Training 2019 Preseason + Operations

[Golumless]

I was actually using more in reference to our own organic backyard - Roo, McCleod, Goodwin. All were brilliant midfielders who could play almost equally well as forwards. I find it bemusing how everyone can start seeing the skills and talents in Milera and still think of him as a "terrible" forward.

From what I can remember, Milera actually started with us playing in the forward zones and was kicking some special goals. Bearing in mind he was new then and a big change in confidence now than he was 2 years ago. No reason he can't also improve in the forward line, as he has in both midfield/HBF positions. Though I'm not suggesting up forward should be his main spot, just that he can be rested in the forward line only if need be.

It's a different era though, and to that Roo isn't comparable to a Milera in this situation (I have no memory of Goodwin being a forward at all).

Milera's issue is for the forward line is he's a small, which means that the primary function he'll have in the forward line is a defensive role (as a small forward is all about defense, with offense really just being a bonus). Now whilst his aggression has improved, it's a key reason why he looked so lost and creates two massive problems here:

1) We're sacrificing one of our best offensive pieces to a defensive role which is self harm
2) There are plenty of options on our list who will do this better. Even then, there should be a midfield option that can do this better in our lineup if we move Gallucci to Douglas' midfield role.

If you want to play Milera in the midfield, his rest position is in the half back as that still allows his offensive game to be a credible threat. Forward line simply isn't a practical option for him however as it really doesn't allow for offensive game to be that useful.

 

[Elite Crow]

Jeffcrowe you’ve got connections down there, what are you hearing about Burton? Has his role changed? Is he still a knob or been taken down a peg?

 

[Betts are off]

Didn't we try to get kelly running through there last season? Looks to have a tank for it.

The tank wasn't his problem. His problem was he essentially only wanted to kick the ball short and laterally. Like a good mid defender would. Didn't seem to have any knack for the attacking side of a wingmans responsibility IMO.

Could be a good lock down option though if we needed one. Send him too Gaff next time we play the Eagles

 

[ChilliP]

This is the one post Kane does per year so he can say he isn't anti crows for the rest of the year.

"No, I don't hate the crows, I tipped them to win the flag"

 

[Elite Crow]

This is the one post cane does per year so he can say he isn't anti crows for the rest of the year.

"No, I don't hate the crows, I tipped them to win the flag"

Kane’s Crows end of year report card:

My premiership favourite didn’t win, D.

 

[Betts are off]

Rat finished 9th 9n out 2018 BnF, I have no doubt he is in Pyke's best 22 however like all players would have been read the riot act on returning in great shape and focusing on areas of improvement

we dropped from making the GF to missing the finals, every player should have had a strong, clear and meaningful exit interview

I wouldn't take too much into his 9th place finish. I mean you're missing guys like Sloane, Tex, Smith, BCrouch, Lynch, Betts, who all missed large chunks of the season, and never really came good after that. The 2018 B&F was more a game of last man standing when it was all said and done. And even with that horrific injury run Atkins was still dropped for 3 weeks.

I'd say he would be scrapping onto the bench in the starting 22 at this point. Maybe not even that!

 

[Golumless]

I wouldn't take too much into his 9th place finish. I mean you're missing guys like Sloane, Tex, Smith, BCrouch, Lynch, Betts, who all missed large chunks of the season, and never really came good after that. The 2018 B&F was more a game of last man standing when it was all said and done. And even with that horrific injury run Atkins was still dropped for 3 weeks.

I'd say he would be scrapping onto the bench in the starting 22 at this point. Maybe not even that!

Nah, Rat is definitely best 22. He should, however, be the most in danger of being dropped seeing how solidified every other option is.

 

[Betts are off]

Nah, Rat is definitely best 22. He should, however, be the most in danger of being dropped seeing how solidified every other option is.

Is he best 22 though, with a fit list? The way I see it if we are fully fit there is a forward line position available and 2 bench spots.

Brown Talia Doedee
Laird Hartigan/Keath Milera
Smith Sloane Seedsman
Lynch Walker Gooch
Betts Jenkins available
Sauce MCrouch Gibbs
Greenwood, BCrouch, available, available

And for those 3 spots you can choose from Atkins, FOG, Douglas, Knight, Murphy, Stengle, McAdam, Mackay, Himmelberg, Kelly, Poholke, Ned, Chayce or Davis.

