Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! We’ve almost made it through what has felt like a 10 year pre-season and now, finally, Round 1 is just days away!
That’s not to say it was an uneventful pre-season for the Adelaide Football Club. However unlike previous years, this time around we actually appear to have made positive changes that will help the club move towards a Premiership. I know, right? Crazy!
To give everyone a summary of the key changes:
Ins:
New CEO - Andrew Fagan, along the even more popular Alana Smith.
New coach - Phil Walsh. This is actually the only time he’s ever been captured smiling.
And of course our new captain - Tex Walker. Seen here in his actual, beastly size when compared to the Intercontinental Hotel.
These three magnificent men have given the club a…
“Oi, aren’t you forgetting someone?”
Who said that?
“Me.”
Oh of course. But I didn’t forget you, Roo.
“That’s Mr. Ricciuto, to you.”
Sorry, Mr. Ricciuto. But anyway, I didn’t forget you. You were already on the board last year and it was really just a formality to make it official during the off-season. Actually while you’re here, I did have a few questions about the process for board elections and whether or not past players should really be put up for member elected positions when there’s…
“Watch it.”
Sorry, sir.
Ahem. Moving on…
Outs:
Carlton’s new worst nightmare - Steven Trigg (sadly the logo remains)
I don’t want to spend too long on the outs, but we also said goodbye to coach Brenton Sanderson, senior assistant coach Mark Bickley, board chairman Rob Chapman (pending), COO Nigel Smart (pending) and… err… club coffee/printing guy Phil Harper (pending).
The man doesn’t even know how to smile properly.
This all brings us to…
ROUND 1 - SUNDAY, APRIL 5
ADELAIDE OVAL
2:50pm
vs
Sorry Kangas fans*
History:
1.
2.
3.
Teams (will be updated when teams are named):
Adelaide:
Unfortunately our pre-season wasn’t injury-free with Thompson, Kerridge and Crouch Jr all picking up minor injuris/niggles that kept them out of trial games. It’s a real shame that Kerridge hasn't been picked for this one, otherwise we could’ve gone with our unbeatable lineup:
B: - - -
HB: - - -
C: - Sam Kerridge -
HF: - - -
F: - - -
R: - - -
I: - - - -
But the big injury news from the Crows’ perspective was that of Brad Crouch, who will miss the first couple of months of the season with a broken foot. Although as annoying people will always tell you - every crisis presents an opportunity (ugh). And what an opportunity this is for Ellis-Yolmen, Laird, Lyons, Grigg or whoever else gets a chance in the midfield during Crouch’s absence.
But seriously get well soon Brad! Maybe try to find a new, healthier body while you’re on the sidelines?
North Melbourne:
B: Luke McDonald - Scott Thompson - Michael Firrito
HB: Shaun Atley - Joel Tippett - Jamie Macmillan
C: Shaun Higgins - Jack Ziebell - Sam Gibson
HF: Daniel Wells - Jarrad Waite - Nick Dal Santo
F: Lindsay Thomas - Drew Petrie - Brent Harvey
Fol: Todd Goldstein - Ben Cunnington - Andrew Swallow
Int: Ryan Bastinac, Kayne Turner, Ben Brown, Sam Wright
Not going to lie, I've barely paid attention to the Crows' pre-season so I think the less I pretend to know about the Kangaroos the better. Waite and Higgins are potentially great additions to a club that wasn't that far off last year. Yep. #expertanalysis
Adelaide players to watch.
We know who is good (or, we know who is supposed to be good) and we know who we rely upon to get us over the line most weeks. Our top 8 or so players stack up against most other teams in the league.
I’m far more interested in those lesser players who, after several years on the list, we’re still not sure if they’re any good. In particular this week I’ll be watching these three:
Cameron Ellis-Yolmen has risen from most people’s delist pile to most people’s starting midfield in what felt like a fortnight. With a bullet, you might say…
Remember this s**t?
He’s never had a problem finding the ball and now Walsh seems happy to give him the opportunity to use his amazing clearance skills in the big league. Rendell said there was something special about Cam and we’re potentially seeing the first signs of how good he might one day be.
Ricky Henderson has gone from average wingman to average half-forward to average half-back to one of the best rebounding defenders in the league, but has since regressed back to an average half-back. Masses of potential and glimpses of brilliance, can Walsh bring out Ricky’s best?
Because Allefgib said he’d ban someone of my choosing… Rory Laird followed up a fantastic 2013 with a completely forgettable 2014, seemingly stuck without a position and never really given a consistent run. He has attributes that you’d want in every footballer - his intensity and aggression in particular are outstanding. But even as I’m writing this I don’t know where I’d play him. Can he squeeze into our defence alongside a combination of Brown, Smith, Henderson, Jaensch, Cheney and van Berlo? Or can he make it as a midfielder? We’ll have to wait and see.
This image exists.
Predictions:
Boom Crash Opera will be fun but also super weird.
The crowd will be big (not record breaking big because Easter) and loud.
Adelaide Oval will be sensational.
I will be drunk.
And as for the footy…
Come on, this is the Crows. Who the hell could possibly predict it?
*Tosses a coin*
Hmm… Best 2 out of 3?
*Tosses the coin again*
*!
