Adelaide 2005

[macca23]

Only time will tell, I hope you are wrong macca so I can buy a finals ticket with the $100 you will owe me.

Isn't crystal balling fun in December!!!

Well you have to admit that you have a fair bet with me then. My prediction for Adelaide in 2005 was 7 to 10 - that's 2 spots in the 8 and 2 spots out so even I think that you're a 50-50 chance of taking my $100.

Hope I get yours though!!

 

[Skippy_14]

Skipworth has only been on the list 4 years so far. 2001, 2002, 2003 (rookie-upgraded to senior list) and 2004.

 

[macca23]

Skipworth has only been on the list 4 years so far. 2001, 2002, 2003 (rookie-upgraded to senior list) and 2004.

Correct Skippy. Noted and amended accordingly.

The important parts such as where he's at on our list, strengths and weaknesses, and the importance of 2005 to his survival remain unchanged though.

Unfortunately for him you're not in charge of the AFC list management!!

 

[Crow-mosone]

Nice work. The stocks still aren't as bad as some make out. I agree 7 - 10 seems possible with a half decent injury run.

 

[Skippy_14]

Well it was just an observation. Well done on the whole thing, good job. I especially like the "fearless in his endeavours to get the ball" part. True. True. So true. I'm tired.

 

[Markthirtytwo]

Macca, like your fellow Crow posters I congratulate you on your thread. You have obviously put a lot of thought and time into it and it will be interesting to see how close you get with your prediction.

With due respect, I think you are possibly being a touch too optimistic with your prediction of 7-10. Don't get me wrong, I reckon you have a good midfield and a sound defence particularly with Rutten and McGregor in the key defensive positions. However, I think your club has glaring weaknesses in the key offensive positions and in ruck.

Welsh is too short, Stevens is not physically sound and Perrie is just too inconsistent and not likely to get better. In ruck, Clarke can not mark and does very little around the ground. Biglands is probably your best option but like Perrie is not consistent.

Although your club has addressed these areas with promising recruits in the last couple of trades, I think it will be at least 2-3 years before your young talls can develope enough to impact games on a regular basis.

I may be wrong, but I can not seeing the Crows making the finals in 2005.

I think it's totally subjective (its a word I've used a lot lately) about where people think/hope/wish, etc. a team will finish in the year(s) to come.

I totally agree that we wont be in the final 8 in 2005, but can hope. Would be a bonus if we did IMO.

 

[tribey]

Top stuff as usual, M23.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Top post Macca & reckon you are spot on with the player assessments.

BEST TEAM

B: Bassett Rutten Hart
HB: Goodwin McGregor Begley
C: Reilly Ricciuto Burton
HF: Johncock Stevens Hentschel
F: Edwards Welsh Biglands
Foll: Clarke Thompson McLeod
Inter: Jericho Torney Bode Doughty

Pretty close to my best side - though I'm not convinced about Biglands as a forward.

B: Bassett Rutten Hart
HB: Begley McGregor Torney
C: Reilly Ricciuto Goodwin
HF: Hentschel Perrie Johncock
F: Burton M Stevens Welsh
Foll: Clarke Edwards McLeod
Inter: Hudson Thompson Jericho Doughty

ADELAIDE'S PROSPECTS FOR 2005.

Better than would appear at first glance, as long as it doesn’t suffer the level of injury it did in 2004 to key players such as Hart, Goodwin, Torney, Mark Stevens, Welsh and Begley, as it doesn’t have the depth to cover them.

The younger brigade of Hentschel, Johncock, Reilly, Jericho, Rutten and Mattner should all improve in 2005, and hopefully players like McLeod, Bode, and Ladhams can recover their very best now that the oppression of Ayres has departed. Scott Thompson adds more attacking depth to the mid-field.

Several fringe players will be fighting each other for their very footy lives in 2005, and one of these could possibly emerge as a player as a result.

My prediction – somewhere between 7 and 10 given an average run with injury.

Our injury run to important players (as opposed to fringe types), given our lack of depth will determined our 2005 position. If everything goes well, we could finish as high as 6th, but have a few key injuries & we could finish as low as 12th. I can see us finishing near the top of the table, but nor can I see us finishing in the bottom 4, given our Footy Park advantage (compared to weaker Melbourne teams).

