Crows Best 22 (2015 edition)

cammo6556

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As it stands, hendo isn't in for mine however a good preseason would fix that. Good player but I still have question marks over durability and being a squib. I think he now falls in the group with Ratkins et all fighting for a game.

Few predictions:

Ratkins will see game time but not until after round 8.

Grigg will be used to distribute on a flank somewhere. Smith finally in a midfield role.

VB usurped by kedge and may run off HB.

Lever will find a game. Wigg won't. McGovern may.

Jacobs may be rested. Lowden gets a game.

Cheney very solid

Laird not done with yet.

Matt Crouch to play 16+
 

Smithalicious

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As it stands, hendo isn't in for mine however a good preseason would fix that. Good player but I still have question marks over durability and being a squib. I think he now falls in the group with Ratkins et all fighting for a game.

Few predictions:

Ratkins will see game time but not until after round 8.

Grigg will be used to distribute on a flank somewhere. Smith finally in a midfield role.

VB usurped by kedge and may run off HB.

Lever will find a game. Wigg won't. McGovern may.

Jacobs may be rested. Lowden gets a game.

Cheney very solid

Laird not done with yet.

Matt Crouch to play 16+
Agree with all bar Laird. Love the way he goes about it but will be interesting to see how he goes under Walsh. I only see him as a small defender and as such he will be fighting with brown and Jaensch. Which then floats into probably two players that divide the supporters the most.

Around 70 days is far too long away.....
 
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Wines ahead of crouch due to injuries.

Imo, both will be gun players... & reckon crouch may become one of our best ever players.

I think Wines right now is ahead of Crouch.
However, I also think Wines is as good as he will get.
Crouch has a higher ceiling and if he can get over his leg injuries will be the better player.

Both are very talented though.
 

billy fragos

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B: Brown - Talia - Lever
HB: Jeansch - Hartigan - Cheney
C: Smith - VB - Sloane
HF: Lynch - Walker - Douglas
F: Betts - Jenkins - Cameron
R: Jacobs - Dangerfield - Crouch
Int: Thomson - Crouch - Kerridge - Grigg
Eme: Mackay - Lowden - Wigg
 

Bicks

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Looks like Cheney has the coach's seal of approval.....

http://www.afc.com.au/news/2014-12-19/recruit-eyes-round-one

Coach Phil Walsh says new recruit Kyle Cheney is forcing his way into Adelaide’s best 22.
Cheney, 25, joined the Crows from Hawthorn during the AFL Trade Period in October.
The competitive defender, who started his career at Melbourne in 2009, is looking to cement his spot at his third AFL club, and is off to a good start according to Walsh.
“Kyle Cheney has been outstanding in his pre-season. I think he’s in our best 22, but there’s still some water to go under the bridge. We’ve still got a lot of training to get through and some NAB Cup, but I’ve been really happy with him,” Walsh said on Friday.
“Kyle himself realises there are still a few areas he needs to improve and he will do that. He played a lot of footy this year for Hawthorn. When we’ve done the match-simulation or team defence-type training, he’s well ahead of some of our other players. He understands the concepts and is also a leader out there (which is good because) we’ve got a really young backline.”
Reluctant to single out individuals, Walsh has been impressed by the entire playing squad since assuming the senior coaching role just over two months ago.
The former West Coast and Port Adelaide assistant said he’d learned more about the core group of emerging players at West Lakes.
“Everyone scouts each other and we think we know guys (from opposition teams) really well, but there have been some players here I didn’t know a lot about, who have really stood out,” he said.
“Kyle Hartigan, Ricky Henderson and Rory Atkins I didn’t know a lot about. I’ve got to know those guys a lot better and have seen some really good things.
“We’ve had a lot of guys do a really good pre-season so far. I’ve been really happy with the group.”
Walsh is also rapt with another new acquisition to the Club, Leadership Coach Darren Glass.
An All-Australian captain and respected player, Glass is predominantly working with Adelaide’s senior leadership group, which includes Nathan van Berlo, Scott Thompson, Rory Sloane, Patrick Dangerfield, Taylor Walker and Daniel Talia.
“I’m a bit biased because I’m a big Darren Glass fan, but he’s had in my opinion a lot of influence on that leadership group already,” Walsh said.
“In my time in footy, Darren Glass is the best leader I’ve seen. Some of the stories he’s been able to tell about his own experiences, you can’t buy that.”
Walsh will select a captain from the six-man leadership group.
He said an appointment would be made in the New Year, adding there was no deadline.
“I’ve been really impressed with the six guys in the leadership group,” Walsh said.
“I just want to get to know them a little bit better. I want to see them around the Club a bit more. We’ll get more into match-simulation training (in the New Year) and you start to see who the leaders are in relation to communication.
“I’ll make the decision and it’ll have to be approved by the Board.”
Walsh said he’d addressed a few key areas, including team defence and turnovers, in his first two months at the Club.
 

conVINCEd

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my take for early on...

Brown Talia Cheney
Lever Hartigan Jaensch
Sloane Dangerfield Smith
Kerridge Walker Lynch
Betts Podisiadly Lowden

Jacobs BCrouch Thompson
Cameron, Douglas, MCrouch - VanBerlo

Lever - thrown in the deep end...

How do you have one-gamer Lowden ahead of Jenkins?
 

VSTone

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How do you have one-gamer Lowden ahead of Jenkins?

2nd ruck... Jenkins has been a liability in the ruck...except for "that goal"... and I don't rate him
Lowden did kick 3 in his only game and had 15 or so hitouts against Natanui and Cox, i think he'll be the surprise packet...
Jenkins to Brisbane in 2016...
 

