1 team. I wouldn't be so certain personally. Would not be surprised at all if he has to bide his time in the SANFL for a few weeks and prove he's up to it.

I will be watching his pre-season form with great interest.

Squad named for Sunday's game against the Eagles @ Unley Oval:

The squad of 29 is:
4. Josh Jenkins
5. Scott Thompson
6. Jake Lever
7. Nathan van Berlo
8. Mitch Grigg
9. Rory Sloane
11. Paul Seedsman
12. Daniel Talia
13. Taylor Walker
14. David Mackay
15. Kyle Hartigan
16. Luke Brown
18. Eddie Betts
21. Rory Atkins
24. Sam Jacobs
25. Kyle Cheney
26. Richard Douglas
27. Tom Lynch
28. Cam Ellis-Yolmen
29. Rory Laird
30. Wayne Milera
31. Jarryd Lyons
32. Troy Menzel
33. Brodie Smith
34. Sam Shaw
36. Dean Gore
38. Harry Dear
41. Mitch McGovern
44. Matt Crouch

Will be culled back to 26 before the game (although the AFL might let the teams run with 29 given the forecast for extreme heat).

This pre-season will be the most intriguing for quite some time really. Obviously there's the new recruits to watch, but also who will make the best early case to fill the midfield void left by Dangerfield.

Crouch is the obvious one, but Cam Ellis-Yolmen is the other that not many people have talked about. He has a huge frame and doesn't lack pace. Was impressive in the first half of the season last year and should improve again.

Mitch Grigg is another who could really step up and make a case. I've always rated him very highly, a good user of the footy and good in traffic, but for whatever reason has not been able to cement a place yet.

Another interesting element is whether we'll see a ruckman emerge to back up Jacobs. Reilly O'Brien has a lot of talent, but young Harry Dear could be a bolter given that his season was wiped out with a should reco. The shelving of the subs vest and reduction of the interchange cap could well see clubs run with 2 rucks quite often as well.

Need some pace though Ginge, where will that come from? Neither Crouch or Grigg are speed machines, to be fair we've never really seen Crouch up to full speed at any stage in his career.

CEY is a big player for you this year, if he can offer some physical presence around the contest to help Douglas, Thompson and Sloane it will help you blokes immensely.

Seedsman and Hampton might be straight into the line up to help offer some much needed toe around the middle.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see a variety of players pinch hit through the middle to provide the pace rather than it be a set job of one or two.

Betts often started off half back at centre bounces last year and I thought it worked very well. He'd cut through the contest and provide a running option on his way through to the forward line.

I reckon we'll see Rory Laird in the guts a bit more this year too and while not a speedster, isn't a slow coach either. If Seedsman or Hampton can nail down half back I reckon Brodie Smith will move up to the wing as well and provide some outside run.

As you say though, the continued improvement of CEY is a big factor in our chances of making finals this year.

Laird took far too many intercept marks in the D50 last year to be given any freedom up through the middle. His worth in the "weakest" part of Adelaide's set up is critical and he won't be anywhere forward of centre. Smith is the one who will move up the ground, half-back / centre.

Yea you're probably right. I'd say the whole idea behind recruiting Seedsman & Hampton was to release Smith from half back duties so he can get further up the ground.

Only NAB but there was a lot to like.

Milera was superb.

Yes, only a second string Eagles outfit but you still have to deliver, and that they did.

I was particularly pleased with the intensity with which they played. Quite easy to go half rat power in the NAB, but clearly competition for round 1 spots is raising the stakes and that's an excellent situation to have.

Milera looks a class above, might've jagged a good one there I think. Pretty happy with Gore's work too.

Forgot to add that Matt Crouch was excellent yesterday as well.

He's quite an interesting player to watch, as Booney has pointed out he's not the quickest player going around but gee he knows where to position himself in a contest. A real accumulator. Very excited about the Crouch combination in the middle this year.

Gingernuts wrote:Forgot to add that Matt Crouch was excellent yesterday as well.

He's quite an interesting player to watch, as Booney has pointed out he's not the quickest player going around but gee he knows where to position himself in a contest. A real accumulator. Very excited about the Crouch combination in the middle this year.

He reminds me of a bloke from many moons ago, Bomber Clifford. Bomber was a dead set plodder, looked to run on the spot at times, but could he read the play and find himself on the end of a handpass or kick without doing any extra leg work.

If they can chuck some kilo's onto Matt's frame he'll be a very handy in and under type who can use it on the outside when needed, Thompson like.

Very ordinary opposition yesterday but I liked the way we moved the ball through the middle of the ground. My (6yo) daughter just loves Eddie Betts and she was very excited after yesterday's performance. Looking forward to round 2 as I'll be bringing the kids over for their first experience at Adelaide Oval.

You and the kids will love AO mate. Really kid friendly now with the easy access to food and toilets. I have taken both my kids regularly over the last couple of years (my little girl is 4, and my boy is approaching 2).

Plenty of screens dotted around for dad to keep an eye on the action when you have to take the inevitable poorly timed toilet run!

Haha Ginge- no inappropriate pit stops for us- my two (6 and have been going to games since they were babies (my daughter was born in June so her first game was at Etihad when she was 3 weeks old). They are well trained so everything is geared to the 1/4 and 1/2 time breaks. Plus they're both crazy for the footy anyway so don't want to miss any of the action!! Looking forward to it though, I haven't been since it was done up either.

My daughter was about 6 months when we took her to her first game at Footy Park, and my boy was about 4 months for his first at AO. Both have been many times since.

Really is a lot of fun sharing your footy passion with your kids isn't it?

I'm looking forward to taking both again this year. My girl is now 4 & 1/2 so I reckon she'll actually be starting to show an interest in the game itself. Her favourite player is Sauce - but I think that's more because she likes eating sauce, I doubt she'd know him if she saw him.

My lad is 2 in May and he has an AFL book called 'Why I love Footy' which I have to read every night to him. His first words were 'Go Crows', so safe to say our indoctrination is working well there!

Mrs Boon wouldn't know the pointy end of a Sherrin from the fat bit, Little Miss Boon cares about the footy about as much as she would the upcoming South Carolina Democratic primary vote.

Junior (19) Boon is however my weekly companion on the train and at the games. He's not quite as raucous as me but is very passionate nonetheless.

Indeed it is Ginge, it is very heart warming to share it with your kids. My Mum and I have a special bond because of our time spent going to Magpie games all over, as she did with her Father for many years.

Mr Warrior is a Port supporter (who would hate being called Mr W) and the kids have banned him from this trip (business interests at home make it difficult anyway). Both kids have a soft spot for port (although they are Eags and crows only in the SANFL) but Mr W goes to the footy with his mates and has a few beers so generally doesn't take the kids, hence their love of the crows. Plus- being an interstate member is fantastic for them, the crows do coaching clinics over here and generally send a couple of players back for interviews after games so the kids have great access to the players compared to what they'd get if they were competing with thousands of Collingwood junior members (for example).

A couple of massive signings due to be announced at the AGM (I think it is?) tonight.

Daniel Talia with a 4 year extension and Brodie Smith for another 3 years.

Both incredibly important for the AFC.

Talia should be Adelaides top paid player IMO, he's a genuine gun and at 24 is the best key defensive prospect in the competition for the next 8-10 years.

Good signing by Adelaide, they'd be thrilled to have kept hold of one. ( I want my smilies back!!! )