I'd say Knight is ahead of Atkins. And Douglas, Kelly, and Mackay would be on par. And he's not going to take the forward line position ahead of FOG, Berg, Ned, Stengle, Murphy or even Davis and McAdam.

Lock for best 22, well its stretch for me

 

[SaltPeter]

Doedee smiling again. ROB in a world of pain

 

[Golumless]

Is he best 22 though, with a fit list? The way I see it if we are fully fit there is a forward line position available and 2 bench spots.

Brown Talia Doedee
Laird Hartigan/Keath Milera
Smith Sloane Seedsman
Lynch Walker Gooch
Betts Jenkins available
Sauce MCrouch Gibbs
Greenwood, BCrouch, available, available

And for those 3 spots you can choose from Atkins, FOG, Douglas, Knight, Murphy, Stengle, McAdam, Mackay, Himmelberg, Kelly, Poholke, Ned, Chayce or Davis.

I'd say Knight is ahead of Atkins. And Douglas, Kelly, and Mackay would be on par. And he's not going to take the forward line position ahead of FOG, Berg, Ned, Stengle, Murphy or even Davis and McAdam.

Lock for best 22, well its stretch for me

Knight is in the forward position currently, seeing he is our best defensive small. So the question is Atkins ahead of two of Douglas, Kelly, Mackay + our kids. Right now, that's a safe yes. He takes the 1st available midfield spot very easily.

Really there is only one spot a few people are fighting for and that's the last availability providing Knight and Atkins are fit, which is more of a blooding position that may get forward/midfield minutes. Both are walk up starters. Also it's very optimistic Smith is going to be on a wing, as we've never shown any real interest in moving him away from half back, and we absolutely won't be considering it now seeing the recent knee reco.

 

[pjcrows]

Ahhhh, the sweet smell of early-January squad over-excitement.

 

[MRB37]

AGM is on Feb 28 @ 6pm at Adelaide Oval.

 

[Coopers]

Apparantly over 20 players set best ever times, which is very pleasing. Appears we have learnt from last year's mistakes.

You'd think that "don't be unfit and injured" would be a fairly clear "business as normal" priority. But I've had a job for a while now, and apparently AFC is just like anywhere else, where normal and obvious things are not necessarily so.

It's a different era though, and to that Roo isn't comparable to a Milera in this situation (I have no memory of Goodwin being a forward at all).

Goody totally played whole games on the HFF towards the end there while he was captain.

Started HBF, then in the middle and then during that captain period he was wherever he needed to be.

I remember a game in... 2008? Maybe? Where he kicked 4 or 5 right to me sitting at the southern end of footy park behind the goals. Was vs West Coast, early in the season.

 

[Betts are off]

Knight is in the forward position currently, seeing he is our best defensive small. So the question is Atkins ahead of two of Douglas, Kelly, Mackay + our kids. Right now, that's a safe yes. He takes the 1st available midfield spot very easily.

Really there is only one spot a few people are fighting for and that's the last availability providing Knight and Atkins are fit, which is more of a blooding position that may get forward/midfield minutes. Both are walk up starters. Also it's very optimistic Smith is going to be on a wing, as we've never shown any real interest in moving him away from half back, and we absolutely won't be considering it now seeing the recent knee reco.

Well defensively Atkins would be well and truly bringing up the rear out of that group of players. But offensively he's the best weapon by a long margin. So for me those guys are all pretty even. We also have to take into account tackling and running machine's McHenry, and Jones, who have pretty nice traits as wingman already.

The kids have already surprised this year. Give them another 2 months of preseason and that surprise may hurt a guy like Atkins.

 

[pjcrows]

Kane predicting the Crows as premiers is a sign that Hutchison has got the early listener ratings for SA and isn't happy.

 

[Golumless]

Well defensively Atkins would be well and truly bringing up the rear out of that group of players. But offensively he's the best weapon by a long margin. So for me those guys are all pretty even. We also have to take into account tackling and running machine's McHenry, and Jones, who have pretty nice traits as wingman already.

The kids have already surprised this year. Give them another 2 months of preseason and that surprise may hurt a guy like Atkins.

A wingers main job is offensive production, so Atkins isn't in much danger, yet.

