Why is the Adelaide Footy club the way it is? Let-down after Let-down

[Moonwatcher]

Sarah Hanson-Young - SA Greens Senator

Oh yes, didn't recognise her for some reason.

 

[jenny61_99]

Potentially

However I've seen the past trends with AFC member voting and how easily they're wooed by former players or D grade celebrities that it doesn't really fill me with confidence that we'll elect anyone more competent.

I'd half expect our supporter base to fill up the board with people like Keith Conlan, Cossi, Lleyton Hewitt etc

You’ve got a good portion of our membership still camping overnight and lining up to get finals tickets probably tells you all you need to know.

 

[nummy217]

When they hung the flag upside down it cursed us. Need a priest to come bless the club.

 

[Mattrox]

 

[1970crow]

We’ve maintained rigid philosophies on football for nearly 20 years. Nobody with enough gravitas to shift the dials has been employed during this time. That is until Balme and Davis arrived. But you don’t change 20 years of religious adherence to philosophies over 1 season.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

You think you do a deal with the devil to let Shane Ellen kick 5 goals in a grand final and you don't need to pay the accompanying price of a century of torture?

What was the long term cost of...

"Absolute murder"

 

[BunjiMC]

Old news.

 

[Carn The Texan]

this thread has a real PAFC vibe. bad omen? are we headed for straight sets??

 

[FR0GGY]

Old news.

Is it? We thought it was before last week, now it’s saying it’s before this week.

 

[Peter Doherty]

The crowd really will need to be cautious of touching the ball this week.

 

[PCORF]

EXPECTATION: We beat Hawthorn by 1 point and will go on to win it all against all odds.
REALITY: Bottom line is, we probably aint winning it.

I tipped Collingwood to win the QF here are the reasons:

Finals Experience.
Adelaide's expectations, less experience.
Mentality of playing Collingwood, esp in a final.
Various distractions (Rankine, etc).
Collingwood always play inspired at Adelaide Oval. They would win 9 out of 10 games here.
Collingwood were always going to learn from Round 23.
Better coach.
Very good defensive team.
Cox in.
Nick Daicos, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Elliott, Moore, De Goey, Quaynor and co.
Rankine Out (would have been closer if he played)


THIS WEEK

How Hawthorn wins.

A bit more finals experience.
Very good attacking side.
Confident.
Will be keen to learn from last time.
5-2 record at AO vs the Crows (only 2-8 vs Port).
Jack Gunston

19

Jack Gunston

Age

34

Ht

193cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.5

4star

K

10.5

4star

HB

5.0

4star

M

5.7

5star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.9

5star

D

10.6

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

2.6

2star

M

4.3

4star

T

1.7

3star

G

1.6

5star

D

11.2

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

4.2

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

3star

/Ginnivan, Nick Watson, Chol, Impey etc.
Adelaide probably a bit down in confidence since the West Coast game.

How Adelaide wins.

Approach the game as underdogs. Think of the quote "anything is possible".
Need fight, good chance we'll have less disposals or possession so make the most of it.
Very important to attack when getting possession.
Forwards need to present better. Loose forward. Don't pass up a point blank shot.
Pass to forwards on their chest, fast leads.
Do not pass up a shot at goal from 30m out.
Dawson needs to step up seriously badly and will be keen to bounce back.
Need to defend better, especially inside 50.
Hawthorn gets too overconfident and loses focus.

If we fail. My offseason message to players. We made a huge improvement this season. Now take some time off and we need to come back to 2026 with desperation and hunger. We are no longer the old Adelaide Football Club and we need to enjoy playing this game and have belief when the pressure is on. Ignore all the outside drama. Focus on every game 100%.

 

[radiojake]

Maybe Aurelio was right...

 

[Golumless]

Because this is a narrative that our fans have echo-chambered so it is now taken as fact.

It's the nature of supporting a team. Especially one in AFL that is outside of Victoria with the build-in hurdles that comes with that.

Yup, most years you are the bridesmaid, if you are lucky to even be there as most clubs have had a Carlton like stretch of 20-30 years of hopelessness.

Just keep accruing talent and refining the game plan - eventually that will get you over the hump.

