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

[JPetro83]

Honestly all this pain is going to make the victory one day more and more special.

Winning and AFL premiership is flipping hard.

But yeah finishing top and not making gf is a hard swallow.

Finals are just a different beast.

I just cant see it with this club. The stong get stronger (Geelong, collingwood, Hawthorn, QLD/Syd clubs) and the rest will just fight it out to make up the numbers. Take Petracca for example.. no way he is moving to Adelaide. he will end up in Sydney or one of the big 4 vic clubs. The Adelaide footy club for over 25yrs have lacked the edge and mental toughness.

 

[Brenton Davy]

My thoughts.

I believe we’ve taken the “No Dickheads” policy too far and we lack that hard edge as a result. The Rachele incident against Port is an example. We went overboard with the punishment and senior players threw him under the bus. I don’t think he should have been goading the crowd but we webt overboard.

It goes back to Craig publicly bashing Richard Tambling

Richard Tambling

Age

39

Ht

180cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.9

4star

K

8.4

3star

HB

6.5

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.4

3star

K

5.6

3star

HB

2.8

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.8

4star

for a late hit on a St Kilda player when we needed some hardness. It was a bit ill directed but it didn’t deserve the reaction it got. Tambling was just coming into some form but was a lost cause after that.

We’ve lacked the hard edge and the overdoing of the “No Dickheads” policy is largely to blame. If Richmond had done so, you could wager they’d have never drafted Dusty Martin. Let that sink in…

 

[FR0GGY]

Cheers and I doubt rankine affected his decision but it was such a strange deal 2 years and that late in the season, feels like someone fumbled the situation.

I feel like NAS’s team fumbled it, I can’t see him form being any better than it was, unless he genuinely doesn’t want to stay in Vic for anymore than 2 years.

 

[Syd Crow]

My thoughts.

I believe we’ve taken the “No Dickheads” policy too far and we lack that hard edge as a result. The Rachele incident against Port is an example. We went overboard with the punishment and senior players threw him under the bus. I don’t think he should have been goading the crowd but we webt overboard.

It goes back to Craig publicly bashing Richard Tambling for a late hit on a St Kilda player when we needed some hardness. It was a bit ill directed but it didn’t deserve t by e reaction it got. Tambling was just coming into some form but was a lost cause after that.

We’ve lacked the hard edge and the overdoing of the “No Dickheads” policy is largely to blame. If Richmond had done so, you could wager they’d have never drafted Dusty Martin. Let that sink in…

We don't seem to have applied that policy to our coaching and off field staff over the years.

 

[mcleod at 50 lines it up]

I feel like NAS’s team fumbled it, I can’t see him form being any better than it was, unless he genuinely doesn’t want to stay in Vic for anymore than 2 years.

Agree his agent would have been crying at that contract he accepted, plus anything can happen injuries etc

 

[Iridescence]

I just cant see it with this club. The stong get stronger (Geelong, collingwood, Hawthorn, QLD/Syd clubs) and the rest will just fight it out to make up the numbers. Take Petracca for example.. no way he is moving to Adelaide. he will end up in Sydney or one of the big 4 vic clubs. The Adelaide footy club for over 25yrs have lacked the edge and mental toughness.

Before last year, what had a Qld team achieved in 20 years prior? Sydney, one Grand Final win in 20 years. Lost three. Yes, in the in 2000s won and lost, but that is way closer to 97-98 than now.

GWS and Sydney have been massive failures in Grand Finals. Brisbane, for sure, they three-peated, and won last year. They are a great club, rebuilt twice since thier last flag and we should aspire to be like them.

The three Vic teams you've mentioned, they don't get stronger per se, they remain strong by being very well run clubs. I don't think I could handle another Hawthorn dynasty and I'm so sick of Geelong being top four in perpetuity.

Collingwood is another club that won't go away, and seem destined to have the wood over us (along with the other two mentioned) forever.

I really don't know exactly why we're such a vanilla club. Hopefully Niel Balme can bring success to the AFC like has has done with every club he has set foot in prior.

 

[Syd Crow]

Before last year, what had a Qld team achieved in 20 years prior? Sydney, one Grand Final win in 20 years. Lost three. Yes, in the in 2000s won and lost, but that is way closer to 97-98 than now.

GWS and Sydney have been massive failures in Grand Finals. Brisbane, for sure, they three-peated, and won last year. They are a great club, rebuilt twice since thier last flag and we should aspire to be like them.

The three Vic teams you've mentioned, they don't get stronger per se, they remain strong by being very well run clubs. I don't think I could handle another Hawthorn dynasty and I'm so sick of Geelong being top four in perpetuity.

Collingwood is another club that won't go away, and seem destined to have the wood over us (along with the other two mentioned) forever.

I really don't know exactly why we're such a vanilla club. Hopefully Niel Balme can bring success to the AFC like has has done with every club he has set foot in prior.

In total agreement with highlighted bit above.

 

[Punchy Bassett]

Because we are weak and don't make the tough calls.

 

[Iridescence]

In total agreement with highlighted bit above.

It's extra annoying because my husband is a Geelong supporter, but I was sick of them before we even met! So...

 

[JPetro83]

You ever just sit there and think how we have not won a flag in nearly 30 years? has to be a reason why we are the way we are and how it is impossible to have any faith in the club or be confident when time after time they fall over. We get close every cycle. 2005/05, 2012, 2016/17 and now we are in another cycle of our window, and we failed in 2025 which out of 2005/6 and 2016/17 was the most embarrassing as a fan.
did the crowbots of 05/06 cause this culture? i, just like us all are very desperate for another flag! hopefully before 2030 would be nice.

