Adelaide's implosion cannot be done by an external club. This type of implosion can only be done by people within the club. Adelaide destroyed themselves after 2017.
Adelaide's decline
- Thread starter Gavin Excell
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- Feb 21, 2009
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Except he's being shamed for it....
- Oct 9, 2003
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Doesn't the coach get to choose his assistants?
There is a deep rooted, systemic culture problem that continues to plague the club. God Bless Phil Walsh, but the Crows would undoubtedly be in a better position today if tragedy didn‘t intervene.
The continuing haemorrhaging of high end talent to other clubs is testament to the fact that the club is broken & in urgent need of reform starting from the top. Until they address that fundamental issue, high end draft picks will just be a temporary solution to what is a terminally riddled club.
The continuing haemorrhaging of high end talent to other clubs is testament to the fact that the club is broken & in urgent need of reform starting from the top. Until they address that fundamental issue, high end draft picks will just be a temporary solution to what is a terminally riddled club.
Lots is put on the training camp debacle and no doubt it impacted, but I think Adelaide highlight as much as anything how small changes and an evolving league can so quickly push you from top to bottom.
At their peak, they were the heaviest scoring team in the league on transition, sitting back in defence and sling-shotting forwards. Their KP players were mobile and created space, then ran back hard to goal. Internal and external changes have totally blown this up. Internally - Cameron, Betts and Jenkins are gone, leaving totally different style players instead, while the defence is just a bit worse for a few reasons (injuries, Lever departing, etc). Externally - Richmond pioneered the forward-pressing style, and as more teams adopt elements of it, the 'slingshot' is less and less effective.
Stack the two up and what are they left with? They can't move the ball downfield quickly, and their KP forwards are pretty average at more standard 'compete, contest' type play. Their midfield can get the ball, but don't really break lines, kick goals, or apply particularly strong pressure. They just don't have a great route to goal. Really just a lite version of Melbourne - the backline/midfield setup is solid enough but probably needs a different forward structure to be effective.
They've also got a lot younger, and their drafting is interesting - not bad or good, but a lot of 'interesting' players who I like, but don't really see what they are yet. For example: Darcy Fogarty - he's definitely good, but he's not really a KP forward, or defender, or midfielder, or... I dunno. Those kinds of player are fine to have but when you are rebuilding it's a bit harder to get them going than, say, someone who is just a straight-up bog standard inside mid.
In a league where the balance between the lower end of the top 4 and the top end of the bottom 4 is pretty small, particularly for non-victorian teams (who can parlay a home-ground advantage + B-grade team into a lucky top 4 spot from time to time), it all adds up to a recipe for a sudden decline IMO.
At their peak, they were the heaviest scoring team in the league on transition, sitting back in defence and sling-shotting forwards. Their KP players were mobile and created space, then ran back hard to goal. Internal and external changes have totally blown this up. Internally - Cameron, Betts and Jenkins are gone, leaving totally different style players instead, while the defence is just a bit worse for a few reasons (injuries, Lever departing, etc). Externally - Richmond pioneered the forward-pressing style, and as more teams adopt elements of it, the 'slingshot' is less and less effective.
Stack the two up and what are they left with? They can't move the ball downfield quickly, and their KP forwards are pretty average at more standard 'compete, contest' type play. Their midfield can get the ball, but don't really break lines, kick goals, or apply particularly strong pressure. They just don't have a great route to goal. Really just a lite version of Melbourne - the backline/midfield setup is solid enough but probably needs a different forward structure to be effective.
They've also got a lot younger, and their drafting is interesting - not bad or good, but a lot of 'interesting' players who I like, but don't really see what they are yet. For example: Darcy Fogarty - he's definitely good, but he's not really a KP forward, or defender, or midfielder, or... I dunno. Those kinds of player are fine to have but when you are rebuilding it's a bit harder to get them going than, say, someone who is just a straight-up bog standard inside mid.
In a league where the balance between the lower end of the top 4 and the top end of the bottom 4 is pretty small, particularly for non-victorian teams (who can parlay a home-ground advantage + B-grade team into a lucky top 4 spot from time to time), it all adds up to a recipe for a sudden decline IMO.
They do.
- Feb 21, 2009
- 15,446
- 11,832
- AFL Club
- Port Adelaide
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- Ferrari, Chicago Bulls
That probably 'helped' with their drug era though...
The Eagles are what the Crows should be though.
The team that just finished 10th?
Doesn't seem like it here.
Phil came in with the man conversation mantra which has since been forgotten
- May 13, 2007
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This sort of comment just proves that you are a moron.
Can you please disprove my comment and explain how we are worse than Adelaide?
Need root and branch reform.
