Review R1: The Good, Bad and Ugly vs. St Kilda

[Tex Danger]

Does this flog Kornes ever give up on this crap, he can't tell anyone this is anything other than a personal vendetta..

'Not in their best 22': Crows facing 'hard conversation' with Walker

Kane Cornes believes the Crows are facing a huge decision on veteran forward Taylor Walker in 2025

www.afl.com.au

This is a mix of personal vendetta and terrible misread on why he was subbed

Clearly we will look to manage Tex this year and opportunities like that to rest him when the games over will be part of that.

That wasn’t him getting dragged because he was struggling Kane

 

[Tex Danger]

I'd like to say the pre game stuff was the best we've had in years.

Loved the Sax man on the roof and have Sandstorm before the bounce was fantastic that will go off at a night game!

Even the song that played as we ran out was much better than bloody seven nation army that's tired old and over used.

Sad but true was a great choice to run out to. Finally something with some balls to it. Hopefully crowd can get into it to add to it with at least a strong clap to the beat (if not horns in the air and a unison hey hey hey )

 

[ams4crows]

I love that Matt Crouch wears long socks, the hoops look great, I'm not sure why the AFL has allowed everyone to wear short socks now, it sucks.

 

[n4sir]

Loved the Sax man on the roof

Not quite epic sax guy standard, but it was a good start...

 

[Carn The Texan]

One thing I noticed in the lead up to the game was the number of people (usually non crows) who thought that we’d struggle to win ground ball in fwd 50 due to being so “tall”.

Without access to any stats, my general impression was that between Tex, TT and Fog the ability to win the ball off the deck was exceptional and that’s before you consider the influence of ANB and Rachele etc as well.

The only detractor to that argument was that the pressure from St Kilda was at times completely absent. But those three talls are not your typical tall timber - they can all make a contest of it on the ground.

I also don’t know how to interpret discussion about Tex being unfit. He was covering ground pretty well to the extent he looked to be unmanned in the first half. Did he just run his opponent ragged?


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Captain Furious]

This is a mix of personal vendetta and terrible misread on why he was subbed

Clearly we will look to manage Tex this year and opportunities like that to rest him when the games over will be part of that.

That wasn’t him getting dragged because he was struggling Kane

Best take on Kane I've read in the Guardian that starts about how insightful and well researched he is "And yet. He really does seem determined to drain everything that is enjoyable and interesting about the sport".

Spot on.

 

[AFC979810]

One thing I noticed in the lead up to the game was the number of people (usually non crows) who thought that we’d struggle to win ground ball in fwd 50 due to being so “tall”.

Without access to any stats, my general impression was that between Tex, TT and Fog the ability to win the ball off the deck was exceptional and that’s before you consider the influence of ANB and Rachele etc as well.

The only detractor to that argument was that the pressure from St Kilda was at times completely absent. But those three talls are not your typical tall timber - they can all make a contest of it on the ground.

We were 14th in 2024 for F50 Ground Ball Gets. To start 2025 - we are equal 7th with 21.

Our leaders were TT with 5, Rachele with 4, Sholl with 3 and then Walker/Peatling/Rankine with 2 each. ANB/Soligo/Keays finished with 1.

To be honest - I don't think it's really an issue in 2025 - provided we play to our strengths. Quick ball movement and having the right people bringing the ball inside 50 is paramount.

Our 4 main players bringing the ball inside 50 were Dawson, Rankine, Rachele and Soligo which is exactly who you want.

 

[adelaidecrows]

This is a mix of personal vendetta and terrible misread on why he was subbed

Clearly we will look to manage Tex this year and opportunities like that to rest him when the games over will be part of that.

That wasn’t him getting dragged because he was struggling Kane

I hate Kane as much as the next person but he has a point. The article seemed pretty balanced to me which was strange for Kane. I dont think we as of right now can say Walker will be in our best 22 come the end of the year as a certainty.

 

[adelaidecrows]

We were 14th in 2024 for F50 Ground Ball Gets. To start 2025 - we are equal 7th with 21.

Our leaders were TT with 5, Rachele with 4, Sholl with 3 and then Walker/Peatling/Rankine with 2 each. ANB/Soligo/Keays finished with 1.

To be honest - I don't think it's really an issue in 2025 - provided we play to our strengths. Quick ball movement and having the right people bringing the ball inside 50 is paramount.

