Life as a Bottom 4 side

[ruscy002]

Assuming we finish 15th, with 4 wins or less, ahead of winless Richmond in 16th.. and assuming that no other team qualifies for a PP (Hawthorn are still looking like joining us).
* In the early 2000s we would have got picks 2 & 4 (and pick 20 in the 2nd round).
* In 2009 we would have got picks 2 & 18 (and pick 20 in the 2nd round).
* In 2010 we get picks 6 and 27 (and pick 30 in the 2nd round).

We picked a seriously bad year to bottom out.

The only positive that I can get out of the situation is that Richmond and GC are expected to go for key position players with their early picks, which aren't a high priority for us. If we do finish 15th then I'd be relatively optimistic that we'd get maybe the third best midfielder in the country, I can live with that.

We should be able to nab a small forward as good as (if not better than) Ballantyne/Nahas etc with our second pick, and they're my two biggest concerns with our list. After that, we can take a raft of pacey midfielders and I'd be more than happy if just one comes good.

 

[CaptainDangerfield]

Assuming we finish 15th, with 4 wins or less, ahead of winless Richmond in 16th.. and assuming that no other team qualifies for a PP (Hawthorn are still looking like joining us).
* In the early 2000s we would have got picks 2 & 4 (and pick 20 in the 2nd round).
* In 2009 we would have got picks 2 & 18 (and pick 20 in the 2nd round).
* In 2010 we get picks 6 and 27 (and pick 30 in the 2nd round).

We picked a seriously bad year to bottom out.

Its not all doom and gloom as far as picks goes. I would love pick 2 but you can still land a Travis Boak type with pick 6. Add that player to Dangerfield, McKay, Tippett, Walker, Davis, Otten and you have a really solid young group there.

 

[CROW36]

Its certainly a different feeling...how has it affected me?

Well for a start I left it until 1230 today to get the Sunday Mail instead of the usual 9am trip to the servo.

Im tending to not knock off at 430 on a Monday now to hear the Crows interview on 5AA.

Last night I accepted an invite for tea at the pub and was happy to tape the game...normally of course thats a no brainer stay at home and watch. As it happened it was on the big screen anyway and by half time I could just enjoy the evening out.

I have saved money by not organising any interstare trips...also saved money by not organising the annual week end at the Lakes Hotel with friends to coincide with a Saturday night game.

Im sure there will be more changes as the years goes on.

It's alright for you to talk crap and to be negative but you expect the boys out on the field to pick themselves up and react positively when things don't gel together properly, what it all boils down to is we have been spoilt over the years....look at what the Power supporters had to injure for the last couple of years.I'm sure we will come out of this a much stronger club, I for one am still going to be a true supporter and that doesn't mean I'm not disappointed but every team has a bad year, some more than others.
PS: Come on guys lets get right behind the boys, because its easy to knock someone when they are down.

 

[ruscy002]

It's alright for you to talk crap and to be negative but you expect the boys out on the field to pick themselves up and react positively when things don't gel together properly, what it all boils down to is we have been spoilt over the years....look at what the Power supporters had to injure for the last couple of years.I'm sure we will come out of this a much stronger club, I for one am still going to be a true supporter and that doesn't mean I'm not disappointed but every team has a bad year, some more than others.
PS: Come on guys lets get right behind the boys, because its easy to knock someone when they are down.

Point well and truly missed...

 

[rhysman]

Hard to work out what has gone wrong with Adelaide this year. I had you top 4 and you look like being bottom 4. Hard to believe really. My only worry over you guys pre season was how many old guys you were carrying and only McLeod and Goodwin have got anywhere near it this year. Vince looked like a star last year and has really struggled with the tag this year, Tippett hasn't got near last years form, Rutten has struggled with pace and Bock has been injured. You've even lost your home ground advantage seemingly. You need a rebuild i think but obviously not the best time to be doing that!

 

[Sir Vlado]

I just hope we can do what Geelong did after failing to live upto the hype in 2006, and win a premiership in the next 2-3 years. We have the list to do it, but there is just some deadwood clogging it up atm.

Well, to achieve that a LOT needs to happen, the butcher's knife needs to be on show.

What you think there is a magic fix and this is a one year thing The cake is crap, poor list management and under deveolped, poorly treated younger players has lead to our demise it will be two to three years to turn this around.

No doubt, that's why I said "I sorely hope", not saying it will eventuate. But nobody ever knows what's going to happen, heh?

I'd love to go back to see some 2004 threads about predictions for 2005, just for the fun of it.

