2nds 2025 Adelaide Crows SANFL thread

[glengowan]

Looking through the list of SANFL life members is like a walk down memory lane...

Player Life Members - SANFL

sanfl.com.au

One of my favourite football moments was the Eagles giving Ian "Scruff" Hanna his 200th game, and subsequent SANFL Life Membership, in the last ever game between West Torrens and Woodville, prior to the merger, at Adelaide Oval in 1990. I had number 1 on my WT guernsey as a kid.

He had broken his neck in a swimming pool accident the summer before which had brought an end to his career. He sat on the bench and came on in the last few minutes, fist pumping the air as he ran to Full Forward. With the game well and truly already won by Woodville, Hanna, and the Eagles, were given one more highlight. A holding the ball in the goal square, brilliant theatre by the umpire, Hanna was given the free and booted the final goal.

 

[FR0GGY]

You guys sound like some salty Norwood fans. Atm we've only replaced the key players we've lost.

Hes a bays fan.

 

[FR0GGY]

Hmmmm nah

I think we could cull George, he’s 75% Norwood.

 

[Velvet George]

Yeah we wouldn't have been looking at him beforehand.....

We didn’t have a list spot, what makes you think we were looking at him?

Strachan got injured, we potentially needed a ruck, Norwood recruited one from an AFL list, it worked out beautifully for a club who has neglected their ruck stocks for years.

It’s just ironic that the bloke just beat up on our no 1 ruck.

 

[Velvet George]

I think we could cull George, he’s 75% Norwood.

100% Norwood but we don’t have an AFL team.

If they came in it would be Norwood first Crows second. I legit could have 2 teams but Norwood would be No 1.

 

[Mostyn]

Hmmmm

I think that had a lot to do with it given he was already here.

So - who cares?

He was playing AFL last year and was looking for options this year. It's not like we'd never have heard of him.

 

[Velvet George]

So - who cares?

He was playing AFL last year and was looking for options this year. It's not like we'd never have heard of him.

Do you ever hold the club to account for anything?

Yeah he was playing AFL last year and despite having heard of him, did nothing with our list management to bring him to the club.

Then Strachan gets injured, we need a ruck because we are woefully resourced in our rucks, something you support. He’s here to play for Norwood, like seagulls we pinch him for our list to cover for Strachan. The thing is Strachan is going to play so NO list spots. The issue is he’s out performing our lead ruck.

That’s what should be concerning you and anyone defending going into 2025 with ROB and Strachan as our rucks.

There is no way he should he able to get out of his Norwood commitment to play only in our SANFL side.

 

[Cromulant]

We didn’t have a list spot, what makes you think we were looking at him?

Strachan got injured, we potentially needed a ruck, Norwood recruited one from an AFL list, it worked out beautifully for a club who has neglected their ruck stocks for years.

It’s just ironic that the bloke just beat up on our no 1 ruck.

Because clubs are always looking, and the list manager himself said we need to look into the ruck situation.

I 100% agree with you its a shit sandwich of our own making

 

[Velvet George]

Because clubs are always looking, and the list manager himself said we need to look into the ruck situation.

I 100% agree with you its a shit sandwich of our own making

Yep, our list manager said we need to look at our ruck situation for 2026.

 

[Cromulant]

Yep, our list manager said we need to look at our ruck situation for 2026.

That doesn't mean we wouldn't look for an opportunity when it presents itself.

Personally I don't think we should be allowed to play McAndrew in our SANFL side

 

[Velvet George]

That doesn't mean we wouldn't look for an opportunity when it presents itself.

Personally I don't think we should be allowed to play McAndrew in our SANFL side

There is no opportunity though.

As for McAndrew, I get wanting to be on an AFL list but I can’t see why he’d want to be in our SANFL side sharing ruck with Strachan as compared to leading a ruck for a SANFL contender.

Perform with Norwood and he will get an opportunity like Boyd.

 

[Mostyn]

That doesn't mean we wouldn't look for an opportunity when it presents itself.

Personally I don't think we should be allowed to play McAndrew in our SANFL side

We were widely rumoured for both Goad and Barnett. We were rumoured to be talking to English.

We've priorised other things, ultimately. I wouldn't consider the backup ruckman to be number one on the list managers list, but surely it's on there.

 

[Mutineer]

So - who cares?

He was playing AFL last year and was looking for options this year. It's not like we'd never have heard of him.

