Adelaide have hit rock bottom

[Drummond]

For the first time in our history, we have hit rock bottom. On top of being 1-7, 2 insipid performances over the last 2 weeks, Vince, Johncock and Jaensch have just been suspended from AFL duties for a week due to missing a training session. It has been a massive turnaround from the Collingwood final last year, and there doesn't seem to be much light at the end of the tunnel for now. I know this is the main board, but is everyone else outside of Adelaide genuinely suprised by our decline this season?

Since when??

 

[PortBrillance]

look, the crows had a GOOD run last year of 10 wins-a-row. But besides that they didnt show too much. This time last year they (their fans) thought they were going to be a rebuilding side with a few more years out of the 8 before they were going to be anything. Any crows fan who thinks they have a better list then Geelong, Collingwood, Dogs, Saints, Blues and maybe even Brisbane at their best is kidding themselves. Thats the reality. They dont have the depth or talent to be in the best 5 or 6 best sides in the comp. But hey, I thought they would make the 8, but certainly not the top 4

 

[crowralph]

I am not surprised by the decline, but am surprised by how quick it has happened. Sadly you can't carry so many players over 30 and Craig should have asked one or two to retire 12 months ago.

this is massively simplistic and also very wrong. keeping those players has a positive impact on the present season. had 2 or 3 retired, they would have been replaced with 1st year draftees taken in the 100's. it is unlikely that any of those picks would have come in this year and made a difference. they were kept on as a 'short term gain for long term pain' strategy. unfortunately, we are experiencing short term pain and will get no long term benefit for it. but the reality remains, that there is no one biting at tyson edwards' heels. in 2-3 years time, you can look back and say that the decision to keep edwards, mcleod, goodwin, burton, hentschell in 2010 has cost adelaide the 2013 flag. but prior to then, don't even bother talking about it.

 

[power09]

Trying to remove any supporter bias. But here I go:

I think we have a list that is easily in the top 5 in the league

no way, hawthorn could say that but adelaides list is not that good, u guys are deluded my ridiculous hype last year. people thought that that success was off the back of the young player playing well but it was actually just another year of some absolute champions playing well (Edwards and McLeod) tomsons always solid and doughty and shirly also didnt get the credit they deserve. the so called "young guns" were just riding off the hard work of others. i thought they would be brought down a peg this year, but i had no idea

 

[arsene wenger1]

ofcoarse people are going to be bagging the list, not 1 player would even be close to an all australian spot this season, does that mean we dont have all australian type players? NO IT DOESNT. we have that many players so badly out of form its not funny, THE SAME PLAYERS THAT NEARLY MADE THE PRELIM LAST SEASON. i have no doubt its a mental thing. it starts with the tackling and chasing which is non existent, dont need football talent for this just a willingness to do it. anyone who says we need to rebuild for the next 38 years sounds like wishfull thinking.
also i hate to use excuses, but the injuries are the worst in the league, and im not just talking about the current injury list, im talking about the moment preseason started, players were consistently on and off the injury list.
this season is gone but im not at all worried about next season and beyond.

 

[snrub]

Trying to remove any supporter bias. But here I go:

I think we have a list that is easily in the top 5 in the league which makes this years performance even more frustrating...especially the last 2 weeks when injuries weren't as big as a problem compared to the start of the year.

I think you have a list which is easily top 5 in last year's league. It would appear that your list has not improved where many others have.

 

[crowralph]

ofcoarse people are going to be bagging the list, not 1 player would even be close to an all australian spot this season, does that mean we dont have all australian type players? NO IT DOESNT. we have that many players so badly out of form its not funny, THE SAME PLAYERS THAT NEARLY MADE THE PRELIM LAST SEASON. i have no doubt its a mental thing. it starts with the tackling and chasing which is non existent, dont need football talent for this just a willingness to do it. anyone who says we need to rebuild for the next 38 years sounds like wishfull thinking.
also i hate to use excuses, but the injuries are the worst in the league, and im not just talking about the current injury list, im talking about the moment preseason started, players were consistently on and off the injury list.
this season is gone but im not at all worried about next season and beyond.

uncertain about this. recent suspensions suggest something a bit more than injuries and form are having an impact on our performance this year.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

the decision to keep the older players was the right decision at the time...hindsight is a great thing...but who would've thought the wheels would've fallen off this badly...everyone was expecting adleaide to have a real crack at a flag in 2010 while the kids were performing well and the older list still in their prime...but that's not how it panned out...if anything...considering all the injuries adelaide have had...they really needed to keep the aging players...although it has cost the younger players much needed experience...might as well throw them in the deep end now...the season's a write off

as for adelaides place...i think 2009 put unrealistic expectations on this list (me included)...i think with the ongoing decline of the older brigade the younger players are starting to feel more heat... add to that the huge injury list and there's no wonder it's so bad...it's like a whole bunch of factors hit at the same time...