 

[Huntercrow]

How can a season that promised so much be over by round 8?
Were we all such bad judges?
Can we as a club turn this disaster of a season into something positive?

I think so and it could produce something special next year but in the mean time we all have to endure the rest of this horrible season and for me it is no longer about the pressure of winning but simply to prepare ourselves for the future.
There will be many more brain fade moments from the youngsters but that no longer matters at least this season will see almost all of our list play at some stage (unlike last season where Davis did not debut and did not get the chance to see how far he needs to develop)
Being an old West Torrens supporter I was used to the early season disappointments followed by famous victories when the season was already over for us.
Those victories would piss me off as the players by this time were only playing for their contracts.
So I think it is important that the players selected are there for the right reasons.
Not just to save their skins but to show that they can and will contribute next year!

 

[Crow-mo]

I am pretty sure the Club felt exactly like we all did - that it was just one of those things and we'd come good.

I am speechless.

 

[bobshoby]

At the absolute least if they didn't realise we had serious, systemic problems after the Melbourne game they're absolutely deluded.

The first three quarters when we weren't hamstrung by injuries were some of the worst football we'd played in years (though not markedly worse than what had come before and slightly better than what followed this year)

In any case that's just a pet peeve, now we just need some glimmers of hope going into next year.

 

[Swampfox]

A couple more weeks and we'll be joining you.

They want to get EXPERT ADVICE not what people read in books

Ok now what ya need to know guys ?

 

[Harris Pilton]

I don't think we'll spend much time at the bottom. It's a bounce rather than a sustained bottoming out. Next year we can expect this:

B: Johncock, Rutten, Symes
HB: Otten, Bock, Goodwin
C: van Berlo, Vince, Mackay
HF: Porplyzia, Knights, Jaensch
F: McLeod, Tippett, Walker
Foll: Maric, Thompson, Dangerfield
I/C: Armstrong, Davis, Reilly, Sellar

(Acknlowledged source, Sarrey's blog. Looks about right to me.)

If those players are match-fit, it looks like a pretty competitive line-up.

This year was an anomoly. An atonishingly bad run of injuries which destroyed our preparation and totally derailed us. It was terminal for this season, but no reason to think we won't be back as a contender next year. (IMO)

 

[taylor_walker_13]

I don't think we'll spend much time at the bottom. It's a bounce rather than a sustained bottoming out. Next year we can expect this:

B: Johncock, Rutten, Symes
HB: Otten, Bock, Goodwin
C: van Berlo, Vince, Mackay
HF: Porplyzia, Knights, Jaensch
F: McLeod, Tippett, Walker
Foll: Maric, Thompson, Dangerfield
I/C: Armstrong, Davis, Reilly, Sellar

(Acknlowledged source, Sarrey's blog. Looks about right to me.)

If those players are match-fit, it looks like a pretty competitive line-up.

This year was an anomoly. An atonishingly bad run of injuries which destroyed our preparation and totally derailed us. It was terminal for this season, but no reason to think we won't be back as a contender next year. (IMO)

Take Goodwin out he wont be there and maybe put Macca on the bench.

 

[WALL-e]

Assuming we finish 15th, with 4 wins or less, ahead of winless Richmond in 16th.. and assuming that no other team qualifies for a PP (Hawthorn are still looking like joining us).
* In the early 2000s we would have got picks 2 & 4 (and pick 20 in the 2nd round).
* In 2009 we would have got picks 2 & 18 (and pick 20 in the 2nd round).
* In 2010 we get picks 6 and 27 (and pick 30 in the 2nd round).

We picked a seriously bad year to bottom out.

Only positive being the talent in this draft. We'll have something very nice at #6. Depth is good and seeing the GC will likely go tall (excluding Swallow) early and Richmond SHOULD go tall as their KPP and Ruck stocks suck, we should be left with good mids.

I'm curious to see if we become active in trade week, some teams will be keen on not participating, others will be scouring the state leagues and will hand over their first couple of picks for 'ready' players.

 

[Vader]

Only positive being the talent in this draft. We'll have something very nice at #6. Depth is good and seeing the GC will likely go tall (excluding Swallow) early and Richmond SHOULD go tall as their KPP and Ruck stocks suck, we should be left with good mids.

I can see this happening.

I'm curious to see if we become active in trade week, some teams will be keen on not participating, others will be scouring the state leagues and will hand over their first couple of picks for 'ready' players.

The question is what are we prepared to give up in return? You don't get something for nothing in this day and age.

 

[WALL-e]

I can see this happening.

The question is what are we prepared to give up in return? You don't get something for nothing in this day and age.