I care as would any Crows supporter that has any clue about list management.

To have only 2 genuine rucks on your list both fast approaching 30 years old is shit list management anyway you spin it especially when we saw Strachan's 2 AFL games in 2024.

The scramble we had to pinch MCAndrew from the Redlegs who had got proactive realising Harry Boyd a big chance to get picked up by the Saints and recruited him for their 2025 lead ruck is embarassing for the Crows list management.

I'll back the club on most things but this has been a monumental fail to have nothing coming up behind these two virtual veterans for the last 5 years.

 

[TBM]

I care as would any Crows supporter that has any clue about list management.

To have only 2 genuine rucks on your list both fast approaching 30 years old is shit list management anyway you spin it especially when we saw Strachan's 2 AFL games in 2024.

The scramble we had to pinch MCAndrew from the Redlegs who had got proactive realising Harry Boyd a big chance to get picked up by the Saints and recruited him for their 2025 lead ruck is embarassing for the Crows list management.

I'll back the club on most things but this has been a monumental fail to have nothing coming up behind these two virtual veterans for the last 5 years.

Bang on. Strachan should not be on the list, end of.

Good SANFL player but doesn't have the physicality or endurance to make it to AFL. Also a very odd body shape still, despite being in system for 5-6 years.

 

[TBM]

I don't know much about McAndrew but going off reports from Bigman / others it sounds like he's been doing very well at training. Whether that's due to McAndrew outperforming expectations, or ROB underperforming - or both - its promising for McAndrew's mid-season draft prospects.

It'll be very interesting to watch how Boyd goes at St Kilda - sounds like he could be playing a big role this year. Feels like a missed opportunity from right under our nose.

Same with Dodson being gettable after being getting drafted so close to our Welsh pick, though he's obviously a longer term play.

 

[Cromulant]

I don't know much about McAndrew but going off reports from Bigman / others it sounds like he's been doing very well at training. Whether that's due to McAndrew outperforming expectations, or ROB underperforming - or both - its promising for McAndrew's mid-season draft prospects.

It'll be very interesting to watch how Boyd goes at St Kilda - sounds like he could be playing a big role this year. Feels like a missed opportunity from right under our nose.

Same with Dodson being gettable after being getting drafted so close to our Welsh pick, though he's obviously a longer term play.

I don't think Dodson will stay on the list long enough to see out his contract.

 

[Mostyn]

I care as would any Crows supporter that has any clue about list management.

To have only 2 genuine rucks on your list both fast approaching 30 years old is shit list management anyway you spin it especially when we saw Strachan's 2 AFL games in 2024.

The scramble we had to pinch MCAndrew from the Redlegs who had got proactive realising Harry Boyd a big chance to get picked up by the Saints and recruited him for their 2025 lead ruck is embarassing for the Crows list management.

I'll back the club on most things but this has been a monumental fail to have nothing coming up behind these two virtual veterans for the last 5 years.

It's the backup ruck position.

We're trialling a player who has been developed in one of the AFL's best programs and who could step right in.

Every delisted player would be looking at lower league options to continue their career - and many are training with AFL clubs currently to try and stay at the top level.

You're talking about it like we've stolen a player from the Redlegs who we never would have heard of. McAndrew is a former Swan who's prepared to continue his career in SA, which automatically makes him a bit more interesting to us than a player who's focused on Victoria or WA.

We're obviously his first choice, which is why he's been with us the last few months.

Let's see how it rolls out. It's not ideal, but we have Rob and Strachan and Toby Murray and Thilthorpe (and Burgess and others).- and while we don't want to use Thilthorpe, it's a MASSIVE longshot that we ever would have to.

 

[Mutineer]

It's the backup ruck position.

We're trialling a player who has been developed in one of the AFL's best programs and who could step right in.

Every delisted player would be looking at lower league options to continue their career - and many are training with AFL clubs currently to try and stay at the top level.

You're talking about it like we've stolen a player from the Redlegs who we never would have heard of. McAndrew is a former Swan who's prepared to continue his career in SA, which automatically makes him a bit more interesting to us than a player who's focused on Victoria or WA.

We're obviously his first choice, which is why he's been with us the last few months.

Let's see how it rolls out. It's not ideal, but we have Rob and Strachan and Toby Murray and Thilthorpe (and Burgess and others).- and while we don't want to use Thilthorpe, it's a MASSIVE longshot that we ever would have to.

