Review 2016 Season Review and Changes for 2017

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This thread reminds me of a little kid who's going to run away from home because he can't watch his favourite tv show.

Was half the team garbage when we were blitzing teams for most of the season? We lost a final to the top ranked side on their home ground. Get over it.

What did the Bulldogs do last year when they went out in the first week of finals. Change the whole list and sack the coaching staff? No, they brought in 1 player from another club at little cost - Suckling - went to the draft and backed their talented kids to improve.

What about Sydney when they went out in straight sets? They delisted one player (then re-rookied him) bought in Sinclair and Talia at little cost and went to the draft. Backed their talented kids to improve.

GWS when they finished 11th? Bought in Stevie J and Dawson Simpson at little cost, went to the draft and backed their talented kids to improve.

See a pattern forming here? Geelong is the point of difference but their ageing list meant they only get one crack at it for a couple of years. They know the trouble they're in after that.

Let's recognise we have a good talented list, hang onto our early draft picks and challenge for a flag next year.

Not sook and whinge and throw the toys out of the cot.

Seems to me we have more pointedly backed the serial and aged nonperformers rather than back our talented kids.
 
We were growing from a much lower starting point last year.
We were for sure, but I feel we've grown further this year again and discovered some gems. Pyke has done a job, next year is the query, we need to step it up again.
 

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Nothing against tom but feel tom is not the answer. Our answers must come through the draft, bulldogs did it with bont. How do we get high picks? Make tough calls and trade out players. Only way i see or go after free agents such as nat fyfe or dustin martin. We should never be going after contracted players. Never! That is what the players club wants.
Why are you so obsessed with the draft? We aren't going to get the next Bontempelli in the draft because he will already be taken long before our first pick at #700. Since we refuse to bottom out, we don't get the picks 4,5,6 that the Bulldogs got and used on Bontempelli, Stringer and Macrae.

The Cats stole Dangerfield, the best player in the league this year and he didn't even get us a top 10 pick in return and we probably can't just upgrade our late picks because the AFL decided to close the loophole that allowed the academy teams to trade their early picks for late ones. Not to mention, if the next Bontempelli is available, who would want to downgrade?

We might not get another chance to win the flag beyond the next year or two with Talia, Sloane, Walker, Betts and co still on the list/playing as well as they are, as the Giants reign of terror will only get worse and worse. If we truly rate our chances, now is the time to go for immediate impact with a Rockliff type and hope we can pip the Giants in the big dance, rather than develop raw youngsters from the draft.
 
FFS. We Crows supporters have been denied so many chances to see a flag. GWS, Sydney and the Dogs look like they will be very strong and share the next few premierships.

From a purely football perspective, I really am sad now.

How do we not look strong in the next few years? Thommo is the only one who will retire and most of our guys are not in the age 'zone'
 
Effectively we are where we were this time last year. But we did that with a new coach, s**t draw, and we lost the best player in the comp. Bugger all had us to make the 8, and we should really have finished top 4.

So A LOT to be proud of.

The wins against Sydney, GWS and West Coast were quality.
The losses against North and the Hawks were costly.
The losses against Geelong and West Coast were telling.

BEST: Sloane (by the length of the straight), then Eddie, Lynch, Laird, Talia.
MOST IMPROVED: Bloody tough this, toss up between Lever and Mrouch with hon mention to RAt and Hartigan (and Guv see next)
BEST SURPRISE: Guv - Gone from "nice speculator pick" to "s**t, how do we keep him in 2 years' time from going to West Coast?" Runners up - Cheney and Hartigan.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Menzel - if he is not playing round 1 next year, then that trade is shifting into bust territory. Had an unlucky year with concussion, but time for excuses needs to end - work hard over the summer or f*ck off. Add Brad Crouch into this. You get one year's grace for the injuries, next year, the words "Brad Crouch" and "unfit" must never be mentioned. Add in Knight, was the player I most missed seeing
SAVED HIS CAREER: Lyons.
LOST HIS CAREER: Grigg

For 2017 right now somewhat sadly, and somewhat happily things to look forward to are the same as at the start of 2017: Menzel, Hampton, Milera & Knight.

If all 4 have a good pre-season then we get four players in with speed and talent, and that is an upgrade on where all 4 were in March (yeah Milera had a good pre-season, but you know what I mean - a year older, stronger, cf Lever this year).

