Roast 25 Years without an AFL Premiership

[Geoffa32]

"Parvovirus"

Is that caused by white powder?

On SM-A325F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Pugsley]

Is that caused by white powder?

On SM-A325F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Apparently so.

 

[Southerntakeover]

Y'all acting like we aren't winning the thing in 2024.

Well I reckon we might be the smoky next year.

Waiting to see what our fixture looks like.

Narrator: they did not win the thing in 2024.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Well I reckon we might be the smoky next year.

Waiting to see what our fixture looks like.

Easter Sunday lunchtime at home, Mother's Day lunchtime at home, or both?

 

[Rotayjay]

Easter Sunday lunchtime at home, Mother's Day lunchtime at home, or both?

Don't forget Ballarat, Launceston, Hobart, Northern Territory, and Sundays at 4.10 PM.

 

[jackster83]

Don't forget Ballarat, Launceston, Hobart, Northern Territory, and Sundays at 4.10 PM.

And our annual automatic loss at the Cattery.

 

[GreyCrow]

Don't forget Ballarat, Launceston, Hobart, Northern Territory, and Sundays at 4.10 PM.

Catch 22

We wouldn't get those games if we were a strong club - on and off the ground

We can't get to be a strong on field club by playing those venues and not more MCG

 

[Cap]

Narrator: they did not win the thing in 2024.

I wouldn't put money on the Crows as winning it.

But even you would agree, finals has to be a minimum

 

[Southerntakeover]

I wouldn't put money on the Crows as winning it.

But even you would agree, finals has to be a minimum

A minimum expectation, or the worst they conceivably could do?

 

[Cap]

A minimum expectation, or the worst they conceivably could do?

Minimum

We already know what the worst looks like

 

[Southerntakeover]

Minimum

We already know what the worst looks like

Exactly. If Nicks survives a fifth year without finals it's difficult to see what gets you sacked.

But we're not winning anything with this list: the midfield is still gash, and they don't even have the resources to meaningfully address it this off season.

 

[bootrossbootross]

But how highly rated were our young players heading into that season? Obviously Roo was widely acknowledged as a gun from his first year, but McLeod was a solid role player best known for that last gasp winning goal he kicked against Hawthorn in 95, Tyson Edwards was a fringe player we'd taken in the preseason draft a couple years earlier, Simon Goodwin we'd just plucked from the preseason draft, Kane Johnson had 2 games to his name coming into that season, etc.

I guess what I'm getting at is that this wasn't a bunch of highly rated kids delivering on their destiny to win a flag (the way we might have expected GWS to do but never quite came to fruition). It was the other way around - winning that flag was what earned those young players their rating. I don't recall anybody at the start of that season predicting us to win the flag at all, let alone due to the outstanding crop of youth we had coming through. It was a bunch of kids who all came of age at the same time.

But on top of that, it was also a bunch of established players at their peak who won that flag, including a bunch we brought in from other clubs. Guys like Jarman, Bickley, Robran, Caven, Smart, Rehn, Modra (didn't play the GF but obviously played a huge role that season in getting us there), Bond, Connell, etc. A lot of these guys were around in the sh*t years in 95/96, but everything clicked in 97 following some significant list turnover that year and a bunch of young kids all hitting their straps at the same time.

Obviously a big part of that is Malcolm Blight coming in - not just for his coaching nous but for the fact he grabbed hold of the club and shook the place up in a way that nobody else had had the balls to do prior.

I've completely lost track of the point I was trying to make But something along the lines of success can come surprisingly quickly even when you're not expecting it.

And you have the most skilled, naturally gifted player Ive ever seen play. Coupled with McLeod's best in the right game. Without them we are still searching for the first flag.

 

[bootrossbootross]

That was the ironic thing, when the club recruited him all the talk was why would you recruit this 31yo with dodgy shoulders… but his shoulders were fine by that point in his career, most of the injuries he had at the Crows were brand new injuries as a result of the club’s mismanagement.

I don’t know if Neil Craig had anything to do with it, but I’m choosing to imagine that he did.

sounds a bit creative with history to fit your story. his shoulders were screwed, he was never going to be the great that he was - but if you had the young talent for him to teach then its not a bad play imho.

