Player Watch Matt Crouch - Wanted For Hat Crimes

[Sanders]

Why should the blame for a lot of players leaving the club prior to Nicks’ departure fall on Nicks himself?

Because you invented a false narrative using contorted, random and irrelevant snippets.

We were in the eight only a couple of weeks before Nicks was appointed

When he was appointed no one expected, or used language or did anything to suggest we were about to crash the plane

That’s on him.

 

[Sanders]

That October 2016-October 2020 period was awful for us from an off-field trade perspective. We lost players in their prime in Lyons, Lever, Cameron, McGovern, Greenwood, Keath, Rat and Brouch, and gained (when considering bringing in current AFL players) 1 1/2 years of Gibbs (before our rebuild even started), the corpse of Sam Gibson, Tyson Stengle (which was just an all-round mess), Billy Frampton, and Ben Crocker. The only positive addition was Keays as a rookie pick

I mean, this just isn’t serious

We gained in some cases significant assets in return, but trying to go back to every player lost since 2016 as a reason for why Nicks crashed the plane in 2020???

That’s just narrative gymnastics

If that was a significant material loss you would see it reflective somewhere, anywhere in the expectations

Were you saying anything like this at the time? I genuinely don’t know, but if you were then I’ll concede credit to you.

Were you?

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

You might want try to stay focused.

The statement was that we were a team contending for finals. That is an inarguable fact.

As the facts show. We were.

Wtf?
It’s a technicality.

What’s more relevant, the obvious trend of poor performances from rd 15 onwards or the exact rd we fell out of the 8?

The dive started directly after the bye. It’s not like everything was fine and dandy up until rd 21.

 

[Crowmurder]

Good on him. Been this bloke's biggest critic since we drafted him. Even when he was an 'All Australian' mid I'd have been happy to drop him/trade him. Didn't see the value.

Last six weeks of the year were the first time I did. Those six weeks were stronger than anything he served up at the alleged 'peak' of his career and (within what's achievable for someone with his athletic profile/play style) seemed to me a clear evolution and progression of his game and getting the best out of himself. Old dogs can learn new tricks. Bloody terrific.

Two years seems a little excessive, but if the salary is low and another club offered two, I get it.

Now to find the right balance in that midfield. A Crouch/Laird/Dawson midfield probably too much accumulation/not enough speed. Ok with it occasionally when the rotation forces it, but would mean the 4th guy needs to be proper nippy. I'd probably prefer to see Laird return to half back now. Bloke was a 2x AA player there, and as a midfielder he's just solid but accumulates. Crouch equally as influential in that distribution role, but Laird has a much better impact in another role than Crouch does and hard to play both. Would also mean the door isn't shut on a Berry type, who while he's regressed, wouldn't be able to play in a midfield with Crouch and Laird both in there.

Crouch & Dawson as the main two. Soligo/Rachele potentially being full time mid/fwd rotations as the third guy, with the 4th guy a licorice allsorts between Keays/Laird from HFF/HBF if we're desperate, Rankine or Pedlar pinch hitting, a SANFL guy who grows like Dowling or Berry if he can add a trick is probably where I'd go.

It will be interesting to see if he reverts back to his old ways now he has a contract? Let's hope not. Done well to get 2yrs IMO. More than happy to be proven wrong here.

 

[FR0GGY]

It will be interesting to see if he reverts back to his old ways now he has a contract? Let's hope not. Done well to get 2yrs IMO. More than happy to be proven wrong here.

I think that only applies to work rate, this feels like he's genuinely changed the way he's playing.

 

[Skippos]

It will be interesting to see if he reverts back to his old ways now he has a contract? Let's hope not. Done well to get 2yrs IMO. More than happy to be proven wrong here.

I'd be really interested in the salary. If it's 2x250k, I'm fine with it. Even if he reverts to type, much better Crouch as player 35 on the pay scale than Hately for the same role. If it's 2x450-500k, it's excessive.

I suspect the two years was what was required to match an opposition contract offer.

 

[MarcusP2]

I'd be really interested in the salary. If it's 2x250k, I'm fine with it. Even if he reverts to type, much better Crouch as player 35 on the pay scale than Hately for the same role. If it's 2x450-500k, it's excessive.

