-
AFLW 2024 - Round 10 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Training Pre-Season 2024
- Thread starter bigman
- Start date
- Tagged users None
gunbarrelstraight91
Senior List
- Oct 19, 2020
- 236
- 331
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
I don’t think it’s swans fans in general (I live in Sydney) most of them who follow the footy have a soft spot for Adelaide.
It’s more that that particular bloke in that chat has always been a FW
bLoODs.
Adelaide 2024 preview: Can the Crows gain consistency next season and return to the finals?
With Tom Doedee at Brisbane and Nick Murray sidelined, Matthew Nicks has some big calls to make early in 2024. Will a draftee be thrown straight in the deep end? Here’s our best 23.AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.Follow
Despite the controversial way in which Adelaide’s finals hopes were ended in 2023 there is plenty of optimism at the Crows. With plenty of signs that they are on the right track the Crows will be looking to end their finals drought in 2024.
The Crows are right among those at the front of the line when it comes to the teams hoping to gatecrash the top eight.
While inconsistencies ultimately cost Adelaide dearly, Nicks’ side played a thrilling brand of attacking footy and were the league’s highest scoring team.
Their backline has been hit by injuries and departures but the Crows will be bullish about what they can do in 2024.
What happened in 2023?
Adelaide fans were left scratching their heads at a sluggish start to the season.After losing their first two games of the season, the Crows upstaged Port Adelaide – wearing its prison bar guernsey – in the Showdown.
This kicked them into life and they showed just what they could do with a huge victory over Carlton in Gather Round.
That coincided with captain Jordan Dawson being sent into the midfield, giving the Crows the big-bodied midfielder they had been crying out for.
Taylor Walker’s career renaissance continued with the superstar’s best season yet, including 10 goals in his 250th game against West Coast, to earn him All-Australian honours alongside his captain.
However, close losses to Collingwood and Melbourne, a fade out against the Gold Coast in Darwin and a home loss to GWS ended up putting the Crows behind the eightball when it came to finals.
Adelaide’s tall defender stocks were also hit hard with Tom Doedee and Nick Murray suffering ACL injuries and Jordon Butts copping a season-ending foot injury.
The Crows did look like they could make a late run, but their finals chances were extinguished in controversial circumstances against Sydney when what should have been a goal to Ben Keays was ruled as a point in the dying stages of the match.
Izak Rankine leading a group running laps. Picture: James Elsby
Where do they finish in 2024?
Finals will be well within Adelaide’s sights in 2024.The Crows haven’t featured in September since going down to Richmond in the 2017 Grand Final, but Nicks’ side will be confident its drought could end very soon.
Adelaide has been rewarded by the AFL in the fixture department with some big games at Adelaide Oval, where they play so well.
The top-eight will be a tight race but the Crows will be backing themselves after another season under the belts of their young guns.
There are still some questions around the Crows backline, though, with Doedee leaving for Brisbane and Murray out for most of the season as he recovers from his ACL.
And can they get another year like they got from Walker?
It’s a tough start for the Crows but if they can begin the season well they will be right in the mix.
ADELAIDE'S BEST 23
B J. Worrell, J. Butts, C. JonesHB W. Milera, D. Curtin, M. Michalanney
C J. Soligo, R. Laird, B. Smith
HF I. Rankine, D. Fogarty, J. Rachele
F L. Murphy, T. Walker, R. Thilthorpe
FOL R. O’Brien, J. Dawson, M. Crouch
I/C R. Sloane, M. Hinge, L. Pedlar, B. Keays, B. Cook (sub)
Not considered to begin with: Nick Murray (injured)
Biggest improver in 2024?
The Crows will be hoping it is Riley Thilthorpe.He started 2023 out of the side, with Nicks wanting him to work on some areas of his game. However, Thilthorpe returned with a vengeance in the first Showdown of the season, with Port Adelaide unable to deal with the former No. 2 pick.
While he ended the season in quiet circumstances with questions again rearing their head around his development, Thilthorpe has strong work ethic and will put his best foot forward over pre-season in the quest to be the key forward the Crows hope he can be.
X-factor
Did the Crows waste one of the great years from Taylor Walker in 2023?That has been the question asked by some at West Lakes upon reflection of the campaign.
The spiritual leader at the club, Walker was the Crows’ talisman on the field in a career best-season at the tender age of 33.
It was another sensational year as Walker continued his late-career resurgence.
And unlike 2021 and 2022, he had some serious days out in front of goals with bags of nine and 10 against the Eagles and seven against the Power to win his first Showdown Medal. When Walker is up and about the Crows are an extremely hard team to stop.
Coach status
Matthew Nicks is out of contract at the end of 2024 but unless things go drastically wrong he doesn’t really have much to worry about.
Adelaide powerbrokers are enamoured with Nicks, who they believe is a “next-generation” coach.
While they haven’t put a timeline on an extension for Nicks, expect one to come in 2024. Another thing to look out for at the Crows is how they deal with James Rahilly returning to Geelong.
Under Rahilly as forwards coach, the Crows had become one of the best attacking sides in the competition and he could be a big loss for Adelaide.
Who is in last year of contract?