Here's the list of those you would expect to improve on 2016 (either due to tough 2016 with injuries/concussions, or improvement with age and skill):
Guv, CC, Laird, Lever, Hartigan, Crouch's M and B, Menzel, Knight, Hampton, RAt, Wigg, Doedee, R'OB, maybe Seed, maybe Gore, maybe Smith (in consistency if not peak performance).

Those you'd expect to stay the same or only marginally better/worse;
Sloane, Talia, Tex, JJ, Brown, Cheney, Lynch, Cheney, Mackay, Grigg

Those you'd expect to decline:
Thommo, Eddie (only because 2016 was sky-high), Douglas, Jacobs (will be 29 in April, but body of a 30+)

So bring on a big trade and draft period.
And bring on a good pre-season.

Plenty of upside. Biggest downside is that both GWS and the Bulldogs also have plenty of upside.
 
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How do we not look strong in the next few years? Thommo is the only one who will retire and most of our guys are not in the age 'zone'
Jacobs looks like he might be done already. Even before the injury, he was ordinary. Tex, Sloane, Jenkins, Talia and Eddie will all be getting very long in the tooth by season 2021. Still a few years with that group.

But who's to say that the Giants and Swans won't improve one iota next year and we'll improve a lot? I can't see that happening.
 
Would like to see Tex drop some weight (5kg) be more mobile next year, play more like a gunston like role.. dropping to many marks as a power forward, needs to be lighter and quicker, and hopefully then get more disposal
 
Adelaide’s 2016 report card: Good effort but Crows not great yet

MICHELANGELO RUCCI, adelaidenow
September 21, 2016 8:30am
Subscriber only

ADELAIDE started the year with considerable uncertainty — new coach Don Pyke; players returning after a summer of difficult emotional reflection following the death of coach Phil Walsh; and a tough early draw.

But the Crows’ 16 wins from 22 home-and-away games reaffirmed Pyke’s belief he was working with a resilient and proud team.

But there was always the fact that 12 of those wins were against bottom-10 clubs and the Crows’ strike rate dropped below 50-50 (4-6) in top-eight company.

HOW DID ADELAIDE FARE IN 2016? VOTE AND HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW

So Adelaide’s final ladder position — sixth — is fitting for a team that is “good” but not yet “great”.

The exit, a lame semi-final performance that resulted in a 36-point loss to Sydney, continues the trend of Adelaide not winning consecutive finals since its most recent premiership, in 1998.

The Crows will forever regret losing at home in Round 23 against West Coast, a night at Adelaide Oval where they allowed a top-four finish to slip from their grip.

Adelaide did progress this year, but not enough to advance from the contenders to the real challengers.

2016 SNAPSHOT

WINS: 17

LOSSES: 7

DRAWS: 0

LADDER POSITION: 6th (lost in semi-final)

PERCENTAGE: 138.3

LAST YEAR: 6th (same position)

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Quick “buy-in” to Don Pyke’s new playbook that emphasised a “team defence” system to protect Adelaide’s raw defence and was the springboard to the Crows’ record 113-point scoring average.

WHAT WENT WRONG

After being blessed by a low injury count from March-August, some untimely setbacks to ruckman Sam Jacobs (ankle), key forward Josh Jenkins (ankle) and defenders Luke Brown (groin) and Kyle Cheney (groin) in the lead-up to the finals.

RECRUITING DEPT REVIEW

2015 draft picks: Wayne Milera (11), Tom Doedee (17), Paul Hunter (rookie), Jonathon Beech (rookie), Hugh Greenwood (rookie), Alex Keath (rookie).

Trade-free agent acquisitions: Dean Gore (Geelong), Curtly Hampton (Greater Western Sydney), Troy Menzel (Carlton), Paul Seedsman (Collingwood).

WAYNE MILERA: The first-round draftee played eight games, but none after the halfway mark of the season. Will emerge in Adelaide’s attack when Charlie Cameron moves to the midfield next season.

PAUL SEEDSMAN: Seen as an important part of Adelaide’s game with his line-breaking plays. Unfortunately, a corked buttock against Brisbane on August 6 derailed the Collingwood recruit.

TROY MENZEL: Same old story as at Carlton. Noted for his talent, but needs to apply himself.

DEAN GORE: Part of the Patrick Dangerfield trade from Geelong. A long-term project who needs to break into AFL ranks next year.