I suspect the two years was what was required to match an opposition contract offer.

$450K is barely above AFL average salary. 250K would put him in the bottom 30% of all players in the AFL in 2021, let alone going forward with an increased salary cap. There is no way he is getting paid that.

 

[Eagleboy2011]

$450K is barely above AFL average salary. 250K would put him in the bottom 30% of all players in the AFL in 2021, let alone going forward with an increased salary cap. There is no way he is getting paid that.

$450+ is a fair amount for Matt. He has earned that over his career with us.

 

[jackster83]

My guess he would be on around the $400k mark.

Probably with a few incentives/triggers built in.

 

[MarcusP2]

My guess he would be on around the $400k mark.

A depth player that has proven AFL level qualities getting the average salary seems fair.

To be clear that's the mean, I expect median is lower because there are a few players on 2.5-3x that amount.

 

[Skippos]

$450K is barely above AFL average salary. 250K would put him in the bottom 30% of all players in the AFL in 2021, let alone going forward with an increased salary cap. There is no way he is getting paid that.

AFL average, not median. It's an important distinction.

The floor is what? $130k. But players get paid 900k. For every bloke on 900, there's gotta be two on the floor to hit that 'mean'

I suspect the median salary is much lower than the mean. And supply and demand is a thing - Crouch is in a role (slower inside mid with no pace or much outside game) that has a very low market - blokes like Setterfield and Brodie having zero to no suitors and going for peanuts/being paid to be moved. Crouch not getting much interest last year.

It'd be odd if he wasn't below the median for salary now, IMO. Even with that six week spike, his role is the least 'in demand' in the game (unless you're Jacob Hopper).

 

[MarcusP2]

AFL average, not median. It's an important distinction.

The floor is what? $130k. But players get paid 900k. For every bloke on 900, there's gotta be two on the floor to hit that 'mean'

I suspect the median salary is much lower than the mean. And supply and demand is a thing - Crouch is in a role (slower inside mid with no pace or much outside game) that has a very low market - blokes like Setterfield and Brodie having zero to no suitors and going for peanuts/being paid to be moved. Crouch not getting much interest last year.

It'd be odd if he wasn't below the median for salary now, IMO. Even with that six week spike, his role is the least 'in demand' in the game (unless you're Jacob Hopper).

There's players getting paid less than $100K. The stats for last season are here.

Million-dollar dozen: Stars cash in, player pay hits new high

A record 12 players were paid at least $1 million for the 2022 season

www.afl.com.au

That's where the 30% number comes from. $400K puts him at around 55th percentile (lower end of best 22). Pretty standard for a veteran mid I would've thought, especially in an escalating salary cap situation (mean went up $30K from last season).

 

[MsTopG]

Would have traded Crouch. Expect to see Laird Crouch Sloane first bounce in 2025. Can't wait.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Would have traded Crouch. Expect to see Laird Crouch Sloane first bounce in 2025. Can't wait.

Aren't you a ray of sunshine...

 

[Mostyn]

Aren't you a ray of sunshine...

Not sure why you bother replying to the nuffs.

Crouch, Laird and Dawson will start round 1, with Rachele and Pedlar getting more CBAs and Soligo starting as a wing but pushing to the contest as an extra mid.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Not sure why you bother replying to the nuffs.

Crouch, Laird and Dawson will start round 1, with Rachele and Pedlar getting more CBAs and Soligo starting as a wing but pushing to the contest as an extra mid.

You reply to them too regularly...

I have always had my say, but won't get into ongoing arguments which are a waste of time.

 

[PeterSalt]

You reply to them too regularly...

I have always had my say, but won't get into ongoing arguments which are a waste of time.

I can't get the song out of my head now

 

[MsTopG]

Aren't you a ray of sunshine...

Well Nick's never fails to disappoint. I'm sure he will go with youth early but he will likely resort to type as the year goes on and the pressure mounts. I'm sure we will see Crouch and Sloane I'm the midfield st some point. That's the problem of not moving them. If they are on the list they will be played and the only place Nicks will play them is midfield. They can't play anywhere else.

 

[rabidcrow]

Would have traded Crouch. Expect to see Laird Crouch Sloane first bounce in 2025. Can't wait.