*Throws the coin out the window*
Crows by 22!
*Not at all sorry
That’s not to say it was an uneventful pre-season for the Adelaide Football Club. However unlike previous years, this time around we actually appear to have made positive changes that will help the club move towards a Premiership. I know, right? Crazy!
To give everyone a summary of the key changes:
Ins:
New CEO - Andrew Fagan, along the even more popular Alana Smith.
New coach - Phil Walsh. This is actually the only time he’s ever been captured smiling.
And of course our new captain - Tex Walker. Seen here in his actual, beastly size when compared to the Intercontinental Hotel.
These three magnificent men have given the club a…
“Oi, aren’t you forgetting someone?”
Who said that?
“Me.”
Oh of course. But I didn’t forget you, Roo.
“That’s Mr. Ricciuto, to you.”
Sorry, Mr. Ricciuto. But anyway, I didn’t forget you. You were already on the board last year and it was really just a formality to make it official during the off-season. Actually while you’re here, I did have a few questions about the process for board elections and whether or not past players should really be put up for member elected positions when there’s…
“Watch it.”
Sorry, sir.
Ahem. Moving on…
Outs:
Carlton’s new worst nightmare - Steven Trigg (sadly the logo remains)
I don’t want to spend too long on the outs, but we also said goodbye to coach Brenton Sanderson, senior assistant coach Mark Bickley, board chairman Rob Chapman (pending), COO Nigel Smart (pending) and… err… club coffee/printing guy Phil Harper (pending).
The man doesn’t even know how to smile properly.
This all brings us to…
ROUND 1 - SUNDAY, APRIL 5
ADELAIDE OVAL
2:50pm
vs
Sorry Kangas fans*
History:
1.
2.
3.
Teams (will be updated when teams are named):
Adelaide:
Unfortunately our pre-season wasn’t injury-free with Thompson, Kerridge and Crouch Jr all picking up minor injuris/niggles that kept them out of trial games. It’s a real shame that Kerridge hasn't been picked for this one, otherwise we could’ve gone with our unbeatable lineup:
B: - - -
HB: - - -
C: - Sam Kerridge -
HF: - - -
F: - - -
R: - - -
I: - - - -
But the big injury news from the Crows’ perspective was that of Brad Crouch, who will miss the first couple of months of the season with a broken foot. Although as annoying people will always tell you - every crisis presents an opportunity (ugh). And what an opportunity this is for Ellis-Yolmen, Laird, Lyons, Grigg or whoever else gets a chance in the midfield during Crouch’s absence.
But seriously get well soon Brad! Maybe try to find a new, healthier body while you’re on the sidelines?
North Melbourne:
B: Luke McDonald - Scott Thompson - Michael Firrito
HB: Shaun Atley - Joel Tippett - Jamie Macmillan
C: Shaun Higgins - Jack Ziebell - Sam Gibson
HF: Daniel Wells - Jarrad Waite - Nick Dal Santo
F: Lindsay Thomas - Drew Petrie - Brent Harvey
Fol: Todd Goldstein - Ben Cunnington - Andrew Swallow
Int: Ryan Bastinac, Kayne Turner, Ben Brown, Sam Wright
Not going to lie, I've barely paid attention to the Crows' pre-season so I think the less I pretend to know about the Kangaroos the better. Waite and Higgins are potentially great additions to a club that wasn't that far off last year. Yep. #expertanalysis
Adelaide players to watch.
We know who is good (or, we know who is supposed to be good) and we know who we rely upon to get us over the line most weeks. Our top 8 or so players stack up against most other teams in the league.
I’m far more interested in those lesser players who, after several years on the list, we’re still not sure if they’re any good. In particular this week I’ll be watching these three:
Cameron Ellis-Yolmen has risen from most people’s delist pile to most people’s starting midfield in what felt like a fortnight. With a bullet, you might say…
Remember this s**t?
He’s never had a problem finding the ball and now Walsh seems happy to give him the opportunity to use his amazing clearance skills in the big league. Rendell said there was something special about Cam and we’re potentially seeing the first signs of how good he might one day be.
Ricky Henderson has gone from average wingman to average half-forward to average half-back to one of the best rebounding defenders in the league, but has since regressed back to an average half-back. Masses of potential and glimpses of brilliance, can Walsh bring out Ricky’s best?
Because Allefgib said he’d ban someone of my choosing… Rory Laird followed up a fantastic 2013 with a completely forgettable 2014, seemingly stuck without a position and never really given a consistent run. He has attributes that you’d want in every footballer - his intensity and aggression in particular are outstanding. But even as I’m writing this I don’t know where I’d play him. Can he squeeze into our defence alongside a combination of Brown, Smith, Henderson, Jaensch, Cheney and van Berlo? Or can he make it as a midfielder? We’ll have to wait and see.
This image exists.
Predictions:
Boom Crash Opera will be fun but also super weird.
The crowd will be big (not record breaking big because Easter) and loud.
Adelaide Oval will be sensational.
I will be drunk.
And as for the footy…
Come on, this is the Crows. Who the hell could possibly predict it?
*Tosses a coin*
Hmm… Best 2 out of 3?
*Tosses the coin again*
*!
*Throws the coin out the window*
Crows by 22!
*Not at all sorry
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