CURTLY HAMPTON: No AFL game — and not many SANFL either — as the GWS recruit was held up by a foot injury.

HIGH AND LOW

Both against West Coast. The Round 12 win against the Eagles was a highlight when the Crows held West Coast scoreless for the final term — an unprecedented achievement — to turn a 12-point deficit to a 29-point win at Subiaco Oval in Perth. However, the Round 23 loss to the Eagles in the Friday nightmare at Adelaide Oval cost the Crows a top-four finish.

THE COACH

Don Pyke returned to Adelaide — after being the midfield coach to Neil Craig a decade earlier — vowing to build the Crows with “team defence”. He created the highest-scoring Adelaide team in club history — and a playbook that was enthralling for transition football from defence to an open attack. But it did not hold up against teams with stronger midfields — and defences that held ground in the centre corridor and in front of goal. The next phase in Pyke’s work at Adelaide will be telling.

YOU SAID IT

“We wanted to play in a premiership and we didn’t.”

— Crows captain TAYLOR WALKER highlighting desire for the AFL’s grand prize has to be matched by first playing with hardness in big matches.


BEST & FAIREST

Rory Sloane to win for the second time after his success in 2013. And this time Sloane will wear the Malcolm Blight Medal with greater pride for standing up when so much was demanded of him in the Adelaide midfield.

B&F Count: Friday, Adelaide Convention Centre

SUPERCOACH STUD

So much was demanded of Rory Sloane in the absence of club champion Patrick Dangerfield after his move home to Geelong. Sloane certainly did deliver — with an average of 108.6 points per game — and has been hailed with his first All-Australian selection, as vice-captain nonetheless. Very few players do walk off the field capable of saying they have given everything — Sloane is one of these.

SUPERCOACH DUD

A lot was expected from Brad Crouch and plenty of SuperCoaches jumped on board at the $306,100 price with the young midfielder in 19.7 per cent of teams. But form and injury issues meant he played just four games in the first 13 rounds. However, he played every game from Round 14 and lifted his average from 63 to 86.6 points — which included four 100-plus scores — but by then most people had dropped off.

THE LIST

ELITE: Eddie Betts, Rory Sloane, Daniel Talia.

BIG IMPROVERS: Jarryd Lyons, Charlie Cameron, Tom Lynch, Rory Laird.

GONE: Matthew Jaensch (delisted), Nathan van Berlo (retired).

GOING, GOING: Ricky Henderson, Luke Lowden.

TRADE BAIT: Mitch Grigg.

WHAT THEY NEED

Adelaide needs to clear some salary cap space to be a big player in the trade market to find much-needed new midfield options. Brisbane captain Tom Rockliff remains a major target, if the Crows can deliver his asking price. They could also do with midfielders with pace. Veteran Scott Thompson will avoid the exit if he accepts a reduced contract — and no certainty of playing 15-plus games — for his 17th AFL season.

PREMIERSHIP CLOCK

9.30pm. Not quite a top-four side and not a team that is about to fade. Could be two years before Adelaide has the midfield to seriously challenge for the flag.
 

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I think we were flattered by the fact that the competition was divided into two divisions, the top eight (perhaps seven) and the rest. As with Sanderson's first year, we did well against the also-rans but struggled against the better teams. I hold little store in being a flat track bully. We had two good wins against quality opposition in Sydney and GWS, both at home. On the flip side Sydney, Geelong (twice) and West Coast gave us lessons in how to play pressure football. If the Bulldogs had played us this week I am sure they would have done the same.

Good small forwards have regularly done well against us so perhaps we need someone able to close them down. If it is not Brown then then someone else.

On your point of small forwards having good games against us I think part of that is our defenders (tall, mid, small) not killing the ball or at least getting it out of the dangerous area with the spoil from the opposition entry. I feel like Lever is the only one who really clears the area with a spoil regularly, and him going off was part of the reason why Sydney's small forwards hurt us so much on the weekend. You can argue that it is the small defenders job to stop their opponent once the ball hits the deck but they often have to go in to the contest to try and clear it after the talls compete in the air.

I have been trying to work out why small forwards hurt us so much all season and that is the best I can come up with.
 
Been most disappointed with the midfield, ruck and Coaching.

Too many one paced mids, if there was a prize for uniformity at the centre bounce, we'd win hands down. If Brad manages to get a full pre season in I am still betting on him becoming a gun. The injury run he had definitely put a dampener on his last 3 rounds (including finals).

