Time to face facts: It's the end of an era

[douglyzia]

Rory Sloane, 29: Still in great form, but probably one or two years away from his decline being evident.

Tex Walker, 29: We all love him, no doubt. Will be remembered as being one of the Crows' ALL-TIME loyal servants. However, he may have moments of brilliance every now and then but they are just mere reminders of what he once was.

Eddie Betts, 32: Same with Tex. Loved by everyone in the AFL (except the racists) but again we only see flashes instead of consistent brilliance.

Josh Jenkins, 30: Career-best year last year (ironically in a shit year for us). Has regressed badly this year and will probably get worse given he ain't no spring chicken anymore.

Tom Lynch, 28.5: Once the best link-up player in the league. Once the best player in terms of goal assists. Not anymore.

Daniel Talia, 27.5: Should really still be in his prime. Still serviceable, but a fair way off his AA year. Doesn't even look close to recapturing that form at the moment.

Sam Jacobs, 31: Dinosaur, say no more (rhyme not intended). It's painful watching him hobble around the ground (when he's actually playing).

Do you remember as a youngster watching footy for the first time and some old bloke was shuffling around slowly and everyone was calling him a champion and you couldn't figure out why because he looked like he should actually be in a wheelchair, but then you checked out some old footage and he actually looked pretty good when he was younger? That's the state of our list. Full of champions past their prime.

Let's face it. We had our golden opportunity in 2017 with this group and we blew it and the core/leaders of the group are struggling, and will continue to struggle, to perform at their best from this point on.

It'll be really painful given how much we love these players, but I fear some hard decisions will need to be made.

 

[Johnny Rutten]

Rory Sloane, 29: Still in great form, but probably one or two years away from his decline being evident.

Tex Walker, 29: We all love him, no doubt. Will be remembered as being one of the Crows' ALL-TIME loyal servants. However, he may have moments of brilliance every now and then but they are just mere reminders of what he once was.

Eddie Betts, 32: Same with Tex. Loved by everyone in the AFL (except the racists) but again we only see flashes instead of consistent brilliance.

Josh Jenkins, 30: Career-best year last year (ironically in a shit year for us). Has regressed badly this year and will probably get worse given he ain't no spring chicken anymore.

Tom Lynch, 28.5: Once the best link-up player in the league. Once the best player in terms of goal assists. Not anymore.

Daniel Talia, 27.5: Should really still be in his prime. Still serviceable, but a fair way off his AA year. Doesn't even look close to recapturing that form at the moment.

Sam Jacobs, 31: Dinosaur, say no more (rhyme not intended). It's painful watching him hobble around the ground (when he's actually playing).

Do you remember as a youngster watching footy for the first time and some old bloke was shuffling around slowly and everyone was calling him a champion and you couldn't figure out why because he looked like he should actually be in a wheelchair, but then you checked out some old footage and he actually looked pretty good when he was younger? That's the state of our list. Full of champions past their prime.

Let's face it. We had our golden opportunity in 2017 with this group and we blew it and the core/leaders of the group are struggling, and will continue to struggle, to perform at their best from this point on.

It'll be really painful given how much we love these players, but I fear some hard decisions will need to be made.

I've loved these players too (still do), but I agree that hard decisions will have to be made. Add to this Douglas 32, Mackay 31, & Otten 30 who will all surely be delisted/retired at the end of the year. Also, Gibbs (30) is past his best. I was all for getting him, but in retrospect, this is looking like a poor trade.

 

[Redleg Crow]

Yep

 

[FR0GGY]

Is it though?
Something has to change and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to.
So this era will keep rolling on for a bit.

 

[marty36]

What era we have drafted so well the good times will continue to roll

Or so i read on this board

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Redleg Crow]

Rory Sloane, 29: Still in great form, but probably one or two years away from his decline being evident.

Tex Walker, 29: We all love him, no doubt. Will be remembered as being one of the Crows' ALL-TIME loyal servants. However, he may have moments of brilliance every now and then but they are just mere reminders of what he once was.

Eddie Betts, 32: Same with Tex. Loved by everyone in the AFL (except the racists) but again we only see flashes instead of consistent brilliance.

Josh Jenkins, 30: Career-best year last year (ironically in a shit year for us). Has regressed badly this year and will probably get worse given he ain't no spring chicken anymore.

Tom Lynch, 28.5: Once the best link-up player in the league. Once the best player in terms of goal assists. Not anymore.

Daniel Talia, 27.5: Should really still be in his prime. Still serviceable, but a fair way off his AA year. Doesn't even look close to recapturing that form at the moment.

Sam Jacobs, 31: Dinosaur, say no more (rhyme not intended). It's painful watching him hobble around the ground (when he's actually playing).