Our 4 main players bringing the ball inside 50 were Dawson, Rankine, Rachele and Soligo which is exactly who you want.

winning f50 ground ball is a reflective stat of kicking to the right contest and our ability to swamp the forward line with ground ball players. Too often in the past we would blind kick it to a 3 on 1 and it would be predictably spoiled and the opposition would run away with it. This year from what I have seen in the short sample we have played we have already been much better at kicking to the right spot where we have a lot of players swarming the base of the pack. So its definitely going in the right direction.

 

[Captain Furious]

Good: It was clear everyone that played was a quality AFL footballer - even if Dan Curtin still looks a bit lost, getting games into him should be a priority for now. We're no longer topping up with SANFL footballers and it shows. And when the injuries come, we still have some good players in the wings. Hats off to the recruiting team who have brought in over a third of our best 22 from other clubs.

Bad(ass): Rachele - looked switched on from the start, maybe that 'had his best ever preseason' line that gets trotted out for guys that have struggled, wasn't just a cliche this time. We'll see how he goes when the pressure's on but would be a huge boost for us if he can get near his potential, we don't have another player like him on the list.

Ugly: Only winning by 10 goals, especially after being up by 5 goals in the blink of an eye. Saints are a mediocre side at full strength and they would beat no one with the injury ravaged team they trotted out on Sunday. Understand we turned it into a training run in the 2nd half playing around with tempo etc. but even under such little pressure, we missed a lot of targets by foot. Our forward line was great and midfield looked in control but I worry about our defensive structures when we're giving up 22 shots to the weakest forward line any team put out this week.

 

[Pugsley]

The Bad - Curtin - Kid just doesn't get it after gifted games. Can only afford one more before we need that spot paying dividends. Hes just not hungry enough. 3 touches in 3 quarters of footy is not good enough.

Your thoughts on Murphy?

 

[adelaidecrows]

Your thoughts on Murphy?

he has perfected the reach around. The cup and tickle

 

[adelaidecrows]

Good: It was clear everyone that played was a quality AFL footballer - even if Dan Curtin still looks a bit lost, getting games into him should be a priority for now. We're no longer topping up with SANFL footballers and it shows. And when the injuries come, we still have some good players in the wings. Hats off to the recruiting team who have brought in over a third of our best 22 from other clubs.

Bad(ass): Rachele - looked switched on from the start, maybe that 'had his best ever preseason' line that gets trotted out for guys that have struggled, wasn't just a cliche this time. We'll see how he goes when the pressure's on but would be a huge boost for us if he can get near his potential, we don't have another player like him on the list.

Ugly: Only winning by 10 goals, especially after being up by 5 goals in the blink of an eye. Saints are a mediocre side at full strength and they would beat no one with the injury ravaged team they trotted out on Sunday. Understand we turned it into a training run in the 2nd half playing around with tempo etc. but even under such little pressure, we missed a lot of targets by foot. Our forward line was great and midfield looked in control but I worry about our defensive structures when we're giving up 22 shots to the weakest forward line any team put out this week.

He is green playing in a new position opposite to what he has in the past. Will take a few years of games and development to get him where we want him.

 

[Cromulant]

I believe that's when Dawson was resting forward and knocked the Saints player defending him on his ass off the ball.

Was a bit of a flop TBH, but there wasn't much of a need for Dawson to bump him at all

 

[FR0GGY]

I noticed in the last Draper put some great pressure on in the back pocket, preventing scoring opportunity and leading to a stoppage.

Cumming ran past 3 other guys (who all walked to position uninterested in the effort) to really get around Sid with the high 10

Yeah I thought that was poor on our behalf, basically no one acknowledged his effort.

 

[Captain Furious]

He is green playing in a new position opposite to what he has in the past. Will take a few years of games and development to get him where we want him.

Not sure we know where we want him. Ideally he's a 3rd tall but we're stacked at either end of the ground. Understand the desire to make him a mid but he's shown nothing yet to indicate that is an option, just from an agility perspective, feels like a reach. Just to be playing as a 197 guy in his 2nd year is great and I think we persevere but it may be an injury or two that puts him where he looks comfortable. Right now he feels like an ideal option to be sub but that won't help his development.