Matt Crouch is a very handy Thommo replacement. Great accumulator and very good hands from the bottom of a pack

Lyons is either traded for a early second or with a first for a gun player. He has value but isn't a game breaker. Basically made Dougy redundant this year (who should be traded).

Dmac- So bloody outside due to his size and has s**t disposal for someone like that. He's just keeping potential out of the side. Milera has to come in and replace.

Atkins- Hoping that wasn't just a good patch after the first Sydney game. If he can improve on this year we have a very creative mid on our hands, thank *.

Cameron- Stands up when the heat is really on, then somehow manages to go missing in alot of other games. If he finds the pill more and cleans up his disposal a touch, then we are cooking with gas.

Thommo- Cooked

Sloane- ❤

Would kill for a mid in the Cripps, Bont, Heeney, Hopper mold this off season. We need it.

Hampton and Milera with decent off seasons should come in. Milera needs to find the ball more, but his kicking is A+ at 18 years old. This lad isn't soft either, some blokes he's hit this year, he hit hard (anyone remember the bump on Hopper?)...

Hampton, I rate this bloke. Talent to burn, size, speed, he would add a much needed element to our inside mids. None of this playing him in defense bullshit, chuck him in the guts, it's what he wants and what we need. But in Campo I have no trust.

Jacobs Imo should be traded while he has value. Going to be cooked in a couple of years. Bring up ROB and draft a promising athletic Ruck. * this lumbering string of pelican s**t type right off.

Campo and Clarke, gtfo, sooo many years of abject failure under these blokes.

Pyke- We need a plan B and maybe even a Plan C. I'm not sold on him at all, playing injured players and sticking to structures that clearly aren't working. I feel the only one allowed to use some form of creative flare on the ground is Betts. He is sucking the natural talent from the games of true footballers.

Next year I want to see:

Speed
Foot Skills
Size in the Middle
Different Game plans
The drafting or trading in of one hybrid inside/outside mid, with decent size and footskills
The exclusion of serial senior underperformers.
 
Adelaide’s 2016 report card: Good effort but Crows not great yet

MICHELANGELO RUCCI, adelaidenow
September 21, 2016 8:30am
Subscriber only

ADELAIDE started the year with considerable uncertainty — new coach Don Pyke; players returning after a summer of difficult emotional reflection following the death of coach Phil Walsh; and a tough early draw.

But the Crows’ 16 wins from 22 home-and-away games reaffirmed Pyke’s belief he was working with a resilient and proud team.

But there was always the fact that 12 of those wins were against bottom-10 clubs and the Crows’ strike rate dropped below 50-50 (4-6) in top-eight company.

HOW DID ADELAIDE FARE IN 2016? VOTE AND HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW

So Adelaide’s final ladder position — sixth — is fitting for a team that is “good” but not yet “great”.

The exit, a lame semi-final performance that resulted in a 36-point loss to Sydney, continues the trend of Adelaide not winning consecutive finals since its most recent premiership, in 1998.

The Crows will forever regret losing at home in Round 23 against West Coast, a night at Adelaide Oval where they allowed a top-four finish to slip from their grip.

Adelaide did progress this year, but not enough to advance from the contenders to the real challengers.

2016 SNAPSHOT

WINS: 17

LOSSES: 7

DRAWS: 0

LADDER POSITION: 6th (lost in semi-final)

PERCENTAGE: 138.3

LAST YEAR: 6th (same position)

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Quick “buy-in” to Don Pyke’s new playbook that emphasised a “team defence” system to protect Adelaide’s raw defence and was the springboard to the Crows’ record 113-point scoring average.

WHAT WENT WRONG

After being blessed by a low injury count from March-August, some untimely setbacks to ruckman Sam Jacobs (ankle), key forward Josh Jenkins (ankle) and defenders Luke Brown (groin) and Kyle Cheney (groin) in the lead-up to the finals.

RECRUITING DEPT REVIEW

2015 draft picks: Wayne Milera (11), Tom Doedee (17), Paul Hunter (rookie), Jonathon Beech (rookie), Hugh Greenwood (rookie), Alex Keath (rookie).

Trade-free agent acquisitions: Dean Gore (Geelong), Curtly Hampton (Greater Western Sydney), Troy Menzel (Carlton), Paul Seedsman (Collingwood).