Do you remember as a youngster watching footy for the first time and some old bloke was shuffling around slowly and everyone was calling him a champion and you couldn't figure out why because he looked like he should actually be in a wheelchair, but then you checked out some old footage and he actually looked pretty good when he was younger? That's the state of our list. Full of champions past their prime.

Let's face it. We had our golden opportunity in 2017 with this group and we blew it and the core/leaders of the group are struggling, and will continue to struggle, to perform at their best from this point on.

It'll be really painful given how much we love these players, but I fear some hard decisions will need to be made.

Add in our under 25 realistic potential AA's:

Matt. Doedee.

That's it.

Shocking list management

We have Paul Hunter a 26 year old rookie. Seriously, what are they waiting for him to become? Same with CEY. I think he is a great bloke who always gives his all, but he is 26. We know what he is.

Otten 29, not delisted. Douglas a slow 32yo who was still considered best 22.
Mackay a 30yo who is exactly what he has always been - the most average player in the AFL

The only player left from our 2014 draft is R'OB. None of our 2016 draftees have played 22+ games - the only other teams where that is the case is Saint Kilda and the Bulldogs. And 14 players who were picked after Galucci have played 22+ games. This is not a knock on Gooch, but the selection. PLAY HIM!!!

 

[1990crow]

Yeah. In for a world of pain over the next 3-4 years as a Crows fan.
Will need a number of top draft picks I feel.

Walker, Betts, Douglas, Otten, Jacobs, Jenkins out at the end of the year.
Grab a free agent end of the year or next with the cash that frees up.

Build around Laird, Fogarty, Galluci, Jones, McHenry, Doedee, Milera, M.Crouch, B.Crouch, Hamill, McPherson (??), Sholl and the likes of Keath, Seedsman, Greenwood, Atkins, Smith providing support.

 

[Scorpus]

I've loved these players too (still do), but I agree that hard decisions will have to be made. Add to this Douglas 32, Mackay 31, & Otten 30 who will all surely be delisted/retired at the end of the year. Also, Gibbs (30) is past his best. I was all for getting him, but in retrospect, this is looking like a poor trade.

Mackay will get another year. Our coaches love him.

I mean he is a complete embarrassment to the club, he's the worst 200 game player in history, one of our club's worst ever senior players and a symbol of our failure over the last decade.

But he's such a loyal servant it would be disgraceful of us to delist a player of his standing

 

[fourhorseman]

Definitely retire at the end of this year Betts, Jacobs, Douglas and Mackay.

Delist: CEY, Pohloke, Otten

Not in best 22 or leadership team from 2020: Gibbs, Jenkins, Lynch and Walker


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[baldandbroke]

Yep ... this push is done.

Now what the Hawks do is move on the superstars BEFORE they are completely cooked and get the next line into the groove early ... but I don't expect us to do that. I expect us to hold on and do the right thing by our "servants of the club" at the expense of the club.

Sloane and Gibbs should be the leaders of the next generation ... bring Doedee, Fogarty, Gallucci, Jones, McHenry, Himmelberg and the youngsters into the AFL and set them up for the next run at it.

 

[Dixie Normous]

We're like a bunch of hair metal bands in 1990 that are waiting for Nirvana to hit it big the next year and wipe us all out.

 

[Rotayjay]

We knew this time would come. Unfortunately that day in 2017 is looking like even more of a lost opportunity than what it did at the time.

I don't expect us to move on ANY of those players in October this year. Quite the opposite, some of them will get contract extensions.

It's a shit time to be a supporter because you don't know how long the side will be in the wilderness. 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? When will we be in a position like 2017 again?

 

[Iron]

I didn't think the wall would come so quick to be honest. That's why I'm ok with the Gibbs trade, it was worth the risk because no one should have seen it coming. In hindsight, it's a mistake.

Pyke is stubborn and I've got one foot off but I still reckon we keep him for another year or so. Sacking him while we keep the same players and the same assistants will do nothing.

 

[Murray2503]

Every club needs to move on. Hell i still miss macca running around terrorizing teams. What a great player he was. My favourite crow of all time. Sloane still has 3 to 4 years but his best is behind him. Walker is done. Needs to be paid out. Betts will retire sometime this sesson i predict. Another payout but needed. Jenkins trade and pay some of his wage to get him out. Jacobs was done a while back. Retire end of year. At least no payout. Mackay retire end of year. Douglas et al. Otten et al. Talia is also pretty much done. He seems to have aged quick. Another year or two tops. Gibbs, Dont like this guy. Never wanted him and has a pretty high opinion of himself. Would trade out or payout contract end of next year. Club also needs to get rid of Hartigan, Atkins, Kelly, Cey, Poholke, ROB, Murphy.
Players I would keep:
Sloane
Jones
Laird
Smith
Keath
Doedee
Fogarty
Milera
Brown
Gallucci
Stengle
Davis
Himmelberg
Mcadam
Hamill
Sholl
B Crouch
M Crouch
Butts
Greenwood
Knight
Mchenry
McPherson
Seedsman
Strachan
Talia (Another year or two)
This is the nucleus of a good team. Needs a ruck. Some explosive mids. Rankine and Luko up forward. And another 2 key backs. The turnaround could happen quick with the right coach.

