2nds 2026 Adelaide Crows SANFL thread

[Velvet George]

Unfortunately Recruiters don't have hindsight available like us supporters, plenty of eggspurts with hindsight amongst team supporters

Stop using that shit for excusing poor recruiting. It’s their frigging job and they have all the resources available to them, ultimately it’s their judgement which makes them a decent or bad recruiter.

 

[Freomaniac]

I mean the best thing is when a player does come through, the usual suspects say " see, he needed three years" and not acknowledge that he made it in spite of the lack lustre development.

How in gods name is all the players in the top 6 from Drapers draft year kicking huge goals...and he is languishing on a god damned ****ing HFF in the SANFL.

Every other business in the world, the executive would be sacked but not here, he has "lessons to be learned" "he doesn't understand the gameplan" whilst ****ing top ups play key midfield roles.

It'd be funny if we weren't crying out for midfielders

I think it's just part of the process.

This time last year, Brayden Cook was struggling. He looked average in SANFL level then tore it up in half a game last season.

Yes I am a bit biased towards former South Adelaide Panthers players.

But Brayden Cook looked ok playing AFL games this season.

Sid draper will eventually get there.

But I want a fully fit draper in the Middle with Soligo and Dawson.

But sadly I see him eventually replacing Dawson

 

[Punchy Bassett]

West Adelaide will be an interesting watch this year.

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Mitch Marsh has been a bit underwhelming in his 2 SANFL matches so far.

 

[Pea Nut]

Mitch Marsh has been a bit underwhelming in his 2 SANFL matches so far.

Week 2 of a hopefully long and illustrious career. I wouldn’t start to worry just yet.

 

[TBM]

Mitch Marsh has been a bit underwhelming in his 2 SANFL matches so far.

Interestingly, Aidan Schubert (SA tall forward taken a couple of picks later by the Hawks) kicked 5 for Box Hill.
Has 8.5 after 3 games; Hawthorn look like they're actually using him and developing a young player

Not to worry about Marsh yet, but would be nice if we tried to get him and Ludowyke more into the game

VFL Showreel, R3: Aidan Schubert highlights

Enjoy Aidan Schubert's standout VFL performance for Box Hill

www.afl.com.au

 

[Cromulant]

Week 2 of a hopefully long and illustrious career. I wouldn’t start to worry just yet.

Certainly not after 2 weeks.

 

[1970crow]

I don't think our development seems any worse than anyone else's. I think some players just don't keep progressing, and peak reasonably early.

Players at other clubs would get an opportunity when one arises. At our club we keep playing injured role players or if an injury does occur, back comes the Murphy types.

 

[Mutineer]

Interestingly, Aidan Schubert (SA tall forward taken a couple of picks later by the Hawks) kicked 5 for Box Hill.
Has 8.5 after 3 games; Hawthorn look like they're actually using him and developing a young player

Not to worry about Marsh yet, but would be nice if we tried to get him and Ludowyke more into the game

VFL Showreel, R3: Aidan Schubert highlights

Enjoy Aidan Schubert's standout VFL performance for Box Hill

www.afl.com.au

It would seem we had our eyes on one of Archie Ludowyke or Liam Hetherton as key forwards later in the draft, both who had been out of sight out of mind with injuries for most of the season.

 

[Golumless]

Interestingly, Aidan Schubert (SA tall forward taken a couple of picks later by the Hawks) kicked 5 for Box Hill.
Has 8.5 after 3 games; Hawthorn look like they're actually using him and developing a young player

Not to worry about Marsh yet, but would be nice if we tried to get him and Ludowyke more into the game

VFL Showreel, R3: Aidan Schubert highlights

Enjoy Aidan Schubert's standout VFL performance for Box Hill

www.afl.com.au

Ludowyke is not struggling at all to get into the game. 11 disp/2 goals is a pretty solid game against Wests and really, the WWT game was just those kind of games a raw first year KPF will have. He presented well and got plenty of looks, but didn't have the body to capitalise on it.

Marsh on the otherhand is more of a worry at this point. Dude has not looked anywhere near it, though wing and half forward are two positions that are going to punish players who aren't well rounded with their game. The caveat here is Adelaide's injury list, especially as these are positions that relies on others. If it was me, I'm moving him to half back - especially as the 1s are crying out of that more than a wing/third tall.

 

[Golumless]

Players at other clubs would get an opportunity when one arises. At our club we keep playing injured role players or if an injury does occur, back comes the Murphy types.

We're one of the more proactive clubs for "giving medicore kids a go" when it comes to this league at the current time. For instance, we do have the equal least players on our list at the moment who have played under 10 games (alongside the Dogs). Plus we have typically been the upper 50% (to 25%) in terms of using our list throughout Nicks tenure.

The problem is we have not been aggressive enough when it comes to delisting footballers, more so than "not giving them a go". Of course, with Cook on track to revive his career at this point, there may have been some justification to that patience.

