Preview The ultimate test: Round 5 Adelaide @ Hawthorn - MCG

[Hank93]

Date/Time: Friday, April 22, 7:20pm CST, 7:50pm EST
Weather: Partly cloudy, Min 13, Max 18. Slight (20%) chance of a shower in the morning. Winds southerly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light in the late evening.
Ladder: Adelaide (7th, 3-1, 124.23%), Hawthorn (8th, 3-1, 106.41%)
Odds (Sportsbet): Hawthorn $1.42, Adelaide $2.90, Line 16.5 points
Cheer squads: Hawthorn: M3 (Punt road end), Adelaide M33 (Ponsford Stand/City End).

It’s fair to say I’m absolutely pumped for Friday Night. I’m here in Melbourne for a week of tennis training while the states best juniors play an ITF tournament at the National Tennis Centre. I haven’t seen the Crows play in Melbourne since 2005, and my only other away game was last years clash v Sydney which was arguably our worst game for the year. I figure if I’m going to see the Crows play the Hawks at the G I may as well have the full experience. Pre game at the pub, game day amongst the cheer squad, post game function and the train trip the following day.

Our recent history vs Hawthorn has been depressingly ruthless to say the least. Last years 74-point semi final crushing was preceded by another 5 losses dating back to 2012, with the last win all the way back in Round 1, 2011. That being said, we held a lead at Adelaide Oval last year and suffered 3 other losses by under 2 goals in 2012, 2013 and 2014 so we’ve been reasonably competitive without being able to clear the final hurdle.

Our form has seen the lid well and truly blown off at the moment, with some flashy brilliance against Port and Richmond followed up by a brutal display v the Swans. Our run and carry and ball movement has been a feature of our play, but it was very encouraging to see the team can adapt depending on the level of pressure and intensity from the opposition.

Hawthorn have done what every champion team does when they’re not playing their best football and that is execute when it counts and just finding a way to win, even if that includes hiring a Hawks supporting umpire from last week. They could potentially welcome back Josh Gibson, Ryan Schoenmakers and Brad Hill back this week which would give them 18 of their 22 2015 premiership side on the park. Considering Lake and Hale were retired and Suckling moved to the Dogs, this could be their full line up minus Jarryd Roughead.

I reckon we have the firepower and diversity to cause some trouble in our forward 50 so this is an area we could exploit, all be it against a premiership winning defence. Our back 6 have been able to stand up despite having to defend a significant number of forward 50 entries. Despite this, I can see Breust, Puopolo, Rioli and the increasingly dangerous Sicily getting on top especially if they jump us in the first quarter.

Crouch, Thompson, Sloane, Douglas and Atkins stood up massively against the all conquering Swans midfield last week, but they’re going to have to go to another gear if they’re to match Mitchell, Hodge, Lewis, Smith, Burgoyne and Shiels. This is a midfield that comprehensively crushed us on the outside in the 2015 Semi Final (287 uncontested possessions to 211, 131 marks to 69), so it’ll be a huge ask to turn this around in 6 games.

Likely match ups (2015 Premiership players bolded):

FB: Burgoyne, Frawley, Gibson
FF: Betts, Walker, Douglas

HB: Shiels, Stratton, Birchall
HF: McGovern, Jenkins, Lynch

C: Rioli, Lewis, Smith,
C: Smith, Thompson, Atkins

HF: Breust, Schoenmakers, Puopolo
HB: Laird, Hartigan, Brown

FF: Sicily, Gunston, Ceglar
FB: Cheney, Talia, Seedsman

R: McEvoy, Mitchell, Hodge
R: Jacobs, Sloane, M. Crouch

IC: Hartung, Hill, Langford, Duryea
IC: Lever, Mackay, Cameron, Lyons


Last weeks win gave us legitimacy, a win vs the Hawks and premiership discussion may well begin. The playing group would have got a huge amount of confidence after the win v Sydney, and I’m sure they will head to the MCG believing they can take home the chocolates.

I’d love to see the boys get up but I reckon Hawthorn just have too much class and experience at this stage of our development. We’re clearly an improved team, and Pyke has us playing both electric and brual football, but I think this is too much to ask. Hawks by 20.

Prove me wrong Crows! Win and the lid will have fallen 40,000 feet below sea level.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Time to break free from tradition.

Time to win.

Crows by 7.

 

[Mattrox]

My concern is us coming into Friday night 1% off and having the Hawks doing a number on us.

If we play our absolute best we can win. We could also produce our best and still lose if the Hawks play their best. Yes they haven't looked outstanding yet this season, BUT they have done that before then absolutely smashed the season wide open when it mattered. On Friday night it matters.

 

[DD#23]

its only Round 5, even if we smash them can we please "keep the lid ON" and hold fire on booking our flights to Melbourne in September?

 

[Redleg Crow]

its only Round 5, even if we smash them can we please "keep the lid ON" and hold fire on booking our flights to Melbourne in September?

If we smash them, the lid will be blown so far off you'd need the Hubble telescope to find it

 

[threefa9]

Have been waiting years to beat this mob, got so close a fair few times too. It has to be about time!

 

[1990crow]

its only Round 5, even if we smash them can we please "keep the lid ON" and hold fire on booking our flights to Melbourne in September?

Nup. If we win lid goes off. We have failed to beat the top sides every single year for as long as I remember. We have never had a problem beating up on the bottom 8/9/10 sides.

 

[Tex200]

Will be a great night, can't wait to be there for such a big night - should get 50,000 min.

