Josh Rachele - "The Victorian"

[Veer Right]

The reasons why Josh Rachele has been dropped by the Crows for round 24 clash with Sydney​

Putting himself ahead of the team is a key reason behind Josh Rachele’s surprise omission.
Rachele is set to be dropped for the Crows’ last game of the season on the back of his Showdown celebration mocking Port Adelaide fans.

After Rachele joked Power supporters “don’t have many teeth” in his weekly radio spot leading up to the match, Adelaide was understood to have told the 21-year-old to focus on the game and not incite the crowd.

Running towards Port fans pointing to his teeth when he kicked a brilliant second-quarter goal was viewed internally as ignoring instructions and being yet another case of the small forward going against what was best for the side.

The Crows believed Rachele, who did not fully commit to a crucial 50-50 contest in the centre of the ground last Saturday night, needed to become more team-first.

They are adamant their decision is not motivated by political correctness over the Victorian’s radio comments and his axing has been on the radar for a while.

Form was part of Adelaide’s reasoning despite Champion Data player ratings ranking Rachele sixth among general forwards over the past five games.

Just three weeks ago, Crows coach 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

described the game against Geelong Rachele’s best for the club.

The Shepparton product backed that up with two goals from 10 disposals in Adelaide’s home win over the Western Bulldogs, before his quieter 10-touch, one-major, two-tackle performance last Saturday night.

Rachele is one of just six players across competition to average at least goals, one score assist and six score involvements over the past five weeks.

 

[OverseasCrowNA]

I wouldn't fault him if he left us for a Victorian team, we're a poorly run rabble who throws young talent under the bus to maintain our fossils in the team.

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

I’ve seen a lot of Josh since he has been drafted, from tiktok to Facebook etc, just seems like a player who is not 100% focused on being the best player he can be.

seems like a nice bloke from what I’ve seen, but you do have to question his commitment. Saying that, most Victorian clubs would go after him coz the talent is clearly there

 

[Magma]

wouldnt blame him. yet another proud chapter of this club overreacting to nothing and letting down their own players.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Seems a dreadful overreaction by the club

 

[Soggy2112]

We’ve massively let down Josh this week, as we have all year.

I wouldn’t blame him one bit if he walks out and he’ll probably be a better player for it.

Our whole footy department is a ****ing joke right now.

 

[Cyclonus]

Useless ****ing club.

 

[Multiballz]

We are a fraud.

All and any "soulless franchise" type comments levelled at us by opposition supporters over the years, have been well and truly justified at this point.

Disgraceful.

 

[Clark G]

Unlikely he’d leave this soon into his career at the Crows. And who would pick up his long contract?

Rachele signs long-term extension

The young forward has committed until at least the end of 2029

www.afc.com.au

 

[Soggy2112]

Unlikely he’d leave this soon into his career at the Crows. And who would pick up his long contract?

Rachele signs long-term extension

The young forward has committed until at least the end of 2029

www.afc.com.au

Teams would be lining up for five years of this guy.

And we drop him for a joke.

 

[Jake98]

We are a fraud.

All and any "soulless franchise" type comments levelled at us by opposition supporters over the years, have been well and truly justified at this point.

Disgraceful.

They were justified last year when you just rolled over and accepted the AFL's response to the goal umpiring blunder that cost your club finals.

If this happened to Collingwood, the AFL would never hear the end of it, and face an onslaught of pressure and potential legal action. With the Crows there's nothing for the AFL to worry about because nobody on your board has a pair.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

I would be pisssssed if I was an Adelaide fan, how cucked of an organisation can you be to bin a player for the last game of the season for getting into it with the arch enemy. Talka bout his "form being poor" are overblown and there are way worse players in that Adelaide side.

I'd take Rachele at the Blues should he want out.

 

[Teal Leviathan]

All and any "soulless franchise" type comments levelled at us by opposition supporters over the years, have been well and truly justified at this point.

A soulless franchise would permit star players to undermine team cohesion and standards because they're addicted to the sugar rush of short-term success, afraid of losing the player in question and of the response from a fan base that doesn't and probably shouldn't know the whole story.

Conversely, a club with a strong sense of identity and culture would have no hesitation in holding even its star players to account because it understands that no player is more important than the team and that high standards and cohesion are the foundation for long-term success.

It's not that I'm accusing Adelaide of not being a soulless franchise, you understand. I just don't see dropping Rachele as evidence of that.

 

[The 747]

"The Victorian"

South Australians

 

[joy division]

An undeserved whipping boy and Adelaide don’t deserve him.

 

[Forever North]

Wow. Imagine if he actually did something serious. Crows playing the pseudo tough guy, we have ‘standards’, all about ‘culture’ blah blah blah routine.

 

[adammania9]

They were justified last year when you just rolled over and accepted the AFL's response to the goal umpiring blunder that cost your club finals.

If this happened to Collingwood, the AFL would never hear the end of it, and face an onslaught of pressure and potential legal action. With the Crows there's nothing for the AFL to worry about because nobody on your board has a pair.

Pretty sure it happened to us in a preliminary final and nothing happened

 

[lozstar]

"The Victorian"

South Australians

we didnt make this thread

 

[Makeshift Park]

a club with a strong sense of identity and culture would have no hesitation in holding even its star players to account because it understands that no player is more important than the team and that high standards and cohesion are the foundation for long-term success.

So what's Port's excuse for tolerating Butters' entitled behaviour, given that he's literally the most fined player in AFL history?

#IStandWithRachele

 

[Eshay187]

He didn’t shirk that contest, he was obviously trying to grab the ball and spin.

Insane overreaction from the Crows, surely more to it one would hope.

Otherwise if Josh is looking for somewhere to go where the news papers and the locals won’t hound him, I know a forward line that could use some more talent…

 

[Art Vandelay_]

 

[Angus Young]

Team mates and club needed to back him in here.

At 21 he should be looking to get out of Deadlaide now and head to a decent city and a club that backs him.

 

[JayJ20]

I find this bizarre. Adelaide had an average season and this is the hill they are willing to die on to make a "statement"? What a major overreaction.

 

[Consolaçao]

I’ve been thinking since early in the season that Rachele won’t be staying.

He’s a frustrating player, but he’s young.

I loved what he brought to the Showdown last week, and let’s face it.. they were right in the match until Rankine was KO’d.

The team completely dropped their bundle after that, and their inability to regroup in the 15 mins after that incident was where the game was lost. To me, that’s on the leadership team. Fogarty and Crouch in particular.

I hate the idea that given everything thst happened, you scapegoat the young guy.

 

[Cyclops]

Its OK if its consistent, have the Crows been as tough with favourite sons?

Plenty of talent in Adelaide, and the coach seems good (sets them up well vs us anyway). Seems there's problems in management. We've been there, they aren't far off if they can straighten out the admin side.