 

[Slippery Pete]

sounds a bit creative with history to fit your story. his shoulders were screwed, he was never going to be the great that he was - but if you had the young talent for him to teach then its not a bad play imho.

They were never great and he of course lacked mobility in them but my point was they weren’t giving him injury issues by that point in his career. None of the games he missed (and he missed quite a few) were because of shoulder injuries.

 

[bootrossbootross]

If only 2005, 2006, 2012, 2016 or 2017 went right, just one game right. We could have been a powerhouse of a team because winning one gives you a good reputation.

We'll probably never be at the level of a Collingwood, Hawthorn, Richmond, West Coast, Geelong or Sydney. Expect these 6 clubs to win at least half of the premierships over the next 20 years. Maybe you can throw Carlton into the mix and surely Essendon are due for some better years ahead eventually.

Teams like GWS, Brisbane Lions, Adelaide and Port will be regular finals contenders but struggle to break through the barrier. But maybe I'll be wrong and there is a surprise around the corner.

"We'll probably never be at the level of a Collingwood, Hawthorn, Richmond, West Coast, Geelong or Sydney."

You should be on the board with that sparkle of brilliance.

 

[Cap]

Exactly. If Nicks survives a fifth year without finals it's difficult to see what gets you sacked.

But we're not winning anything with this list: the midfield is still gash, and they don't even have the resources to meaningfully address it this off season.

If we don't make finals next year it's likely he doesn't last.

Agree re midfield, looks like we are going organic growth

 

[CrowBloke]

While I think the Phil Walsh tragedy was huge I felt both 2005/06 finals were our best shot.

Many refer to the tragedy of Walsh's murder as if it was something that happened to the Crows --- it wasn't, although it affected the players badly which was to be expected --- and as if Fate or Luck owes us something because of it.
It doesn't.
There were positive signs but we'll never know what might have happened with Walsh as Coach.

I agree that 2005/06 were major lost opportunities.

We had beaten Sydney in all 3 games we played against them in 5/6 - so Roo getting suspended then St Kilda choke meant we sat on the Eagle side of the draw and with 3/4 losses we struggled.

I blame Ricciutto for the brain-fade that got him suspended.
I think the Saints' loss was hubris-in-action.
Not enough has been said about being put into the Eagles side of the draw. They were very hard to beat over there, but we would have been a good chance at home.

 

[CrowBloke]

Whenever I feel like that, I remind myself that we were a long way off winning one in 95/96, too.

Good point.
A brilliant, quirky Coach like Blight is once-in-a-lifetime --- uhhh --- twice, actually!

 

[CrowBloke]

Easter Sunday lunchtime at home, Mother's Day lunchtime at home, or both?

More likely to play games at Carvarvon and Weipa. Maybe a home game on rocks in Coober Pedy.

 

[gunbarrelstraight91]

Many refer to the tragedy of Walsh's murder as if it was something that happened to the Crows --- it wasn't, although it affected the players badly which was to be expected --- and as if Fate or Luck owes us something because of it.
It doesn't.
There were positive signs but we'll never know what might have happened with Walsh as Coach.

I agree that 2005/06 were major lost opportunities.

I blame Ricciutto for the brain-fade that got him suspended.
I think the Saints' loss was hubris-in-action.
Not enough has been said about being put into the Eagles side of the draw. They were very hard to beat over there, but we would have been a good chance at home.

Nobody doubts that the Phil Walsh tragedy was something that was far greater than footy, and of course it’s a big if, but given the team we had and the seasons we had in 2016 and 17, and given the topic of this thread, it is definitely fair to speculate that that horrific event may have cost the club a flag in the preceding couple of seasons.

 

[lincsPJ]

Apparently so.

Yeh but did he catch parvo from west lakes or Melbourne?

 

[BRL121]

Yeh but did he catch parvo from west lakes or Melbourne?

It would have to be Footscray, wouldn't it?

 

[Pugsley]

Yeh but did he catch parvo from west lakes or Melbourne?

That is the question.

 

[lincsPJ]

Top 25 for sure.

 

[Dangarman]

And our annual automatic loss at the Cattery.

IMO Geelong are on the cliff. Wouldn't surprise me if we broke that 20 year drought at the next opportunity.