Obviously we're his 1st choice given no other AFL clubs even those with quite a few list spots available offered him a SSP lifeline other than Crows who were at the point of desperation when Strachan went down. I don't know why you continue to defend an occasion where list management has really shown a serious lack of foresight, give them bouquets when they deserve it but unlike you I'm prepared to give them brickbats when they deserve it also.

 

[Velvet George]

Obviously we're his 1st choice given no other AFL clubs even those with quite a few list spots available offered him a SSP lifeline other than Crows who were at the point of desperation when Strachan went down. I don't know why you continue to defend an occasion where list management has really shown a serious lack of foresight, give them bouquets when they deserve it but unlike you I'm prepared to give them brickbats when they deserve it also.

You don’t know why? Of course you do

 

[Velvet George]

It's the backup ruck position.

We're trialling a player who has been developed in one of the AFL's best programs and who could step right in.

Every delisted player would be looking at lower league options to continue their career - and many are training with AFL clubs currently to try and stay at the top level.

You're talking about it like we've stolen a player from the Redlegs who we never would have heard of. McAndrew is a former Swan who's prepared to continue his career in SA, which automatically makes him a bit more interesting to us than a player who's focused on Victoria or WA.

We're obviously his first choice, which is why he's been with us the last few months.

Let's see how it rolls out. It's not ideal, but we have Rob and Strachan and Toby Murray and Thilthorpe (and Burgess and others).- and while we don't want to use Thilthorpe, it's a MASSIVE longshot that we ever would have to.

WE DONT HAVE A LIST SPOT.

This backup beat our first choice ruck and he’s not on our list.

Let that sink in. After months of defending our ruck list strategy it’s now obvious we’ve ****ed up but there’s zero chance you’ll admit that.

 

[Mostyn]

Obviously we're his 1st choice given no other AFL clubs even those with quite a few list spots available offered him a SSP lifeline other than Crows who were at the point of desperation when Strachan went down. I don't know why you continue to defend an occasion where list management has really shown a serious lack of foresight, give them bouquets when they deserve it but unlike you I'm prepared to give them brickbats when they deserve it also.

I've said a number of times that my preference would have been to have retired Smith and drafted or traded for another tall (preferably a ruck who can push forward).

But that spot of backup ruck has never been something we've prioritised. It's always been break glass, and they either can't or didn't want to get rid of Strachan early.

I actually like Strachan as a footballer more than you do, and that's fine - we can have different opinions on that.

I think we're a tall short, but I also think that's because they've invested in other areas that have also been issues, and are now improved.

I hope they look to improve the ruck position in the off season. In the meantime, it's ROB/Strachan/Murray, and I feel that's not drastically worse than quite a few other sides. If you disagree, that's fine too.

 

[crows dude]

100% Norwood but we don’t have an AFL team.

If they came in it would be Norwood first Crows second. I legit could have 2 teams but Norwood would be No 1.

I don’t know what I’d do. I was 9 when crows entered the comp. My dad older brother and I stopped going to Norwood games to go to crows games. When we weren’t at crows games we were watching my brother play juniors at Port then at Adelaide uni. So following Norwood became listening to game on radio and following results in paper.

 

[Mutineer]

I think it might be advisable to see how McAndrew performs in the real stuff at SANFL level before we get too carried away, let's face it he needs to really dominate at that level because ROB and Strachan certainly do. Took one decent mark on Friday but surely we need to see more to gauge what he's capable of around the game as well as his ruckwork where he has a distinct advantage height wise.

Already Boyd was preferred to him re another AFL opportunity and there's strong word around Southport's ruckman Brayden Crossley will get a a list spot at the Western Bulldogs.

Not of which excuses list management's lack of foresight with only 2 aging rucks on the list.

 

[Pugsley]

Obviously we're his 1st choice given no other AFL clubs even those with quite a few list spots available offered him a SSP lifeline other than Crows who were at the point of desperation when Strachan went down. I don't know why you continue to defend an occasion where list management has really shown a serious lack of foresight, give them bouquets when they deserve it but unlike you I'm prepared to give them brickbats when they deserve it also.

Finally, someone speaking sense.

 

[Magma]

if he committed to norwood then unless the crows want to put him on the afl list somehow he should be turning out for norwood. if not, revisit it at the mid season draft. its not like there isnt plenty of opportunity for the 2 afl clubs to get their list balance correct.