Sam Berry, Hugh Bond, James Borlase, Brayden Cook, Billy Dowling, Lachlan Gollant, Will Hamill, Elliott Himmelberg, Mitch Hinge, Ben Keays, Ned McHenry, Patrick Parnell, Luke Pedlar, Lachlan Sholl, Rory Sloane, Brodie Smith, Taylor WalkerOuts for 2024
More Coverage
Tom Doedee (Free agency move to Brisbane), Shane McAdam (traded to Melbourne), Paul Seedsman (retired) Tariek Newchurch (delisted), Tyler Brown (delisted), Andrew McPherson (delisted), Jackson Hatley (delisted), Fischer McAsey (retired)
Ins for 2024
Chris Burgess (Gold Coast), Dan Curtin (pick no. 8), Charlie Edwards (pick no. 21), Oscar Ryan (pick no. 27)article from today. Mostly feels right. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nicks re-signed in the first 6 weeks or so. Hinge isn’t a bench player though and Peds has already re-signed for 2 more years So they got that wrong.
agree TT, is our flying under the radar superstar here…
Last edited:
NTRabbit
Brownlow Medallist
It's really quite baffling how many supposed football experts keep insisting that a 187cm defender, who routinely failed due to lack of size when pushed out of the third tall intercept role and into a man marking role on an actual tall forward, is a tall defender.
Spoke to a player over Xmas break and he’s most impressed with Oskar Ryan , a massive wrap for him , doing some amazing things at training
Reckons Curtin is impressive as a playmaker but needs some work on ability to defend as a defender
Likes Edwards traits but reckons he is very raw and will take some time
Reckons Curtin is impressive as a playmaker but needs some work on ability to defend as a defender
Likes Edwards traits but reckons he is very raw and will take some time
Golumless
A bigger deal out west.
Only a coach who wants to be sacked doesn't care about defense. Just foolish in a league where premierships are won by having the meanest defense when it matters. That said, Curtin is 18 and third tall is a good position to get that up to snuff whilst he can influence offensively.
And if Curtin goes the path of Chayce Jones - he was never the talent we thought he was.
Last edited:
- Oct 16, 2011
- 16,439
- 42,404
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
On pasties...and i don't discount that suggestion
For the life of me i do not understand why Aussies get tomato sauce on a pastie. A pastie is full of vegetables,you should cut the pastie open and put a big chunk of butter in it and close it.
You saute vegetables in butter, a pastie is full of vegetables, it just makes sense
Yeah I’m a bit the same , I’d like to play him on the wing in his first season or in the pure intercept attacking role and potentially freeing up hinge for the wing
Chayce on the other wing funnily enough
jenny61_99
Premium Platinum
I was married in my early twenties….so I didn… oh wait
Now that is dumbI was married in my early twenties….so I didn… oh wait
- Sep 23, 2012
- 3,937
- 6,073
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Sturt, Ozark Mountain Daredevils
I read Luke Edwards traits and panicked for a minute
Gtowncrow
Premiership Player
- Jul 6, 2021
- 3,215
- 4,114
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
I can't remember the exact numbers but I'm confident that none of our three most current captains were picked inside the top 50!!!!!
Everyone loves discovering a hidden gem. I'm happy however with young players forcing their way into the 22 irrespective of their draft number.
Good pastries, meat or otherwise, are ruined by tomato sauce. There is a chick at work that brings in leftover roast for her lunch and smothers it all with tomato sauce. But she’s from Millicent, not our gentrified Mt Gambier.
Sloane was pick #44. Inside the top-50, but hardly a top-10 pick. Still qualifies as a "hidden gem", as far as I'm concerned.
For me no way Curtin starts ahead of Keane after Keane's promising stop-gap performances. This guy is mobile, huge and cement hard, and while his kicking can be a tad suspect, it's generally fine and he surely can roost a ball out of defence. Reckon he becomes a permanent fixture, though not sure at whose expense. Murray's behind the 8ball with his knee moreso than Butts with his foot, but both of those are ahead of Borlase so it will be interesting when/if we have a full defenders list to select from.
Drugs Are Bad Mackay?
Moderator
- May 24, 2006
- 79,823
- 162,059
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Redbacks, Sturt, Liverpool, Arizona
- Moderator
- #996
Curtin not up against Keane surely
Kane McGoodwin
Make me an Admin!
- May 21, 2001
- 86,070
- 91,441
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Adelaide Crows
Imo, Curtin is likely to play from round 1... but so may Keane. Curtin is the type of talent that needs to be fast tracked.
Worrell is a given, then it's a question of Butts &/or Keane.
Golumless
A bigger deal out west.
Hard to say where Keane fits in long term, seeing he also looks tailor made for an intercept third tall role - not so much a KPD.
Once Murray comes back, it does seem like he's fighting it out with Worrell for that CHB spot unless we're willing to pull the midfield trigget early on Curtin. Which is concerning seeing our history under Nicks of rushing kids into the midfield has been dire, seeing it's starting to rack up a fair body count of careers that have gone off the rails.
Which kids are these? Berry?
Jones and Schoenberg (pre injury) have come good, Soligo and Rachele have been good all along.
Golumless
A bigger deal out west.
Jones career fell apart once we tried to force him into the midfield. Only taken until 2023 to right that ship, and even then, he's looking like a Mackay kind of ceiling.
Schoenberg fell apart in 2022 and really, there wasn't anything in 2023 that indicated he's come good. Berry fell apart in 2023 and is hoping for a bounce back.
We're yet to see with Soligo and have been rather cautious with Rachele going into the midfield. Seeing its typically been their third year that shit hits the fan with our trying to develop midfielders strategy.