as far as adelaides form in 2009...they really didn't beat anyone of worth...started off with a win against a slow-starting collingwood, had 2 wins over carlton, and 2 wins over a struggling hawthorn...apart from that...it was basically teams well below them

Beat:
Collingwood
Freo x 2 (bottom 4)
Melbourne (last)
Carlton x 2
Hawthorn x 2 (injury riddled)
Essendon (inconsistent)
North (bottom 4)
Sydney (adelaides bunnies)
Richmond (2nd last)
Port (inconsistent)
West Coast (rebuilding)

Lost to:
St Kilda x 2
Geelong x 2
Port
Western Bulldogs
Brisbane
Collingwood

so even in 2009...adelaide were quite a bit off the pace...and various other teams have improved...even without all the injuries, adelaide may still be struggling to recapture 2009's results

 

[BACCS]

the decision to keep the older players was the right decision at the time...hindsight is a great thing...but who would've thought the wheels would've fallen off this badly...everyone was expecting adleaide to have a real crack at a flag in 2010 while the kids were performing well and the older list still in their prime...but that's not how it panned out...if anything...considering all the injuries adelaide have had...they really needed to keep the aging players...although it has cost the younger players much needed experience...might as well throw them in the deep end now...the season's a write off

as for adelaides place...i think 2009 put unrealistic expectations on this list (me included)...i think with the ongoing decline of the older brigade the younger players are starting to feel more heat... add to that the huge injury list and there's no wonder it's so bad...it's like a whole bunch of factors hit at the same time...

as far as adelaides form in 2009...they really didn't beat anyone of worth...started off with a win against a slow-starting collingwood, had 2 wins over carlton, and 2 wins over a struggling hawthorn...apart from that...it was basically teams well below them

Beat:
Collingwood
Freo x 2 (bottom 4)
Melbourne (last)
Carlton x 2
Hawthorn x 2 (injury riddled)
Essendon (inconsistent)
North (bottom 4)
Sydney (adelaides bunnies)
Richmond (2nd last)
Port (inconsistent)
West Coast (rebuilding)

Lost to:
St Kilda x 2
Geelong x 2
Port
Western Bulldogs
Brisbane
Collingwood

so even in 2009...adelaide were quite a bit off the pace...and various other teams have improved...even without all the injuries, adelaide may still be struggling to recapture 2009's results

Not this arguement AGAIN. Please, it has been done to death. Collingwood had quite a similar run, doesn't seem to have affected them this year has it?

 

[pjcrows]

There's a fair bit more behind it than this, but it's relevant:

Number of games played together by our unchanged/best defensive six in 2009 - 19 (Johncock, Rutten, McLeod, Otten, Bock, Symes)

Number of games played together by our unchanged defensive/best six in 2010 - 0 (currently contains of Jaensch, Armstrong, Schmidt and Davis)

When you game revolves around your back 6, that hurts.

 

[StonesThrow]

It's like every team (apart from Richmond) have evolved out of sight over the pre season and we just stayed the same (or even went backwards). That's how it feels and looks to me. Teams are just shutting us down and the players look confused because the game plan that they are so adhesively sticking to isn't working.

It would be interesting however, to see what would happen if we finally got a regular fit squad playing more than one week with each other. It was 3 key players out last week, which I know isn't huge, but has been a regular occurnace for us this year. What makes it worse there is a big turnover of different players getting injured. These players need to find touch when they come back and therefore were seeing a few out of form players running around.

So a combination of an out of date, easy to figure out game plan, a zone that is leaking like a sieve, injuries and zero confidence from the players is IMO what is hurting us big time this year.

This is the lowest I have seen the AFC but i'm still sticking by them. So long as Dangerfield is on our list.

 

[arsene wenger1]

[/b]


uncertain about this. recent suspensions suggest something a bit more than injuries and form are having an impact on our performance this year.

yeah i agree, i meant its a mental thing. this group have the ability. at the moment they look terrible so it's easy for opposition supporters to say the list isnt good enough, thats just a natural thing for someone to say.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Not this arguement AGAIN. Please, it has been done to death. Collingwood had quite a similar run, doesn't seem to have affected them this year has it?

it's true though...people were saying it last year as well, adelaide beat the bottom sides...but apart from collingwood in week 1...and carlton...and essendon (who were barely worthy of a top 8 finish)...adelaide did not beat the top teams in the comp...most people chose not to listen (myself included)

and collingwood were a young improving side and have continued to improve in 2010...adelaide have several aging players who are on the decline + injuries...