 

[Syd Crow]

You ever just sit there and think how we have not won a flag in nearly 30 years? has to be a reason why we are the way we are and how it is impossible to have any faith in the club or be confident when time after time they fall over. We get close every cycle. 2005/05, 2012, 2016/17 and now we are in another cycle of our window, and we failed in 2025 which out of 2005/6 and 2016/17 was the most embarrassing as a fan.
did the crowbots of 05/06 cause this culture? i, just like us all are very desperate for another flag! hopefully before 2030 would be nice.

As the saying goes, "the fish rots at the head". Start from the top in your analysis.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Because we are weak and don't make the tough calls.

I was hoping Balme would give the club some tough love but he's apparently fine with the cavalcade of losers we have running our footy program.

 

[Syd Crow]

I was hoping Balme would give the club some tough love but he's apparently fine with the cavalcade of losers we have running our footy program.

It has been my experience (early in my career) that bringing in one highly talented senior manager into an organisation usually results in them being beaten down to conform to the existing system rather than any radical changes, unless of course if they are the one given ultimate authority to hire and fire which was not the case in my example.

 

[Slippery Pete]

I know a lot of people repeatedly refuse to make this connection but a big part of it is the board not being accountable to members.

Until you have a member-elected board, it is not a real football club, and it cannot operate like a real football club.

Every one of those board members should FEAR member backlash. Once every election cycle, they should be coming to members cap in hand asking for votes, and explaining why they deserve to be there, and what their platform is.

The buck stops nowhere at the AFC, and that has always been the problem. The board is just a proxy of the AFL, and therefore so is the club.

 

[Syd Crow]

I know a lot of people repeatedly refuse to make this connection but a big part of it is the board not being accountable to members.

Until you have a member-elected board, it is not a real football club, and it cannot operate like a real football club.

Every one of those board members should FEAR member backlash. Once every election cycle, they should be coming to members cap in hand asking for votes, and explaining why they deserve to be there, and what their platform is.

The buck stops nowhere at the AFC, and that has always been the problem. The board is just a proxy of the AFL, and therefore so is the club.

100% spot on! The AFC is doing everything the AFL wants - getting numbers at the ground and watching on TV.

 

[Bovo]

100% spot on! The AFC is doing everything the AFL wants - getting numbers at the ground and watching on TV.

Maybe it says a lot more about supporters. It is us who continue to go to games to get numbers at the game. Mind you I think that’s a great thing that we are not just fair weather supporters

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I know a lot of people repeatedly refuse to make this connection but a big part of it is the board not being accountable to members.

Until you have a member-elected board, it is not a real football club, and it cannot operate like a real football club.

Every one of those board members should FEAR member backlash. Once every election cycle, they should be coming to members cap in hand asking for votes, and explaining why they deserve to be there, and what their platform is.

The buck stops nowhere at the AFC, and that has always been the problem. The board is just a proxy of the AFL, and therefore so is the club.

Have you seen the average Crows fan? The idea that Crows members would hold the board's feet to the fire and wouldn't just vote purely based on good bloke vibes is hilarious. This is the same group of people that thought Dmac needed another year. Once power is handed to members, you'll end end up with the exact same brand of losers running this club.

I still fully support a member elected board but we're also going to need a cultural revolution in the supporter base itself. The loser stench runs deep.

 

[Brenton Davy]

Maybe it says a lot more about supporters. It is us who continue to go to games to get numbers at the game. Mind you I think that’s a great thing that we are not just fair weather supporters

True.

Sadly though, it also means that we’re never going to be in a position where we’ll be able to go to the AFL and say “we need help because we can’t attract the crowds” like Gold Coast/GWS. That’s why we get the shitty time slots. They could slot us in at 2.30am and we’d still draw 35,000.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Maybe it says a lot more about supporters. It is us who continue to go to games to get numbers at the game. Mind you I think that’s a great thing that we are not just fair weather supporters

It's a double edged sword. You don't want to be flat track bullies like Port supporters because it's a bad look and it's weak but the loyalty is also part of the reason the club is so complacent. They don't have any reason to fear us.

 

[Syd Crow]

It's a double edged sword. You don't want to be flat track bullies like Port supporters because it's a bad look and it's weak but the loyalty is also part of the reason the club is so complacent. They don't have any reason to fear us.

We hit all the AFL KPIs!

 

[Mr_Moogle]

We hit all the AFL KPIs!

Best of both worlds for those arseholes. Financial goals met, no flags going to those pesky South Australians.

 

[Syd Crow]

Best of both worlds for those arseholes. Financial goals met, no flags going to those pesky South Australians.

As long as we meet targets for tv rights leverage that's all they care about.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Have you seen the average Crows fan? The idea that Crows members would hold the board's feet to the fire and wouldn't just vote purely based on good bloke vibes is hilarious. This is the same group of people that thought Dmac needed another year. Once power is handed to members, you'll end end up with the exact same brand of losers running this club.

I still fully support a member elected board but we're also going to need a cultural revolution in the supporter base itself. The loser stench runs deep.

Not sure about loser stench, but many are comfortable in mediocrity.

 

[Bovo]

Not sure about loser stench, but many are comfortable in mediocrity.

Perhaps it’s more the realisation that they have no say in what happens and choose to barrack for their team anyway.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Perhaps it’s more the realisation that they have no say in what happens and choose to barrack for their team anyway.

No doubt for some... & there are those that don't believe in making noise when things are going badly.