 

[Bockchoy67]

B: Bassett Rutten Hart
HB: Begley McGregor Torney
C: Reilly Ricciuto Goodwin
HF: Hentschel Perrie Johncock
F: Burton M Stevens Welsh
Foll: Clarke Edwards McLeod
Inter: Hudson Thompson Jericho Doughty

Same as mine, though I cannot decide whether Biglands should be played or not. Looking at Hudson's ability, I believe Huddo could definitely be a batter player than Rhett if given the chance.

Thompson should be started on the interchange to start off with, but as the year develops (and as he hopefully develops) Scott should be in the starting 18.

I'm unsure about Burton. However, I think he would do a better job if he was up forward. He's shown in the past that he can kick big bags, of goals and his skills in front of the big sticks are not bad. Much better than his midfield skills of course.

 

[macca23]

Pretty close to my best side - though I'm not convinced about Biglands as a forward.

B: Bassett Rutten Hart
HB: Begley McGregor Torney
C: Reilly Ricciuto Goodwin
HF: Hentschel Perrie Johncock
F: Burton M Stevens Welsh
Foll: Clarke Edwards McLeod
Inter: Hudson Thompson Jericho Doughty

No Biglands in the best 22 at all?? Was that deliberate or an oversight?

Even if he isn't used up forward every week just to create physical presence and intimidation, IMO it's hard to believe that he won't be in the best 22 changing in ruck with Clarke.

 

[maccas_no1]

No Biglands in the best 22 at all?? Was that deliberate or an oversight?

Even if he isn't used up forward every week just to create physical presence and intimidation, IMO it's hard to believe that he won't be in the best 22 changing in ruck with Clarke.

Yeah have to agree, Biglands is a walk up start, easliy in our best 22, wouldnt put Hudson in the side over Biglands or Clarke unless they are injuried, would though consider Hudson as an interchange player he will need to be given more game time in 2005, as Clarke wont be there in 2006.

Burton has to be played up forward and nowhere else, with the continue development of Reilly, who can easliy play in the middle or down the wing, Burton has to play forward, that is where he plays his best football, actually now I think about it thats the only place he knows what he is doing and it will minimise his 'clanger' count

 

[WaynesWorld19]

No Biglands in the best 22 at all?? Was that deliberate or an oversight?

Even if he isn't used up forward every week just to create physical presence and intimidation, IMO it's hard to believe that he won't be in the best 22 changing in ruck with Clarke.

I can imagine it, I guess it depends on how much Hudson progresses in his second PS.

He won all our admiration last season with a PS I think you descibed him as really struggling. With a full 2nd PS perhaps he can progress enough to stay on the ground longer and challenge Biglands for the 2nd Ruck berth.

Hudson sure as hell gives us a better around the ground player, just as much physical prescence, and great second efforts

 

[Macca19]

Good work Macca. Ive done the Port version of that but havent put it up yet.

 

[Mad Dog]

I've had a closer look at this Macca23.....good stuff.....and congratulations on being uncharacteristically diplomatic with some players...it's tough to bite your tongue sometimes.... ...although good to see you hopped into Smith - as you should !.

Predictions for the year are spot on - I too think we could make the 8 given our favourable draw - all we need is some luck with injuries.

As for the 22 - I think my only differences are on the bench where I went for Rock, Skippy, and the Sarge instead of Jericho, Torney, and Mrs. Doughtfire. No biggy - because as I think I've said before - player #19 down to about player #26 are all interchangeable IMO with no real standouts demanding to be in the 22. I settled on Rock - because of the looming '06 Ruck vacuum, Sarge as backup for Stevo, and Skippy...I can't remember - but pretty much a "best of the rest" situation. I'm also a fan of Rhett up in the pocket until Clarkey rests each qtr.

Anyway - good work - and a fantastic assessment of our club to go onto the main board.

 

[tribey]

My tilt at our best 22 (all fit* and firing, blah blah blah):


BF:... B. Hart ........ B. Rutten ...... N. Bassett
HB:... J. Begley ...... K. McGregor .... J. Torney
C:.... B. Reilly ...... M. Ricciuto .... S. Goodwin
HF:... T. Hentschel ... M. Stevens ..... G. Johncock
FF:... T. Edwards ..... S. Welsh ....... B. Burton
R:.... M. Clarke ...... S. Thompson .... A. McLeod

IC:... R. Biglands, L. Jericho, I. Perrie, M. Doughty

EM:... K. Massie, M. Bode, B. Hudson

* = When are they ever?