 

[FR0GGY]

I hate Kane as much as the next person but he has a point. The article seemed pretty balanced to me which was strange for Kane. I dont think we as of right now can say Walker will be in our best 22 come the end of the year as a certainty.

Most people see Kane and their opinion on his opinion is already tainted.
Half the posts in here are “Curtin looks lost” “he’s in the graveyard spot” without realizing that the cause of this is probably Tex. Now whether the other two have gone past him yet is to be debated still.

 

[Captain Furious]

Most people see Kane and their opinion on his opinion is already tainted.
Half the posts in here are “Curtin looks lost” “he’s in the graveyard spot” without realizing that the cause of this is probably Tex. Now whether the other two have gone past him yet is to be debated still.

Curtin was an All Australian defender as a junior, so Tex being the cause is a stretch. I still think play him, even out of position but throwing him all over the place might be counter productive. I'd settle him on a wing for a few games - if you were an opposition wingman, would you be happier lining up against Curtin or Sholl?

 

[NSolis]

Most people see Kane and their opinion on his opinion is already tainted.
Half the posts in here are “Curtin looks lost” “he’s in the graveyard spot” without realizing that the cause of this is probably Tex. Now whether the other two have gone past him yet is to be debated still.

Yeah, it's true that Curtin is in the 'graveyard spot' because of Walker, but it's crazy to think that Adelaide would be a better team if we dropped Walker and played Curtin full-time as a forward.

Open question whether 3 talls will work and if it doesn't Walker is the one to go, but it's not really about Curtin. He'd need another role regardless.

 

[FR0GGY]

Curtin was an All Australian defender as a junior, so Tex being the cause is a stretch. I still think play him, even out of position but throwing him all over the place might be counter productive. I'd settle him on a wing for a few games - if you were an opposition wingman, would you be happier lining up against Curtin or Sholl?

You’ll get no argument from me on sholl vs curtin, although im more confident he’ll make it as a forward vs anywhere else.
He’s playing wing/ forward, so his junior development really has no point here, it’s 100% one of the forwards taking an extra spot and no one is picking Curtin over Fog or TT, I don’t think we can go with the 4 talls without Tex and Curtin being the sub and subbed off.

 

[Captain Furious]

You’ll get no argument from me on sholl vs curtin, although im more confident he’ll make it as a forward vs anywhere else.
He’s playing wing/ forward, so his junior development really has no point here, it’s 100% one of the forwards taking an extra spot and no one is picking Curtin over Fog or TT, I don’t think we can go with the 4 talls without Tex and Curtin being the sub and subbed off.

I think Tex still has a lot to offer and is part of our best side but when he's not around, would rather see us go smaller than replace with another tall, given all of our mids minus Crouch are also dangerous forwards.

It's a good problem to have right now and one injury can change everything. 7 possession AFL games are better than 20 possession SANFL games in the long run but hope he has clarity over his role in the team.

 

[FR0GGY]

I think Tex still has a lot to offer and is part of our best side but when he's not around, would rather see us go smaller than replace with another tall, given all of our mids minus Crouch are also dangerous forwards.

It's a good problem to have right now and one injury can change everything. 7 possession AFL games are better than 20 possession SANFL games in the long run but hope he has clarity over his role in the team.

I’m really keen to see pedlar back in the side if he can continue his form.

 

[AFC979810]

if you were an opposition wingman, would you be happier lining up against Curtin or Sholl?

This week? I am a 100% happier going up against Curtin than Sholl.

Curtin has played 8 games of footy and hasn't touched the ball more than 11 times.

What has Curtin done at AFL level to make anyone not want to line up against him?

 

[Captain Furious]

I’m really keen to see pedlar back in the side if he can continue his form.

Given I feel our biggest hurdle this year will be foot skills, I'd be reticent to add another poor user into the team. I haven't seen any trial games though, so maybe there's been an improvement.

 

[Captain Furious]

I rewatched the game


This week? I am a 100% happier going up against Curtin than Sholl.

Curtin has played 8 games of footy and hasn't touched the ball more than 11 times.

What has Curtin done at AFL level to make anyone not want to line up against him?

The reference was to Sholl's lack of physical presence, was again brushed aside on Sunday. I appreciate his gut running but most of his possessions are links in the chain. Imagine it wouldn't bother an opposition wingman to know your opponent can't compete against you physically and won't make you look bad with any damaging play either.