Effectively, every club is guilty of what you're critiquing us for. The idea of "play the kids, you never know what you'll get" is long dead.

 

[TBM]

Genuine question, has anybody ever seen Nicks at a SANFL game? You sometimes see the social media team post pics of players attending, but I don't recall ever seeing one of the coach

Given his selection philosophies and the constant A v B teams from very early on in pre-season, I wonder how closely he watches it

 

[Cromulant]

Genuine question, has anybody ever seen Nicks at a SANFL game? You sometimes see the social media team post pics of players attending, but I don't recall ever seeing one of the coach

Given his selection philosophies and the constant A v B teams from very early on in pre-season, I wonder how closely he watches it

On the odd occasion that I went to a Crows SANFL game, all the coaches were there.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Genuine question, has anybody ever seen Nicks at a SANFL game? You sometimes see the social media team post pics of players attending, but I don't recall ever seeing one of the coach

Given his selection philosophies and the constant A v B teams from very early on in pre-season, I wonder how closely he watches it

I'm not convinced that he properly watches the AFL games

 

[beartoo]

Genuine question, has anybody ever seen Nicks at a SANFL game? You sometimes see the social media team post pics of players attending, but I don't recall ever seeing one of the coach

Given his selection philosophies and the constant A v B teams from very early on in pre-season, I wonder how closely he watches it

I've seen Nicks and VB at SANFL games.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I've seen Nicks and VB at SANFL games.

"Awesome work, Murph!"

 

[glengowan]

Gather Round guernsey should be the SANFL guernsey. Just change the back from blue to red from Hungry Jacks logo up.

 

[skam85]

Feel like Marsh is going to be one of those guys that’s great at AFL level without setting the world alight in the SANFL

 

[glengowan]

Feel like Marsh is going to be one of those guys that’s great at AFL level without setting the world alight in the SANFL

There's also a massive difference between U18 footy and SANFL level. Before Crows Reserves, many would at least start in the Reserves of their SANFL club before making their way through.

 

[skam85]

There's also a massive difference between U18 footy and SANFL level. Before Crows Reserves, many would at least start in the Reserves of their SANFL club before making their way through.

Yet he looked more than comfortable against an almost full strength Fremantle in the pre season.

 

[jackster83]

It's wild that our AFL side has played five games but our SANFL team has only played two.

Get an AFL reserves comp going already FFS.

 

[FR0GGY]

Gather Round guernsey should be the SANFL guernsey. Just change the back from blue to red from Hungry Jacks logo up.

What’s wrong with the blue?

 

[Golumless]

Feel like Marsh is going to be one of those guys that’s great at AFL level without setting the world alight in the SANFL

So a downhill skiier then?

Lets be real, if someone is not setting the world alight (compared to the position the player is in) at the SANFL, there are serious flaws in their game coming to the fore. However, I wouldn't be reading anything into Marsh's current formline due to the amount of best 22 injuries we had (and how they have a massive impact on the SANFL side which makes it pretty easy for a forward to get lose).

Outside of we should be thinking about a role change.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

So a downhill skiier then?

Lets be real, if someone is not setting the world alight (compared to the position the player is in) at the SANFL, there are serious flaws in their game coming to the fore. However, I wouldn't be reading anything into Marsh's current formline due to the amount of best 22 injuries we had (and how they have a massive impact on the SANFL side which makes it pretty easy for a forward to get lose).

Outside of we should be thinking about a role change.

Most forward line or outside players will struggle to a degree at reserves level without a half decent team around them

Charlie Cameron struggled, Brayden Cook nothing special.

The SANFL is built for ball winners. Nuggety or strongly built guys who win their own footy in the clinches (Tom Lewis, Mitch Grigg, James Battersby, Patrick Wilson) or half back sweepers

 

[Golumless]

Most forward line or outside players will struggle to a degree at reserves level without a half decent team around them

Charlie Cameron struggled, Brayden Cook nothing special.

The SANFL is built for ball winners. Nuggety or strongly built guys who win their own footy in the clinches (Tom Lewis, Mitch Grigg, James Battersby, Patrick Wilson) or half back sweepers

The part that is being missed is the AFL is also built for ball winners and half back sweepers. Just that it now also expects its ball winners to also be good on the outside.

Charlie Cameron struggling is a complete myth. He didn't struggle, and he was out of that league in about 6-7 matches after averaging over a goal per game + pressure/tackling We also pegged Charlie as a star from day one, owing to a quick contract extension.

You are right that Brayden Cook was nothing special because he couldn't win the ball. However, what you've ignored is that is the part in his game that's boomed and caused this jump. He's up from 1-3 ground ball wins a game to 5 this year. You have to be able to win the ball and survive on your own to make it in the AFL.

A lot of the forward line or outside players struggling comments are just making excuses for a player being found out in their current role.