Don't think we can do it though - Hawks by 12-24

 

[DD#23]

If we smash them, the lid will be blown so far off you'd need the Hubble telescope to find it

Nup. If we win lid goes off. We have failed to beat the top sides every single year for as long as I remember. We have never had a problem beating up on the bottom 8/9/10 sides.

what has that got to do with anything?

Hawthorn's form isn't exactly living up to their reputation at the moment but you better believe they'll be up and running by September. West Coast stormed into last years grand final (on the back of some terrific home form of course) and despite going the long way round Hawthorn still rolled them.

win and we'll certainly be placed for a run at the top 4, but even that is far from guaranteed let alone getting giddy about the idea of winning a flag.

the May Premiership is for the mob down the road... make no mistake, I put no limits on the group but lets not look too far ahead, c'mon.

 

[Tex200]

what has that got to do with anything?

Hawthorn's form isn't exactly living up to their reputation at the moment but you better believe they'll be up and running by September. West Coast stormed into last years grand final (on the back of some terrific home form of course) and despite going the long way round Hawthorn still rolled them.

win and we'll certainly be placed for a run at the top 4, but even that is far from guaranteed let alone getting giddy about the idea of winning a flag.

the May Premiership is for the mob down the road... make no mistake, I put no limits on the group but lets not look too far ahead, c'mon.

I don't get the general thought that Hawks aren't playing well.

Sure they missed out R1. But since then they've belted WCE, beaten WB at Ethiad, got the win against Saints.

Nothing wrong with their form

 

[DD#23]

I don't get the general thought that Hawks aren't playing well.

Sure they missed out R1. But since then they've belted WCE, beaten WB at Ethiad, got the win against Saints.

Nothing wrong with their form

their form is really not the crux of it though is it, its a huge game, but the win is only worth four points and some confidence. There is a hell of a long way to go this year.

 

[Bonkers000]

I have to get up at 2.30am Saturday morning. So if we could either make sure we win so I could go to bed happy or get pumped so I can go to bed at half time, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[AmericanCrow]

Game airs on television in the States on Fox Soccer Plus (which is 621-1 on Directv)-- at 5:30am Eastern/2:30am Pacific. (For those keeping track at home that would make 3 out of 5 Crows games aired live in the USA so far this season--by my unofficial tally tops in the AFL)

As for my prediction---I think it comes down to fitness with the short turnaround. I like our boys chances---I say we win by 8.

 

[Pea Nut]

Who stops Mitchell ?? He has been racking them up. Surely we don't let him just do his own thing ??

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Hank summed up the semi final loss perfectly - smashed in uncontested possession and 131 marks to 69. They simply cut us up with their footskills. We didn't have the discipline to pressure the kicker or to stay close enough to the receiver. They did as they pleased. Can't give them easy leading options to hit. Great test of our defensive skills.

Campo also shat himself. Played an extra defender in Q1. We got quite a few (hurried) centre clearances in the first quarter. They all ended up with Grant Birchall who had 14 possessions by quarter time. Game over after 30 minutes. Hope Pyke shows more courage.

 

[Bonkers000]

Who stops Mitchell ?? He has been racking them up. Surely we don't let him just do his own thing ??

Douglas?

 

[AmericanCrow]

Hank summed up the semi final loss perfectly - smashed in uncontested possession and 131 marks to 69. They simply cut us up with their footskills. We didn't have the discipline to pressure the kicker or to stay close enough to the receiver. They did as they pleased. Can't give them easy leading options to hit. Great test of our defensive skills.

Campo also shat himself. Played an extra defender in Q1. We got quite a few (hurried) centre clearances in the first quarter. They all ended up with Grant Birchall who had 14 possessions by quarter time. Game over after 30 minutes. Hope Pyke shows more courage.

I don't put to much stock in that outcome. The emotional energy expended to climb into the 8 and then upend the Bulldogs had them spent and understandably so.

We also got eaten alive by Sydney last year too.

I also want to see us play our game and make them worry about our movement up the field to the boys inside 50.

 

[FR0GGY]

For the love of god can someone smack Gibson in the stomach and then sit on him for the rest of the game?

 

[Bonkers000]

For the love of god can someone smack Gibson in the stomach and then sit on him for the rest of the game?

I don't think we'll need to sit on him. He'll have his hands full with gov or lynch.

 

[FR0GGY]

I don't think we'll need to sit on him. He'll have his hands full with gov or lynch.

He never has his hands full with anyone though.
Hopefully though if we slingshot them we can bypass him.

 

[crowsup]

For the love of god can someone smack Gibson in the stomach and then sit on him for the rest of the game?

Yea! After all, it will only cost $1000!

 

[Deaneus!]

Who stops Mitchell ?? He has been racking them up. Surely we don't let him just do his own thing ??

Smith?... And Wesson?

For the love of god can someone smack Gibson in the stomach and then sit on him for the rest of the game?

It's only a $1,000 fine!!!

 

[Geoffa32]

Last week I was more confident winning this game than the Sydney one. Even though Hawthorn at the G is the toughest gig in footy (ask WCE) I feel the Hawks are not in the greatest form and missing Roughy is affecting them.

Reckon we will win by two goals.

 

[GreyCrow]

Takes a seat. Back later

 

[TooFar]

If we can back up from last week's great win against Sydney and beat the Hawks, then this may very well be the beginning of a new age. We have not defeated two top teams in a row for a very long time.

I'm very pumped for this game,.