Age mid-season review

[jmorg1]

Here (http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2004/06/24/1087845017036.html)

I'd like to discuss the following comment rationally:


WHATS TO LIKE ABOUT THE CROWS?
Very little, the Crows are enduring the season they had to have after
past excesses. While some teams near the bottom have the consolation
of youth, there is little that excites about this list for the coming
seasons.


Admittedly, I would, on most occassions, go on the defensive and start ranting about clueless journos. But this time I think I'll look at it objectively. So what do you think? Are our younger players really not up to scratch? Is our optimism in Hentschel, Shuback, Reilly, Watts etc. clouded by our support for the team?

It interests me because even teams like Richmond and Hawthorn have something 'TO LIKE ABOUT' in the review while for Adelaide, it appears there's 'very little' and that's not even the 'WHATS NOT TO LIKE' part.

[MaccasNeighbour]

Originally posted by jmorg1
Here (http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2004/06/24/1087845017036.html)

I'd like to discuss the following comment rationally:



Admittedly, I would, on most occassions, go on the defensive and start ranting about clueless journos. But this time I think I'll look at it objectively. So what do you think? Are our younger players really not up to scratch? Is our optimism in Hentschel, Shuback, Reilly, Watts etc. clouded by our support for the team?

It interests me because even teams like Richmond and Hawthorn have something 'TO LIKE ABOUT' in the review while for Adelaide, it appears there's 'very little' and that's not even the 'WHATS NOT TO LIKE' part.

I read that article, the Crows were the most harshly critisized team of the 16.

I know the Crows wont win the flag next year but to say there is nothing to like about them is typical rubbish from the Age.

[Tyson20]

Originally posted by jmorg1
Admittedly, I would, on most occassions, go on the defensive and start ranting about clueless journos...

should have stuck with your first thoughts...

biggest load of crap ive seen so far from The Age. How they can manage to have positives for every other team but the AFC is beyond me. We have added youngsters who have at least shown something from which the club can build on. the likes of Bock, Hentschel, Reilly, Schuback, Jericho will be a platform that the club can establish to build upon. we have a competitive bunch of core players to support these youngsters and whilst the club needs to trade aggressively this year and get their draft picks absolutely spot on, it wont be ALL doom and gloom! dont get me wrong, there will be some tough times ahead no question, but there are exciting times ahead for the AFC.

tough decisions need to be made, and it is imperative that the AFC get them right!

[Beaver]

To say that there is nothing to like about the Crows but there is something to like about Hawthorn - what kind of drugs was this journo on? Sure the Crows have had a crap year but I think we have so many young players that if coached and developed properly will put us back in the top six within two seasons.

Players like Jericho, Bock, Reilly, S. Stevens and Hentschel have all shown glimpses that suggest the future is bright for the club. The recruiting of a young key forward and maybe a defender or two with a mean streak who set the tone for the rest of the team would be good also as the Crows have all too often been soft on the tackle or bump. Someone like a young fiery Wayne Weidemann or a Byron Pickett.

[mymansyd]

Who gives a toss what The Age thinks anyway. The only mid-season review we should be caring about is the one taking place at the AFC.

I must admit, I'm normally a pretty pessimistic person, but I'm actually pretty excited about our prospects for 2005 and beyond.

Blind Freddy can see that Fergus Watts is a gun and that guys like Hentschel, Reilly, Jericho are all gonna' be 100+ game players.

As long as:

1) We pick the right coach/coaching panel. (hopefully Terry Wallace)
2) Delist and trade away the right players (eg. Doughty, Gallagher, Shirley, Perrie are all gonna be 25/26 years-old next year --- they cannot command a regular spot, so therefore should not be part of our future -- 'tanks for the memories).
3) Pickup and trade-in the right players (1st priority: a #1 ruckman under the age of 25. don't know how we can get 'em, but our top 2 targets should either be Cox from the eagles or Ottens from Richmond. if we get 1 of these, then we make clarke retire. if we don't, then clarke should play on).

[poptiffscherry]

Besides when we first came into the competition, is it fair to say this will be the only time we are looking to get a young forward line up and running from scratch, because when you look at it, since the departure of Mods to Freo, almost all our recruiting has revolved around experienced players who where expected to fit the full forward role, but failed.

E.G:

Ryan Fitzgerald
Daniel Schell
Wayne Carey
Scott Stevens
ANY MORE???

[mymansyd]

Originally posted by poptiffscherry
Besides when we first came into the competition, is it fair to say this will be the only time we are looking to get a young forward line up and running from scratch, because when you look at it, since the departure of Mods to Freo, almost all our recruiting has revolved around experienced players who where expected to fit the full forward role, but failed.

E.G:

Ryan Fitzgerald
Daniel Schell
Wayne Carey
Scott Stevens
ANY MORE???

Barry Standfield, Adam Richardson, Evan Hewitt.

Smells like....

[KingAragorn]

I would not take too much notice of what the age has got to say. Just look at where there pre-season predictions had a number of vic teams placed.

Colingwood - 3rd
Haxthorn - 4th
Melbourne - 14th
st Kilda - 9th.