We're probably talking 1-2 years too early for McHenry and Jones as wingers seeing both still need to put on a couple of kilos just to try and round out their inside game as much as possible (with the idea of trying to avoid an Atkins like situation where we have wingers who are very reliant on others) before making that switch (long term, both are quite likely in/out mids, seeing both apparently are capable on the inside). I don't really see either Jones/McHenry taking spots this year, but definitely getting some game-time at an AFL level. That said, both are very lucky the biggest hindrances to them getting games is Knight, and McAdam. One can barely stay on the park, and the other is as green as them.

 

[Bicks]

I'll get excited when he strings a dozen or so games together.

A blind man can't see so he has an excuse so what's yours? Don't know what you were watching in 2017 but it certainly wasn't Brad.

 

[Jcpdragonx]

He copies my avatar, the biggest troll in journalism. Kane tweets him regularly.

 

[Mego Red]

I understand the concept of achieving the best standard you set

What kind of ******* nonsensical rubbish is this? Talk english, FFS.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Jeffcrowe you’ve got connections down there, what are you hearing about Burton? Has his role changed? Is he still a knob or been taken down a peg?

Not sure TBH

Saunders coming in is the biggest change because no one is going to want to argue with him , he’s backed by research and best practice

I’d predict Hass and Saunders are in charge of conditioning with team underneath

 

[Bicks]

Clearly the captaincy is up for grabs. Sloane will get it.

Kyrgios LOL LOL LOL

 

[LittleCrowBoy]

A wingers main job is offensive production, so Atkins isn't in much danger, yet.

We're probably talking 1-2 years too early for McHenry and Jones as wingers seeing both still need to put on a couple of kilos just to try and round out their inside game as much as possible (with the idea of trying to avoid an Atkins like situation where we have wingers who are very reliant on others) before making that switch (long term, both are quite likely in/out mids, seeing both apparently are capable on the inside). I don't really see either Jones/McHenry taking spots this year, but definitely getting some game-time at an AFL level. That said, both are very lucky the biggest hindrances to them getting games is Knight, and McAdam. One can barely stay on the park, and the other is as green as them.

I reckon McHenry and Jones might be a couple kilos too light.....but even then they would smash Atkins defensively and lay more tackles in their first game of AFL than Atkins laid in 2018.
They won’t accumulate the amount of possessions or hit the scoreboard like Atkins at this point though....but they probably can soon enough.
My guess is it’s just a matter of time before Atkins is asked to clear his locker unless be mans up a little.....being outside is fine....being a complete defensive liability is unacceptable. Such players cost you finals. It’s the hard and tough games that really matter.....not the games with space to burn and time to waltz into goal.
Our recruitment flags our understanding of this....the days of watching opposition players run past Crows midfielders are coming to an end. Defense wins flags....Adelaide is looking stronger than ever in “full ground” defense.

 

[Carmo]

I reckon McHenry and Jones might be a couple kilos too light.....but even then they would smash Atkins defensively and lay more tackles in their first game of AFL than Atkins laid in 2018.
They won’t accumulate the amount of possessions or hit the scoreboard like Atkins at this point though....but they probably can soon enough.
My guess is it’s just a matter of time before Atkins is asked to clear his locker unless be mans up a little.....being outside is fine....being a complete defensive liability is unacceptable. Such players cost you finals. It’s the hard and tough games that really matter.....not the games with space to burn and time to waltz into goal.
Our recruitment flags our understanding of this....the days of watching opposition players run past Crows midfielders are coming to an end. Defense wins flags....Adelaide is looking stronger than ever in “full ground” defense.

I agree Jones might be a bit light, but have a look in that photo at the end of the 2km-er, his thighs are a lot bigger than what I expected for a junior. His arms aren't small aren't big, middle of the range, but that's pretty good imo as normally the good runners are built like the Sig.

 

[Redleg Crow]

McPherson is a long way back and wont be rushed IMO

I always forget he is on he list


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[John Who]

You'd think that "don't be unfit and injured" would be a fairly clear "business as normal" priority. But I've had a job for a while now, and apparently AFC is just like anywhere else, where normal and obvious things are not necessarily so.

Goody totally played whole games on the HFF towards the end there while he was captain.

Started HBF, then in the middle and then during that captain period he was wherever he needed to be.

I remember a game in... 2008? Maybe? Where he kicked 4 or 5 right to me sitting at the southern end of footy park behind the goals. Was vs West Coast, early in the season.

I recall Goody kicking 6-7 goals as a full forward (majority of the game). If you’re a genuine elite player, you are likely to be capable of playing all over the ground.