News Crows 5 Year Plan: AFL Premiership by 2027

[Rory Walkerfield]

One of the few things that I have in common with the Tools and Trolls is that we have not ruthlessly targeted premierships and have been content with always being “competitive” (until recent years).

We were not the Best Team in 1997 and 1998 and this clearly influenced our “make the Eight and anything can happen” approach.

Since the end of 2019 we have embarked on a total rebuild.
1) We have turned over most of our list

2) We have drafted a heap of youngsters (some good, some not so good) and we have a record (for us) of top 15 draft picks on our list

3) We have not traded in anyone over 25 years of age.

4) In the last 3 years we have player DOUBLE the AFL average for sub50 game players. We have played nearly 40% more Kids than the second team on this list (Essendon).

5) We have traded in two potentially elite players who will be with the club for many years.

This doesn’t mean we will win a flag in the next 5 years but you can’t argue that we are giving it a crack.

The other thing that’s happened over the past year or two is that we’ve played the kids to develop them.

When was the last time we had guys like Sam Berry and Jake Soligo come in and play almost every game from the day they arrived at the club? Not since Blight.

 

[1970crow]

Clearly ignored his last half of 2022 season as well

this is true also. Definitely didn't go out of my to watch the Suns in 2022.

 

[Mutineer]

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/afl-2023-nick-murray-believes-crows-can-play-finals-this-season/news-story/28e0afe8514d55c2283537cbf9f39697

Over at the Crows, King was bullish about Nicks’ side this season – especially because of one young player in particular.

“I think the Adelaide Crows will surprise a few with how competitive they are going to be, how good they are going to be,” he said.

“I know all the talk is going to be about (Izak) Rankine in the middle but from what I hear of pre-season training (Jake) Soligo is the one who can take some giant strides in that midfield.

“You have no problems in that midfield with the fundamentals of the game, ball movement and defending ball movement. I think Nicks has done an outstanding job there.

“I can see it clicking quite quickly for the Adelaide Crows.”

Matthew Nicks

Matthew Nicks

Age

49

Ht

187cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

9.4

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.6

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.4

4star

G

0.4

3star

is impressing at the helm. Picture: Getty Images
In July King said he believed there was “no way” Nicks could survive the rebuild process at the Crows because of the quality of their list.

Ahead of the 2023 season he said he changed his view, but the Crows needed to support Nicks.

“I always worry about coaches in the rebuild phase because I’ve always said that they don’t survive,” he said.

“But I think Matty is a bit different, and the club needs to support him through this phase.

“The list is two to three years away from being a top four list in my opinion but I think they have a coach who can actually deliver a premiership.”

 

[dogs105]

The other thing that’s happened over the past year or two is that we’ve played the kids to develop them.

When was the last time we had guys like Sam Berry and Jake Soligo come in and play almost every game from the day they arrived at the club? Not since Blight.

The only blokes drafted who came in to play all the time under Blight were mature aged recruit James Thiessen and Brett Burton.

 

[ams4crows]

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/afl-2023-nick-murray-believes-crows-can-play-finals-this-season/news-story/28e0afe8514d55c2283537cbf9f39697

Over at the Crows, King was bullish about Nicks’ side this season – especially because of one young player in particular.

“I think the Adelaide Crows will surprise a few with how competitive they are going to be, how good they are going to be,” he said.

“I know all the talk is going to be about (Izak) Rankine in the middle but from what I hear of pre-season training (Jake) Soligo is the one who can take some giant strides in that midfield.

“You have no problems in that midfield with the fundamentals of the game, ball movement and defending ball movement. I think Nicks has done an outstanding job there.

“I can see it clicking quite quickly for the Adelaide Crows.”

Matthew Nicks is impressing at the helm. Picture: Getty Images
In July King said he believed there was “no way” Nicks could survive the rebuild process at the Crows because of the quality of their list.

Ahead of the 2023 season he said he changed his view, but the Crows needed to support Nicks.

“I always worry about coaches in the rebuild phase because I’ve always said that they don’t survive,” he said.

“But I think Matty is a bit different, and the club needs to support him through this phase.

“The list is two to three years away from being a top four list in my opinion but I think they have a coach who can actually deliver a premiership.”

I absolutely agree with this, I think Nicks is the right man and needs tactical support we'll see how this season plays out. I'm confident in Nicks getting a new deal especially if we sneak into finals

 

[Freomaniac]

7 years (2020 spoon, to 2027 flag) would be one of the fastest rebuilds in modern AFL history.

West Coast did this from 2010 (first hit bottom 4) to 2018 (flag) in 8 years and I think that was the quickest

Um I disagree....

Brisbane Lions takes the record I think from Wooden Spoon to Flag.

Brisbane finished Bottom in 1998. Then Prelim final in 1999, then semi final in 2000, then a Premiership in 2001.

Demons went from bottom 2 in 2019, 9th in 2020 and flag in 2021.

 

[1970crow]

Um I disagree....

Brisbane Lions takes the record I think from Wooden Spoon to Flag.

Brisbane finished Bottom in 1998. Then Prelim final in 1999, then semi final in 2000, then a Premiership in 2001.

Demons went from bottom 2 in 2019, 9th in 2020 and flag in 2021.

not saying you're not right because I haven't looked deeper. But a single year at or near the bottom doesn't trigger a rebuild phase on its own and nor is it necessarily the start of it. It's a sustained period at the bottom. You need to look deeper. Off the top of my head, the Demons rebuild started well before 2019.

 

[Rotayjay]

How expensive are memberships going to get if Adelaide Oval holds 54,000 and they want 100,000 members? I get that a portion don't live in South Australia, but my point stands. I don't want my membership to double or have a squillion-year waiting list - that'll just put people off.