GetInMyVanBerlo

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2nd ruck... Jenkins has been a liability in the ruck...except for "that goal"... and I don't rate him
Lowden did kick 3 in his only game and had 15 or so hitouts against Natanui and Cox, i think he'll be the surprise packet...
Jenkins to Brisbane in 2016...
So Jenkins goes to Brisbane in 2016 and that leaves Walker and Dear as our only key forwards. Yeah sounds great!! :rolleyes:
 
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2nd ruck... Jenkins has been a liability in the ruck...except for "that goal"... and I don't rate him
Lowden did kick 3 in his only game and had 15 or so hitouts against Natanui and Cox, i think he'll be the surprise packet...
Jenkins to Brisbane in 2016...
You gotta give up someone for a possible Aish trade. VS is just thinking ahead what would be a scenario.
 

VSTone

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You gotta give up someone for a possible Aish trade. VS is just thinking ahead what would be a scenario.

and aren't we into Cameron, that's my primary reasoning? well spotted Red mist
and the mantra of 2017 being the year makes me think...Lever will be thrown in the deep end...
and Lowden will too...

as for Jenkins.. i can't see where he fits, or more so what his role is?
he's not a marking FF nor an effective 2nd ruck...

Jenkins will get his chance no doubt, not sure he's the answer... especially when the crows traded in backup for his potential roles this year. Jenkins did show some promise early in the year but opposition coaches soon worked him out/denied him space and he became ineffectual.

I'd like to seem him succeed of course, but can you get by on the occasional swoosh?
i don't think he has that hard edge that premiership players tend to have.
good luck to him.

can you have a FF that doesn't provide a contested marking outlet?
can you have a 2nd ruck that hardly wins a hitout?

over to the everything-is-awesome crew...
 
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and aren't we into Cameron, that's my primary reasoning? well spotted Red mist
and the mantra of 2017 being the year makes me think...Lever will be thrown in the deep end...
and Lowden will too...

as for Jenkins.. i can't see where he fits, or more so what his role is?
he's not a marking FF nor an effective 2nd ruck...

Jenkins will get his chance no doubt, not sure he's the answer... especially when the crows traded in backup for his potential roles this year. Jenkins did show some promise early in the year but opposition coaches soon worked him out/denied him space and he became ineffectual.

I'd like to seem him succeed of course, but can you get by on the occasional swoosh?
i don't think he has that hard edge that premiership players tend to have.
good luck to him.

can you have a FF that doesn't provide a contested marking outlet?
can you have a 2nd ruck that hardly wins a hitout?

over to the everything-is-awesome crew...
A lot of posters rag on Jenkins for his lack of physical presence. Momentum generally swings against us when Jacobs is resting. If he doesn't get tougher around the contest I don't think Walsh will have it. He is currently the go to option but Lowden may get his chance if he drops off. There's a case where he can become a viable trade option. You can't keep everyone and be satisfied with mid table finishes. You have to spend money to make money.
 
my take for early on...

Brown Talia Cheney
Lever Hartigan Jaensch
Sloane Dangerfield Smith
Kerridge Walker Lynch
Betts Podisiadly Lowden

Jacobs BCrouch Thompson
Cameron, Douglas, MCrouch - VanBerlo

Lever - thrown in the deep end...

I know you've justified why are going Lowden over Jenkins... however, Pods over Jenkins... no thanks.

Jenkins would be a lot better as a player if he was just a full forward, Lowden can take third tall/Ruck and Lynch well, if he remains injury free could definitely play a good cameo in that forward line. Pods should be a last resort as lets face it, he's not doing anything for the future.

Not a huge fan of Lever early, give him 6-8 weeks in the SANFL to develop and then into the deep end.
 
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I hope with Jenkins we try to utilise his strengths rather than try to make him into a Pack Buster 5000.

Walker the same. Strengths are leading, smarts, one on one work.

We had to recruit Pods and play him every week so that we could bomb it in. Perhaps we could try not bombing it in given that every other team values possession and tries to minimise turnovers.
 

Tex200

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A lot of posters rag on Jenkins for his lack of physical presence. Momentum generally swings against us when Jacobs is resting. If he doesn't get tougher around the contest I don't think Walsh will have it. He is currently the go to option but Lowden may get his chance if he drops off. There's a case where he can become a viable trade option. You can't keep everyone and be satisfied with mid table finishes. You have to spend money to make money.
If it comes to it, JJ would be the perfect trade for Aish.

In order for that to be a consideration Lowden would need a stellar season, kicking about 40 goals and being an improved ruck option.

It's a big ask - right now JJ has him covered and it's his spot to lose. But at least now there should be some selection pressure.
 
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If it comes to it, JJ would be the perfect trade for Aish.

In order for that to be a consideration Lowden would need a stellar season, kicking about 40 goals and being an improved ruck option.

It's a big ask - right now JJ has him covered and it's his spot to lose. But at least now there should be some selection pressure.
Absolutely, and that's what we need, better depth is starting to come again after the 2 yrs of sanctions.
 

alex_is_on_fire

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I doubt Lowden will kick 40 SANFL goals, let alone in the AFL.

The goals he kicked lasty year in the AFL were gimmies. He didn't demonstrate great ball winning technique as a key forward and that is where he will play unless Jacobs goes down injured.
 
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Jenkins kicked 40 goals last year. He plays as that 2nd tall and back up ruck.

He is best 22 everyday of the week.
At the moment yes he is. He now has to get the facets of his game like physicality at the contest in order and his ruck skills better. If he has a bad run of form there is Lowden who is waiting in the wings and has a left sided style that the coach finds advantageous regarding our ability to be less predictable and having more options in playing style.
 
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