Preview Semi Final: Changes vs. Hawthorn

[brucetiki]

All info about the match, including tickets, barcode/ticket requests can be found via our Finals Hub

Resource - Adelaide Board Finals Hub - PLEASE PUT ALL REQUESTS/OFFERS FOR BARCODES/TICKETS HERE

Welcome to the Adelaide Board's Finals Hub. All you need to know about our upcoming Finals matches can be found here! Semi Final: Adelaide v TBA, Friday 12 September, 7:10pm Adelaide Oval Ticketing Info: https://www.afc.com.au/club/finalshub2025 Ticket info will be updated via the above link...

www.bigfooty.com

A reminder that the sharing of barcodes is at your own risk and we won’t be responsible for any misuse of barcodes.

 

[1970crow]

I know, but I think if you are a gold member you should get priority over 3 game members for access to tickets (I'm not a gold member btw).
It seems reasonable to me.

The benefits are made available prior to purchasing the product. I agree it makes sense to have a hierarchy that you can buy into. But others will argue it’s unfair on those that can’t afford it.

 

[footy4ever]

I know there's a seperate thread for offering tickets but there seemed to be more discussion in this thread so if you need a single ticket let me know. Cost price. No scalping. Excellent seat mid level Riverbank stand.

No...you won't be sitting next to me and Mrs Footy4ever hahahahaha

 

[thebirdman 24]

What bay, I’m in 102 lower level western side normally east

408 last week. 337 this week.

 

[PeterSalt]

Open training at AO tomorrow afternoon

Gate (Southern) opens at 4:30 for a 5:00pm start

 

[George CantStandYa]

For those who sit in the western stand, what are the facilities like at the Lower level?

 

[CrowinNT]

Last week we got tickets up the top of the eastern stand. This week they offered GA twice but I kept trying and got ground level in the Eddie Betts pocket

Love that pocket

 

[Rotayjay]

I'm a gold member but I don't care about better access to Week 1-3 finals tickets. I'm spending the money to get guaranteed access to purchase grand final tickets because that guarantee is personally important to me.

 

[DJ75]

You have to think there are more changes.

9 Defenders - 1 playing up forward, 1 playing mid and 1 as the sub.
So i imagine that 2 of these are out, possibly Smith and Bond and then Max moves back to defence.
If not Bond then possibly Hinge, purely for match ups.

Unfortunately Billy & Sid did nothing to scream 'Pick Me' yesterday in the SANFL, however given Hawthorns speed, I would look to bring them both in and go all out attack in an attempt to beat Hawthorn at their own game.

So for me, I am doing:

Worrell | Keane | Laird
Milera | Murray | Michallaney
Cumming | Dawson | Curtin
Keays | Thilthorpe | ANB
Pedlar | Walker | Fogarty
ROB | Soligo | Peatling
Rachele, Dowling, Draper, Berry
Sub: Hinge

In: Rachele, Draper, Dowling
Out: Smith, Bond, Taylor

Midfield Rotation 1 - Dawson, Soligo, Peatling
Midfield Rotation 2 - Berry, Dowling, Draper
Midfield Rotation 3 - Dawson, Curtin, Draper

I would also consider Draper or Berry as the starting sub and have Hinge on the pine.

I fear Nicks is going to go the opposite.
The last few weeks before finals we seem to have reverted to the 2024 game plan (because that worked so well). He would have watched Hawthorn on the weekend and convinced himself we need to go even more defensive. We will play the slowest game style in history. Until we are 6 goals down and then we will try and play fast to catch up.

 

[kikkavic]

Yeh me to.

No facilities. Have to go down stairs to get food.

It's definitely built for a sport where you can hang at the bar or wander around to get food while live play is happening. Remember at footy park when the guys would come up and down the aisles with food and drinks?

 

[CrowBloke]

The answer is: Nicks.

But it's super weird we went in with so many defenders.

Because: Nicks. It's his default, go-to last resort.

Smith and laird have largely been interchangeable, but both played.