now...fast forward to 2010

geelong still dominant
collingwood have improved as expected + added jolly/ball
st kilda (with roo) were at the same level they were last year
bulldogs working into form, have been there abouts for the last 3 seasons + added bazza
freo...big improvers
carlton have overcome the favola dilemma, midfield's really starting to dominate
sydney without injuries have added alot of talent
brisbane have injury problems of their own...
port have a decent list & are a little more consistent this year
north have improved since last year
melbourne...getting some experience into their youngsters
essendon & west coast haven't taken steps forward
hawthorn, adelaide & richmond are all jokes

geelong, collingwood, st kilda & the bulldogs have all set out to improve their lists...you couldn't beat them last year, decided not to make any changes to your list...i guess the coaching/recruiting staff were expecing a) the youth to take another step in 2010 and b) the older players to maintain their good form...
a) hasn't happened b) form has dropped off and c) shit loads of injuries = fail

 

[macdaddio]

Who cares we got our own problams....



Seriously though i am bit shocked at how bad they are now, and i mean that for both the Hawks and the Crows....

 

[remedi]

richmond, adelaide, hawks.

Bottom three at the end of round 8.

Epic lawlz.

No one would of foresaw this at the end of last year.

 

[Crow-mo]

Jesus, what the hell do you think of the list *with* the bias?

lol. can't argue with this

 

[dave_27]

No where near rock bottom yet.

 

[amer]

They still have their best ever list talent-wise and can bounce back next year. However, it's going to be dependent on what the club does right now in terms of "handling" its senior players. Stevens, Reilly, Doughty, Burton, Edwards, even Goodwin with his ineffective use of the ball, it's time to move the majority of them on and back the exceptional group of talent they have assembled.

 

[Waspy79]

If it's the best list talent-wise then are back-to-back flags on the horizon? Who is going to be Adelaide's next premiership captain? It wont be Simon Goodwin. There is going to be a massive leadership void very soon and the talent is nothing like what the Crows had in the late 90's. Failing to improve the list outside of drafting (with lower draft picks due to admirable run in finals) is not going to help. 2010 is a surprise but 2011 and the short term beyond that wont be.

 

[Power King]

Just curious on where crows fans think rutten is at?

Was rated as one of the best full backs in the country, however he seems to have significantly dropped off from 2009 onwards. Everytime I see him mentioned as one of the best in the league, I can't help but think that this is due to past reputation (similar to say chad in 2009 being rated as one of the best in the league despite his 08/09 form).

 

[tazaa]

Iam shocked at how bad the crows have gone. But we only get older. And unfortunately for the crows Doughty, Burton, Edwards and co have fallen off the pace finally. Their best 22 makes them a premiership challenger but geez to be 1-7 unbelievable. They need to do a Brisbane and find players to fill key spots imo. Cause their youngsters are up there with the best in the AFL its just the gaps that needs filling.

 

[pacemaker]

Probably time for them to fold

 

[amer]

If it's the best list talent-wise then are back-to-back flags on the horizon? Who is going to be Adelaide's next premiership captain? It wont be Simon Goodwin. There is going to be a massive leadership void very soon and the talent is nothing like what the Crows had in the late 90's. Failing to improve the list outside of drafting (with lower draft picks due to admirable run in finals) is not going to help. 2010 is a surprise but 2011 and the short term beyond that wont be.

No ounce of positive talk is likely to be paid any mind given where things sit at present, that's a given. Opposition supporters just aren't going to want a bar of it, particularly if its a side they aren't keen on. But I'd suggest a premiership is close, yes. Horrid year this year but it does mean the club is virtually forced to move on a number of old and average footballers, and to re-jig the currently bottlenecked leadership structure.

It would take a horrendous injury list to prevent a return to finals action in 2011 in my opinion.

 

[Powerade 08]

No ounce of positive talk is likely to be paid any mind given where things sit at present, that's a given. Opposition supporters just aren't going to want a bar of it, particularly if its a side they aren't keen on. But I'd suggest a premiership is close, yes. Horrid year this year but it does mean the club is virtually forced to move on a number of old and average footballers, and to re-jig the currently bottlenecked leadership structure.

It would take a horrendous injury list to prevent a return to finals action in 2011 in my opinion.

Can I ask who replaces Goodwin, Burton, Edwards and McLeod next year?

 

[Crow-mo]

Just curious on where crows fans think rutten is at?

Was rated as one of the best full backs in the country, however he seems to have significantly dropped off from 2009 onwards. Everytime I see him mentioned as one of the best in the league, I can't help but think that this is due to past reputation (similar to say chad in 2009 being rated as one of the best in the league despite his 08/09 form).

Why? who beat him on the weekend? the week before? and before that?