[Wayne's-World]

The AFL is a very even compeition.
Not a lot seperates 1 - 16, maybe a handfull of players.

Carlton was a basket case, but in the space of 2 seasons with the right coach and no premium draft choises they have started to be really competitive.

Adelaide is no-where as bad as Carlton, will have good draft picks, hopefully a good coach, and we have some trading options Carlton did not have.
So any thoughts we will be in the wilderness for years is rediculous!!!

[Tyson20]

Originally posted by Wayne's-World
So any thoughts we will be in the wilderness for years is rediculous!!!

probably more wishful thinking on behalf of the mexicans...:rolleyes:

[Wayne's-World]

Originally posted by Tyson20
probably more wishful thinking on behalf of the mexicans...:rolleyes:
:confused: :confused: :confused:

[MaccasNeighbour]

Originally posted by Tyson20
probably more wishful thinking on behalf of the mexicans...:rolleyes:

Trashing South Australians makes for good print in Melbourne.

[Wayne's-World]

Originally posted by MaccasNeighbour
Trashing South Australians makes for good print in Melbourne.
Quite often your small town mentality is derserving of some trashing.

[dA Crow]

WHAT’S TO LIKE ABOUT THE HAWKS?
The mid-season break. The Hawks needed it, desperately, after a horrible first half. Positives? Perhaps the genuine (if interrupted) glimpses of leadership shown by Luke Hodge. Chance Bateman looks a good defensive runner with true foot skills.

AND WHAT’S NOT?
Neither Nathan Thompson, nor Nick Holland, nor John Barker, have fired in the forward line, leaving too much to Williams. Injuries to Shane Crawford, Jonathan Hay and Sam Mitchell have been particularly costly.

BIGGEST SURPRISE?
Probably how bad they have been. The Hawks clearly believed they had a shot this year. Even before they were stricken by injury and suspension, the Hawks were experiencing some fairly heavy defeats.

WHO WOULD BE LEADING THE BEST AND FAIREST?
Peter Everitt, Joel Smith, Richard Vandenberg

WHO NEEDS TO LIFT?
Angelo Lekkas, Ben Dixon, John Barker

THE RUN HOME
v Coll (MCG)
v WC (YP)
v Port (MCG)
v Kang (MCG)
v Melb (MCG)
v WB (TD)
v Bris Lions (MCG)
v Rich (MCG)
v Geel (SS)

COMMENT
Five of the Hawks’ last nine games come against top-eight opponents, but none of that should matter now.

SEPTEMBER: FINALS OR EARLY HOLIDAYS?
Holidays have already begun for the Hawks. September should actually be busy, with a serious clean-out in store.

THE AGE’S PRE-SEASON PREDICTION
Fourth


Well, any degree of appreciation of this acticle is destroyed when they originally predicted the Hawks to finish Fourth..

[Tyson20]

Originally posted by MaccasNeighbour
Trashing South Australians makes for good print in Melbourne.

that way they can mask their own inadequacies (sp?)

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by mymansyd
Blind Freddy can see that Fergus Watts is a gun There is a d1ckhead on the main board then reckons he is a dud and is soft :eek: Linky (http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=118479)

[DaveW]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
There is a d1ckhead on the main board then reckons he is a dud and is soft :eek: Linky (http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=118479) Just bookmark that one away and dredge it up at the appropriate time.

[Jerome]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
There is a d1ckhead on the main board then reckons he is a dud and is soft :eek: Linky (http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=118479)

*****head indeed. Fergus is only an 18 year old lad who is playing against men - at SANFL and AFL level - for the first time in his life. Give him a break.

His progess in his first two months or so of senior footy after recovering from OP has been quite reasonable.

If he had more muscle on him, or had a full pre season I might expect a bit more. His work thus far has been of a good standard.

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by DaveW
Just bookmark that one away and dredge it up at the appropriate time. That I did ;)

The irony of it all is that Watts is completely opposite of what he is describing him to be

[jmorg1]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
That I did ;)

The irony of it all is that Watts is completely opposite of what he is describing him to be

Only time will tell. But do you think it could be true that he really hates living in Adelaide? I know he said a bunch of stuff like he's here for the long term etc etc. when he first came here? But now that he's been here for a few months maybe he's starting to get a little homesick already?

Any SA girls out there want to hook up with him and weigh him down?

[Stiffy_18]

I don't thinks its as big a issue as people make it our to be. No one was more homesick than Pavlich in his 1st year but now he has signed on until the end of 2007 season. Reilly was homesick in his first couple of seasons but now looks very settled and is enjoying living here.

Every 18 year old will get homesick especially when the going gets tough. Fergus is probably one of the maturest young man that I have come across. He does come across as an independent sort of person. If we can show to him that we are fair dinkum about wanting to go places and make him as welcome as possible I think he will stick around. I honestly think if he continues to develop he will be the next club captain.

[Wayne's-World]

I think it would be difficult for an 18 year old to change states, train & socialize with one playing group, and play with a different playing group.

When he's playing more at AFL level with his training and social group things should improve.
Maturity and time will also ease the homesickness.