Because: Nicks.

Bond came in when Michaelanney went out, but both played.

Because: Nicks.

We then end up subbing hinge for smith.

Because: Nicks.

Laird goes in to the midfield.

Because: Nicks.
(Nicks loves Laird and loves him in the midfield even more)

For an "attacking" team it seem a very weird time to go defensive.

Because: Nicks.
It's obvious the boys love their attacking football and it's when they play their best.
Nicks loves defence, defence, DEFENCE.

Look at 2024, post-preseason. The Crows came out looking like an altogether different side from the one that finished 2023 and were potentially Finals-bound.
They played dour (-if-not-confused) footy. Chip-chip, slowdown, and it cost them an 0-4 start from which they never fully recovered (8W, 1D, 14 losses, 15th. ).
2025: add ANB, Peatling, Cumming + Davis, and we get a much better balance between defence and attack after a flying start and some tactical changes which Nicks adopts, to his credit. With an attacking mindset (players + Davis) and a strong defence (Nicks) we play much better footy and


Minor Premiers. FnBeauty, but we still have 3 Finals to win against Finals-hardened teams but 2 of our stars out.

Our midfield rotations were ****en awful and putting laird through there was fine but not really what we want when he was omitted previously as a midfielder.

Because: Nicks, who has underdeveloped Draper, Dowling, Edwards by limiting their opportunities, even when we were playing much weaker sides.

I get that Rachele and Rankine are injured and that removes those options being available for centre rotations. But the selections and options we chose ****en stink.

Agree strongly, because: Nicks.
Come Finals, we're without back-up-variety options because Rachel (inj.) and Rankine's brainfade.
So, Nicks has to revert to type and old favourites.

I don't really know what the changes need to be. But address that mess.

.
Address: Nicks.
With Geelong, Blighty was all-out attack (it helped to have freak Ablett) but they lost THREE GFs eek:),
1989 in a shoot-out (Ablett 9 goals, Norm Smith medal)
1992, another shoot-out, WCE defence thwarted Geelong.
1994, Ablett well-held, WCE stormed home, Geelong ran outta puff.
Blight found his offence-defence balance in 1997/98 + his midfield did not bomb hack-kicks forward (also, their use of the corridor was brilliant).

Nicks has learned; he's grown. No question.
Good.
Hopefully he will improve even more, but his team does not like all-out defence.
It stifles their instincts.
Nicks has made some changes, but with 2 forward/mid stars out he's reverted to type: DEFENCE, at all costs.

Nicks won't be sacked anyway (and after this year I think he deserves his shot at taking them further, surprise, surprise of me, see above ), but he's got to let the boys play with freedom and attacking flair, while maintaining the strong defence he's built up.
We need a better defensive forward --- maybe Pedlar will fill that role, finally, after his good QF?
AND
a gun mid (maybe Curtin, in 2026?) and with Draper developing we might find the winning Finals balance between Nicks' defence and forwards who are well-fed by a slick, eyes-lowering midfield.

I hated the way we played in the QF loss, but for the first time since 2017, I'm looking forward to our next season. Who'da thunk it?

 

[crows dude]

For those who sit in the western stand, what are the facilities like at the Lower level?

Good

 

[GreyCrow]

The answer is: Nicks.

Because: Nicks. It's his default, go-to last resort.

Because: Nicks.

Because: Nicks.

Because: Nicks.

Because: Nicks.
(Nicks loves Laird and loves him in the midfield even more)

Because: Nicks.
It's obvious the boys love their attacking football and it's when they play their best.
Nicks loves defence, defence, DEFENCE.

Look at 2024, post-preseason. The Crows came out looking like an altogether different side from the one that finished 2023 and were potentially Finals-bound.
They played dour (-if-not-confused) footy. Chip-chip, slowdown, and it cost them an 0-4 start from which they never fully recovered (8W, 1D, 14 losses, 15th. ).
2025: add ANB, Peatling, Cumming + Davis, and we get a much better balance between defence and attack after a flying start and some tactical changes which Nicks adopts, to his credit. With an attacking mindset (players + Davis) and a strong defence (Nicks) we play much better footy and
View attachment 2420252

Minor Premiers. FnBeauty, but we still have 3 Finals to win against Finals-hardened teams but 2 of our stars out.