 

[Shuestar13]

Hope a non supporter is ok to post…

I had some mild doubts leading in, just with the teams collective lack of experience in finals, being without two of your most dynamic players in Rankine and Rachele and the heavy workload on the likes of Dawson, Soligo, Curtin etc. Then with who you copped as an opponent first up

Truly hoping that you can get it done this week, your club deserves to be in the final four and a final at the G would be a fantastic opportunity and hopefully hold you in good stead for the next few years.

Potential silver lining if you finish this week… should be a stop sign on any contract extension for the coach. Excellent minor round result, but what matters is now. Good that Balme was in the box last week…

 

[Shuestar13]

Yup, most years you are the bridesmaid, if you are lucky to even be there as most clubs have had a Carlton like stretch of 20-30 years of hopelessness.

Just keep accruing talent and refining the game plan - eventually that will get you over the hump.

You’ve been a victim of your own success this year in that instead of maybe coming 3-8, you went and finished top
After a long hiatus out of the finals, a whole heap of pressure straight on - win and go to a home prelim, expectations thereafter.

It could be of a benefit in the longer term, you would hope there is a huge amount of learnings from the second half of the season and finals for future campaigns - players and staff alike.

 

[BunjiMC]

Is it? We thought it was before last week, now it’s saying it’s before this week.

But when you actually read it. It's talking about last week still.

 

[Moonwatcher]

When they hung the flag upside down it cursed us. Need a priest to come bless the club.

Even tearing down the stadium hasn't worked.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

 

[Golumless]

You’ve been a victim of your own success this year in that instead of maybe coming 3-8, you went and finished top
After a long hiatus out of the finals, a whole heap of pressure straight on - win and go to a home prelim, expectations thereafter.

It could be of a benefit in the longer term, you would hope there is a huge amount of learnings from the second half of the season and finals for future campaigns - players and staff alike.

I partially agree we were, however, I also do wonder if pairing Tex's 300 with the first final made too big of a deal of that match. Not only is it their first final, but it's a big milestone as well which adds further that further emotional element to the game.

It's quite likely they learn from it and get better, but even then, the other side of the coin is there is no guarantee that there is a better shot.

 

[John Who]

From bottom four last year to being top in the minor rounds, isnt exactly “a let-down”. A close loss in a Finals without 2 of our best small forwards, I guess is a let-down. Or it could be a learning episode.

 

[Huntercrow]

I think if you compare our year to any of the bottom 8 and look at the clubs lying at the bottom of the ladder, our level of "Let-down" is not in the same universe.

Also the fact we are still alive and playing at home is a huge bonus this time of year. Whatever happens in the finals we still have a good squad and will learn from the experience.

 

[davos44]

If finding and developing mids is so easy why have we not had a quality midfield for the last 15 years?

Don't misquote me to fit an awful argument.

Dangerfield, Douglas, Sloane and the Crouches were quality.

 

[Carn The Texan]

Hope a non supporter is ok to post…

I had some mild doubts leading in, just with the teams collective lack of experience in finals, being without two of your most dynamic players in Rankine and Rachele and the heavy workload on the likes of Dawson, Soligo, Curtin etc. Then with who you copped as an opponent first up

Truly hoping that you can get it done this week, your club deserves to be in the final four and a final at the G would be a fantastic opportunity and hopefully hold you in good stead for the next few years.

Potential silver lining if you finish this week… should be a stop sign on any contract extension for the coach. Excellent minor round result, but what matters is now. Good that Balme was in the box last week…

You are the most positive supporter we have! Don't mind this perspective at all

 

[BRL121]

You’ve been a victim of your own success this year in that instead of maybe coming 3-8, you went and finished top
After a long hiatus out of the finals, a whole heap of pressure straight on - win and go to a home prelim, expectations thereafter.

It could be of a benefit in the longer term, you would hope there is a huge amount of learnings from the second half of the season and finals for future campaigns - players and staff alike.

Please don't use this word.

 

[dani_giuls]

Keith and Cossi would be pretty fun tho

Get Fitzy in there too.


Is Albert Ben Simon still alive? And that Haggle Co guy.




This will work.

You forgot the Cunninghams Warehouse guy..