Too true Vader, a lot of people say we should get player X, well that's good but who do we give?....oh yeah.

The problem for us acquiring picks is people will usually want to trade for AFL ready impact players, usually in their prime....we have very little in the way of players in their prime age group.

If we're lucky we'll get a 4th rounder for Griffin, hard to see what to make of the Thommo rumors, but what we do have to do if be confident in our recruiting staff with #6.

There's a fair few good mids available early and I think a Gaff, Parker or Prestia (I don't know too much about WA, SA or outside Vics atm, until champs begin) will be available in our first couple. Grgic would be fantastic for us as well, all reachable in the first 2 rounds (at this stage). Green from Tassie looks like an angry Gary rohan without much height and Fisher will slide because he's a 19 yo. All mids that could play next year.

We're in a unique position that we don't require KPP's. This allows us to concentrate our recruiting on one main area. Hopefully we'll see some talent slide our way. Say we do only win 4 or less, we'll aquire #27 and to couple with #30, we'll pick up some real quality players hopefully.

Anyway it's hard to concentrate on the draft when the season's still going.....sorta.

 

[Allefgib]

I am speechless.

haha.. I'm starting to not take the comments literally. Which makes them hard to take at all.. but still

 

[jenny61_99]

haha.. I'm starting to not take the comments literally. Which makes them hard to take at all.. but still

Perhaps I don't articulate myself very well. I am convinced that much of what I try to say is not read as intended! But haven't most of us, certainly initially, thought that what was happening was a freak thing? Aided and abetted by a horrid pre-season and revolving injury list. There was plenty to cover up the cracks. It was almost surreal. How could a team that showed so much promise at the end of last year, be so very bad??

To the astute though (CM, yourself to name a couple), they saw past the obvious and saw some real underlying problems that most of us couldn't see. At first I thought it was just the "negative nellies" doing their thing , however, as time wore on, it became apparent that their foreboding was spot on. It's a horrible realisation I have to say.

I am still not convinced that Craig is the problem, but I am less sure than I was a few weeks ago.

 

[Allefgib]

Perhaps I don't articulate myself very well. I am convinced that much of what I try to say is not read as intended! But haven't most of us, certainly initially, thought that what was happening was a freak thing? Aided and abetted by a horrid pre-season and revolving injury list. There was plenty to cover up the cracks. It was almost surreal. How could a team that showed so much promise at the end of last year, be so very bad??

To the astute though (CM, yourself to name a couple), they saw past the obvious and saw some real underlying problems that most of us couldn't see. At first I thought it was just the "negative nellies" doing their thing , however, as time wore on, it became apparent that their foreboding was spot on. It's a horrible realisation I have to say.

I am still not convinced that Craig is the problem, but I am less sure than I was a few weeks ago.

It is a horrible realisation.

Appreciate the above Jenny though not sure how comfortable I am being labelled astute - probably prefer if we can all be a little more open minded on what 'supporting the club' actually means.

Still along way to go before the full extent of issues is revealed IMO.

Having said that part of me doesn't want to let go of the fact the boys might knuckle down better, some guys come back from injury and we have a good spurt of wins.

The point remains though, and it was CM who reminded me of this in another thread, even if that does happen - we have failed to live up to expectations by a large way this year. Some bad decisions have been made and some unacceptable performances put on offer.

More changes required yet...

 

[Cap]

I don't think we'll spend much time at the bottom. It's a bounce rather than a sustained bottoming out. Next year we can expect this:

B: Johncock, Rutten, Symes
HB: Otten, Bock, Goodwin
C: van Berlo, Vince, Mackay
HF: Porplyzia, Knights, Jaensch
F: McLeod, Tippett, Walker
Foll: Maric, Thompson, Dangerfield
I/C: Armstrong, Davis, Reilly, Sellar

(Acknlowledged source, Sarrey's blog. Looks about right to me.)

If those players are match-fit, it looks like a pretty competitive line-up.

This year was an anomoly. An atonishingly bad run of injuries which destroyed our preparation and totally derailed us. It was terminal for this season, but no reason to think we won't be back as a contender next year. (IMO)

this is a 1 season issue, I agree

 

[subaru]

They want to get EXPERT ADVICE not what people read in books

Ok now what ya need to know guys ?

I've felt like this for 6 weeks... you've felt like this for ??????
You poor bastard!

 

[Chris Crouch]

I am speechless.

If only that were true ...

 

[Allefgib]

If only that were true ...

hahaha.. I'll pay that

 

[johnnypanther]

I am speechless.

If only that were true ...

That is worth a sticky