 

[macca23]

My tilt at our best 22 (all fit* and firing, blah blah blah):


BF:... B. Hart ........ B. Rutten ...... N. Bassett
HB:... J. Begley ...... K. McGregor .... J. Torney
C:.... B. Reilly ...... M. Ricciuto .... S. Goodwin
HF:... T. Hentschel ... M. Stevens ..... G. Johncock
FF:... T. Edwards ..... S. Welsh ....... B. Burton
R:.... M. Clarke ...... S. Thompson .... A. McLeod

IC:... R. Biglands, L. Jericho, I. Perrie, M. Doughty

EM:... K. Massie, M. Bode, B. Hudson

* = When are they ever?

Hand on my heart, scout's honour etc etc - that starting 18 is identical in all positions to the starting 18 I originally had.

Then I remembered that Ayres and Craig both only play Burton up forward in desperation, as well as Craig liking to have Biglands up forward.

Once I moved Biglands into the pocket and Burton back to the wing, Goody pushed Torney back to the bench.

I still think Bode will bounce back this year, DT, and I'll elect you as president of his fan club!!

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Being cynical here but putting best 22 teams out at this stage is always going to be a rehash of 2004.

No idea of who improves, who steps up, who drops away....

This should really be done after PS reviews and at least a couple of Wizard Cup Games.

Sorry to poor water on everyones great efforts

 

[Mad Dog]

Being cynical here but putting best 22 teams out at this stage is always going to be a rehash of 2004.

No idea of who improves, who steps up, who drops away....

This should really be done after PS reviews and at least a couple of Wizard Cup Games.

Sorry to poor water on everyones great efforts

take your point WW.....a long way to go yet.....from my point of view - I'm desperate for some footy - and analysis of the 22 is the next best thing..

ok - time to sit and watch the first session of the cricket - then we've got a Chrissy do to go to !

5 for by lunch....we'll see !

ps.....headline I want to see this summer......

"Gillespie cleans up Butt as Salman fishes outside off-stump"

 

[macca23]

ps.....headline I want to see this summer......

"Gillespie cleans up Butt as Salman fishes outside off-stump"

Close call - actually it was McGrath who kicked Butt's butt and had him out caught fishing outside the off stump.

 

[Mad Dog]

Close call - actually it was McGrath who kicked Butt's butt and had him out caught fishing outside the off stump.

...exactly.....I thought McGrath was probing Butt all over.....

 

[WaynesWorld19]

take your point WW.....a long way to go yet.....from my point of view - I'm desperate for some footy - and analysis of the 22 is the next best thing..

Yes bring on the new season - really can't wait - pity we don't have reserves footy - love watching new recruits play and develop (also see the dud recruits - I generally find you can tell pretty early)

 

[Mad Dog]

take your point WW.....a long way to go yet.....from my point of view - I'm desperate for some footy - and analysis of the 22 is the next best thing..

ok - time to sit and watch the first session of the cricket - then we've got a Chrissy do to go to !

5 for by lunch....we'll see !

ps.....headline I want to see this summer......

"Gillespie cleans up Butt as Salman fishes outside off-stump"

WTF woz I thinking ????

...obviously a poor judge !!!

 

[tribey]

Hand on my heart, scout's honour etc etc - that starting 18 is identical in all positions to the starting 18 I originally had.

I still think Bode will bounce back this year, DT, and I'll elect you as president of his fan club!!

For me, Bode is in the same boat as Doughty. Still living off one good year three seasons ago - for sure and certain, both need to load the shotty and start firing in 2005.

 

[tribey]

Being cynical here but putting best 22 teams out at this stage is always going to be a rehash of 2004.

No idea of who improves, who steps up, who drops away....

This should really be done after PS reviews and at least a couple of Wizard Cup Games.

Sorry to poor water on everyones great efforts

No doubt, but I think the idea here is to put up the best 18 for round 1 when all things are considered (regardless of what happens in the Wizard Cup).

I was tempted to throw in a Van Berlo, Watts or Meesen, but we're all 99% certain they're not ready or proven enough to be considered automatic first 22 material.

 

[macca23]

No doubt, but I think the idea here is to put up the best 18 for round 1 when all things are considered (regardless of what happens in the Wizard Cup).

I was tempted to throw in a Van Berlo, Watts or Meesen, but we're all 99% certain they're not ready or proven enough to be considered automatic first 22 material.

Correct DT.

As for WW's comment, I'm sure there'll be plenty more teams progressively selected before the first ball is bounced in anger for the season proper.