 

[Scorpus]

If we followed Peter J's theory on list turnover we probably wouldn't be in this position

 

[jackster83]

Betts, Douglas and Jacobs to retire
Jenkins to be offloaded Lobbe style
Shop around Lynch

Walker and Talia are the big ones though. Two of our highest paid players and both look far too slow out there. Talia gets some benefit of the doubt after an interrupted pre-season, but he's not played at an AA level for several years now.

 

[GrommoT]

We knew this time would come. Unfortunately that day in 2017 is looking like even more of a lost opportunity than what it did at the time.

I don't expect us to move on ANY of those players in October this year. Quite the opposite, some of them will get contract extensions.

It's a shit time to be a supporter because you don't know how long the side will be in the wilderness. 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? When will we be in a position like 2017 again?

I think at the start of this season we might have had one more reasonable shot at contending with the current senior group and a fully fit list if nothing major went wrong but once we lost Doedee for the season - on the back of losing Brown for a big chunk at the start and now Seedsman also - our chances have nose dived.

Over the next few rounds, the club might desperately try to figure out what's gone wrong and salvage the season but if things continue to be a dog's breakfast (as there's a strong chance it will be), hopefully they'll bite the bullet and start getting as many games into our youth as possible.

Time to send our veteran campaigners (and that's not a swear filter) to the seconds and only keep enough of them to mentor our youth. Unfortunately Jones & McHenry looked to be concussed and may miss a round or two but bring them in when they've recovered. Bring in Fog, Greenwood, Gooch, Stengle, TheBerg, BDavis, Hamill, Sholl, Butts and McAdam once he gets near fit enough.

We should use the rest of the season to see what these youth have in them. If they come on as well as the signs (those who have been watching them in the reserves) show, we could be up and running again pretty quickly with the next tier of players on our list (Crouches, Milera, Doedee, Keath, ...) and maybe, just maybe, Sloaney might get a chance to achieve something before time's up for him as well.

 

[glengowan]

It is the end of an era, but we’ll be fooled into thinking we’ve got a glimmer of hope, thanks to the draw (GC,SK,Freo) when we go in to the Showdown at 4-4 and playing for a chance to get in the top 8.

 

[Thegibbsgamble]

Is there a doctor on this board?

Alot of people irrational depressed and negative.

18 games to go.

 

[baldandbroke]

Talia gets some benefit of the doubt after an interrupted pre-season, but he's not played at an AA level for several years now.

Talia was All-Australian in 2014 and 2016.

 

[ABAB]

Add in our under 25 realistic potential AA's:

Matt. Doedee.

That's it.

Shocking list management

We have Paul Hunter a 26 year old rookie. Seriously, what are they waiting for him to become? Same with CEY. I think he is a great bloke who always gives his all, but he is 26. We know what he is.

Otten 29, not delisted. Douglas a slow 32yo who was still considered best 22.
Mackay a 30yo who is exactly what he has always been - the most average player in the AFL

The only player left from our 2014 draft is R'OB. None of our 2016 draftees have played 22+ games - the only other teams where that is the case is Saint Kilda and the Bulldogs. And 14 players who were picked after Galucci have played 22+ games. This is not a knock on Gooch, but the selection. PLAY HIM!!!

M.Crouch is already an AA player, and so is Laird who is 25. B.Crouch is also 25 and has AA potential so we have a core of AA players under 25.
Hence, nothing went wrong with the list management, we were meant to still contend with this list for another 2 years and transition them out with Fogarty, Galluci, Jones and McHenry taking over. ROB was meant to replace Jacobs......

 

[skittlebrew]

18 games to go.

Where's our improvement going to come from?

 

[relapse]

I didn't think the wall would come so quick to be honest. That's why I'm ok with the Gibbs trade, it was worth the risk because no one should have seen it coming. In hindsight, it's a mistake.

Pyke is stubborn and I've got one foot off but I still reckon we keep him for another year or so. Sacking him while we keep the same players and the same assistants will do nothing.

When you think about it we have given up 10, 16, 19 and this year's first pick for Gibbs and Carlton's first round pick this year.

That is a massive price to pay especially when we're now potentially facing a rebuild.

 

[Damp Squarie]

We look old, slow and bereft of risk-taking. I just can’t make up my mind whether I’m talking about the board,coaching staff,playing group or the whole lot of them.

 

[Damp Squarie]

Is there a doctor on this board? A lot of people irrational depressed and negative.

They’ve just realised the meaning behind your username.