- May 31, 2019
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The Adelaide situation is the most bizarre and hard to believe. We are talking about a team that finished Minor premiers & were heavy favourites to win their 3rd flag two years prior to sacking their coach. I know the dogs one was hard to swallow after their decline from 2016 but they have worked themselves back up.
With Adelaide it seems they need a full blown rebuild.
The top end talents thay have left the club the last 6-7 years is amazing & seriously questions the culture. Names such as Tippet, Gunston, Dangerfield, Betts, Jenkins, Cameron, Lever.
Personally I think the crows should of won 2 premierships in the time they had these players & while this is happening the enemy down the road in PA seem to be recruiting well & retaining their players much better. Only real "A Grader" they have lost would be a Wingard.
The real mystery is that we will never know what really happened in the GC during the 2017/18 preseason camp until someone like Betts or Jenkins leaves the game & writes a biography.
It has been one truly bizarre decline!
With Adelaide it seems they need a full blown rebuild.
The top end talents thay have left the club the last 6-7 years is amazing & seriously questions the culture. Names such as Tippet, Gunston, Dangerfield, Betts, Jenkins, Cameron, Lever.
Personally I think the crows should of won 2 premierships in the time they had these players & while this is happening the enemy down the road in PA seem to be recruiting well & retaining their players much better. Only real "A Grader" they have lost would be a Wingard.
The real mystery is that we will never know what really happened in the GC during the 2017/18 preseason camp until someone like Betts or Jenkins leaves the game & writes a biography.
It has been one truly bizarre decline!
Last edited:
- Feb 25, 2013
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The fact that you suck
- May 31, 2019
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- Richmond
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- Perth Glory, Everton FC, SSC Napoli
You better hope the lions back you up next week because I reakon the Eagles will want blood.
- Feb 25, 2013
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Back me up? In what way? Already put a bet on the Eagles to win about 40 minutes ago
- May 31, 2019
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- 3,711
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- Richmond
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- Perth Glory, Everton FC, SSC Napoli
Hmm you must have had a confusing childhood.
- Feb 25, 2013
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I'm sensing you're not following the thread all that well...
If we try to take a punt, probably too agrarian to secluded and not willing to incorporate new things in order to adapt to the new society. Culture in ade prob still is vic from late 90 or early 2000s. A lot of the professional practice probably is some distance behind. Indeginous player don't get the support needed. Top players do not the post career path. 1 word, stagnant.
- Feb 25, 2013
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I'm confused...
Why is Walker still in the firsts? He doesn't follow up, he doesn't put much thought into his "passes" and just belts it downfield. He stays away from goal (I'm sure he is told to) but adds nothing in the middle.
Most contests he actually gets to, the ball passes him by.
Most contests he actually gets to, the ball passes him by.
There’s lots to say about the cattle they have and problems at the club but fans should be massively worried about yesterday’s workrate. That was abysmal. They lose 0-17 for the season if they give even close to that effort.
- Oct 3, 2013
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I've always been an admirer of the Crows. Up until 2017, they were always one of the few clubs who would give a good account of themselves every year. Regular finalists, competitive every year and even when they had bad years (e.g. 1996, 2004, 2010-2011), they would rebound very quickly to the top (e.g. 1997-1998, 2005, 2012).
Something has been amiss with them since the 2017 Grand Final. Hard to pinpoint what exactly has gone wrong, but it seems to be a perfect storm brewing with an ageing list requiring a rebuild which has now started and incompetence at board level.
It appears to me the biggest thing that needs changing is the culture of the place, and that will need to start at board level, as what happens from the top flows down to the rest of the club. The trend of seeing good players depart for consecutive years, the upheaval around the training camp in the 2017-2018 off season and the issues around Andrew McLeod recently are some examples of a deeply unhappy club.
Rob Chapman is the second longest president/chairman of an AFL club (10 years and counting) only behind Eddie McGuire, so I think renewal at board level is necessary to refresh the Crows and get them moving forward into the right direction.
The Crows are going through their biggest challenge as a club since their inception into the AFL, so the developments surrounding them will be closely observed by many.
Something has been amiss with them since the 2017 Grand Final. Hard to pinpoint what exactly has gone wrong, but it seems to be a perfect storm brewing with an ageing list requiring a rebuild which has now started and incompetence at board level.
It appears to me the biggest thing that needs changing is the culture of the place, and that will need to start at board level, as what happens from the top flows down to the rest of the club. The trend of seeing good players depart for consecutive years, the upheaval around the training camp in the 2017-2018 off season and the issues around Andrew McLeod recently are some examples of a deeply unhappy club.
Rob Chapman is the second longest president/chairman of an AFL club (10 years and counting) only behind Eddie McGuire, so I think renewal at board level is necessary to refresh the Crows and get them moving forward into the right direction.
The Crows are going through their biggest challenge as a club since their inception into the AFL, so the developments surrounding them will be closely observed by many.
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