So no Dawson even though he goes at about 85% CBA’s?


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[MsTopG]

So no Dawson even though he goes at about 85% CBA’s?


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Yeah he will be in there. Just having a melt but I'm sure crouch and sloane will find their way in there at some point.

 

[Crowmurder]

I think that only applies to work rate, this feels like he's genuinely changed the way he's playing.

It did appear that way, lets hope so hey!

 

[Golumless]

I think that only applies to work rate, this feels like he's genuinely changed the way he's playing.

That said, we've been here before with Crouch, seeing he looked like the 2017 version of him in the back end of 2020 after he got axed.

I think this is more a case of just accepting Crouchs flaws are there and trying to work around it with your selections. I.e. don't encourage him to kick more, or hang outside or do anything other than get ball, and handball to someone better. Well that an hope the defensive side is now truly apart of his game, as much as he's awfully slow.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Schoenberg was consistently the best mid we had delivering the ball inside 50 outside Dawson, but when the going got tough Nicks prefered to back in a cooked Sloane over Schoenberg.

The fact that he can go head to head against a team like Melbourne, come away 23 disposals, 9 score involvements and 5 clearances from 42% CBA's shows he has the talent. He then went at 21 disposals, 6 score involvements and 4 clearances against the Lions on 31% CBA a few weeks later. Both times the coaches response to him having a good game is to reduce his midfield time rather than giving him more time.

Yep unfairly maligned on here , started to play well when coaches finally backed him in

Longshot now as these Achilles ruptures are worse than ACL’s to come back from

 

[Crouch]

The ‘inner belief’ that helped spark Crouch’s resurgence

Adelaide midfielder Matt Crouch

5

Matt Crouch

Age

29

Ht

183cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

28.4

5star

K

12.0

4star

HB

16.4

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

3.9

5star

CL

4.8

5star

D

24.9

5star

K

9.7

4star

HB

15.1

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.4

3star

CL

4.4

5star

D

21.2

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

10.8

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

3.4

5star

CL

2.0

4star

says never losing “confidence in his ability” sparked his impressive return to the Crows’ AFL side in the back-end of 2023.

Coming into the team for Adelaide’s Round 19 clash against Melbourne, the 28-year-old played the remaining six matches of the season, and averaged an impressive 29.1 disposals per game.

Following the season, the 2017 Malcolm Blight medallist was signed a two-year contract extension, tying him to West Lakes until at least the end of 2025.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, he reflected on the adversity he faced in 2023 and how he ultimately overcame it.

“I’ve always been confident in my ability to play at the level, and play well,” Crouch said.

“You can’t lose that confidence (as an AFL footballer), you need to always believe you can contribute strongly and I never lost sight of that last year.

“It was great to come back into the side at the end of last season and show what I can do, and I feel that maintaining confidence in my ability was the key factor behind my strong form.”

While not where he wanted to be, Crouch’s time out of the senior side helped him develop deficiencies in his game that had previously held him back.

He explained the small changes that helped him flourish once his opportunities arose.

“The big work-on area for me (last year) was being penetrating with the ball and hurting opposition with my disposal,” Crouch said.

“A big part of it was ‘driving my legs’ more and just having the confidence to run and carry more with the footy.

“I feel like the team around me got better than when I was last in the team as well, so that definitely helped my game as well and allowed me to show my strengths a bit more.

“It’s exciting to be able to continue to gel over this pre-season and keep improving as a unit.”

Now embarking on his eleventh pre-season at West Lakes, Crouch said excitement was in the air as the group continued to develop.

“This is my eleventh pre-season now and I feel the Club is in a really strong position at the moment,” Crouch said.

“The one thing about pre-seasons is that they are always pretty hard, and the start of this one has been no exception.

“I am really enjoying being a part of it, we’ve got a good young group here and everyone is working really hard and pushing each other along.

“Being out there with the boys again, it’s getting me very excited for a big year in 2024.”

Mentions working on his deficiencies and trying to be more attacking with the ball. Sounds about right - some of his I50 passes in the preseason and end of season were sublime.

 

[brucetiki]

Channel 10 had a few attempts at reporting on Crouch today