WAYNE MILERA: The first-round draftee played eight games, but none after the halfway mark of the season. Will emerge in Adelaide’s attack when Charlie Cameron moves to the midfield next season.

PAUL SEEDSMAN: Seen as an important part of Adelaide’s game with his line-breaking plays. Unfortunately, a corked buttock against Brisbane on August 6 derailed the Collingwood recruit.

TROY MENZEL: Same old story as at Carlton. Noted for his talent, but needs to apply himself.

DEAN GORE: Part of the Patrick Dangerfield trade from Geelong. A long-term project who needs to break into AFL ranks next year.

CURTLY HAMPTON: No AFL game — and not many SANFL either — as the GWS recruit was held up by a foot injury.

HIGH AND LOW

Both against West Coast. The Round 12 win against the Eagles was a highlight when the Crows held West Coast scoreless for the final term — an unprecedented achievement — to turn a 12-point deficit to a 29-point win at Subiaco Oval in Perth. However, the Round 23 loss to the Eagles in the Friday nightmare at Adelaide Oval cost the Crows a top-four finish.

THE COACH

Don Pyke returned to Adelaide — after being the midfield coach to Neil Craig a decade earlier — vowing to build the Crows with “team defence”. He created the highest-scoring Adelaide team in club history — and a playbook that was enthralling for transition football from defence to an open attack. But it did not hold up against teams with stronger midfields — and defences that held ground in the centre corridor and in front of goal. The next phase in Pyke’s work at Adelaide will be telling.

YOU SAID IT

“We wanted to play in a premiership and we didn’t.”

— Crows captain TAYLOR WALKER highlighting desire for the AFL’s grand prize has to be matched by first playing with hardness in big matches.


BEST & FAIREST

Rory Sloane to win for the second time after his success in 2013. And this time Sloane will wear the Malcolm Blight Medal with greater pride for standing up when so much was demanded of him in the Adelaide midfield.

B&F Count: Friday, Adelaide Convention Centre

SUPERCOACH STUD

So much was demanded of Rory Sloane in the absence of club champion Patrick Dangerfield after his move home to Geelong. Sloane certainly did deliver — with an average of 108.6 points per game — and has been hailed with his first All-Australian selection, as vice-captain nonetheless. Very few players do walk off the field capable of saying they have given everything — Sloane is one of these.

SUPERCOACH DUD

A lot was expected from Brad Crouch and plenty of SuperCoaches jumped on board at the $306,100 price with the young midfielder in 19.7 per cent of teams. But form and injury issues meant he played just four games in the first 13 rounds. However, he played every game from Round 14 and lifted his average from 63 to 86.6 points — which included four 100-plus scores — but by then most people had dropped off.

THE LIST

ELITE: Eddie Betts, Rory Sloane, Daniel Talia.

BIG IMPROVERS: Jarryd Lyons, Charlie Cameron, Tom Lynch, Rory Laird.

GONE: Matthew Jaensch (delisted), Nathan van Berlo (retired).

GOING, GOING: Ricky Henderson, Luke Lowden.

TRADE BAIT: Mitch Grigg.

WHAT THEY NEED

Adelaide needs to clear some salary cap space to be a big player in the trade market to find much-needed new midfield options. Brisbane captain Tom Rockliff remains a major target, if the Crows can deliver his asking price. They could also do with midfielders with pace. Veteran Scott Thompson will avoid the exit if he accepts a reduced contract — and no certainty of playing 15-plus games — for his 17th AFL season.

PREMIERSHIP CLOCK

9.30pm. Not quite a top-four side and not a team that is about to fade. Could be two years before Adelaide has the midfield to seriously challenge for the flag.
Hard to disagree with much of that
 
But there was always the fact that 12 of those wins were against bottom-10 clubs and the Crows’ strike rate dropped below 50-50 (4-6) in top-eight company.

Club needs to write this on a blackboard 100 times, Bart Simpson style.

That does not matter if you win finals. The bulldogs had a 4-5 win loss record against top 8 teams heading into
Finals
 
Pyke- We need a plan B and maybe even a Plan C. I'm not sold on him at all, playing injured players and sticking to structures that clearly aren't working. I feel the only one allowed to use some form of creative flare on the ground is Betts. He is sucking the natural talent from the games of true footballers.

how has Pyke sucked the natural talent out of the players?
 

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