Because: Nicks, who has underdeveloped Draper, Dowling, Edwards by limiting their opportunities, even when we were playing much weaker sides.


Agree strongly, because: Nicks.
Come Finals, we're without back-up-variety options because Rachel (inj.) and Rankine's brainfade.
So, Nicks has to revert to type and old favourites.

.
Address: Nicks.
With Geelong, Blighty was all-out attack (it helped to have freak Ablett) but they lost THREE GFs eek:),
1989 in a shoot-out (Ablett 9 goals, Norm Smith medal)
1992, another shoot-out, WCE defence thwarted Geelong.
1994, Ablett well-held, WCE stormed home, Geelong ran outta puff.
Blight found his offence-defence balance in 1997/98 + his midfield did not bomb hack-kicks forward (also, their use of the corridor was brilliant).

Nicks has learned; he's grown. No question.
Good.
Hopefully he will improve even more, but his team does not like all-out defence.
It stifles their instincts.
Nicks has made some changes, but with 2 forward/mid stars out he's reverted to type: DEFENCE, at all costs.

Nicks won't be sacked anyway (and after this year I think he deserves his shot at taking them further, surprise, surprise of me, see above ), but he's got to let the boys play with freedom and attacking flair, while maintaining the strong defence he's built up.
We need a better defensive forward --- maybe Pedlar will fill that role, finally, after his good QF?
AND
a gun mid (maybe Curtin, in 2026?) and with Draper developing we might find the winning Finals balance between Nicks' defence and forwards who are well-fed by a slick, eyes-lowering midfield.

I hated the way we played in the QF loss, but for the first time since 2017, I'm looking forward to our next season. Who'da thunk it?

Starting to think it might be Nicks

 

[CrowBloke]

In: Power Stance

Say what you will but at least they came out up and about, and got good starts in finals with the Power Stance.

I don't wanna see that 'power stance', but against the Hawks it might work.
Their team has plenty of larrikins who'll be laughing too hard to make a decent start.

 

[CrowBloke]

At this point I think we almost have to send Max to Sicily.

Why not?
Didn't Rankine go there (Italy), to freshen up?

 

[MarcusP2]

Draper and Dowling just played yesterday, I doubt very much they will even be considered.

You drop everyone for a Friday night game if it's after a Sunday game? If they're not considered that's not the reason.

 

[CrowBloke]

Who on Ginivan then.

This bloke:

 

[Blue Red and Gold]

Michalanney looked match fit tonight?


Now imagine how rusty Rankine will be after effectively 6 weeks off and the shit he has gone through in the media.


Same with Rachele next week. People think these guys with zero Finals experience can turn it on at that level with no match fitness?



It is academic though...

Taylor offered nothing so playing a rusty Rachele will not be a net loss

 

[dblstR]

Thanks, I should have said I was in Bay 103 . Footy Park was hilarious how much was cut off by the drainage slope.

Should be a good view. I sit in 131 normally

 

[brucetiki]

Tickets now on sale for the general public

 

[Mattrox]

Tickets now on sale for the general public

Dropped to 2047 in queue. Not confident.

 

[Mattrox]

Dropped to 2047 in queue. Not confident.

Nope. Sold out at 2025 in queue

 

[Blue Red and Gold]

 

[AFCCroweater]

View attachment 2420338

Workmate was 140 in the queue and managed to get four restricted views but sold out very quickly after that apparently

 

[Blue Red and Gold]

Workmate was 140 in the queue and managed to get four restricted views but sold out very quickly after that apparently

Lets hope Nicks and Co and actually return the faith shown in them this week.

 

[footy4ever]

Nope. Sold out at 2025 in queue

Ive got a single ticket if you want. Good seat. Cost price.