Brad Crouch

[Mike Smyth]

I like the idea that you are pushing the 'No Dangerfield no Crows' barrow. Some sections of the media have grabbed onto this and it's great. We will well and truly fly under the radar early in the season if we can get this even further into media consciousness.
Danger is a good footballer, but this is a team game. The loss of one player will not affect the overall results this team achieves in 2016 and beyond.
Everybody, promulgate this rumour in every forum you can.

We weren't a premiership with Dangerfirld, however we were building nicely. One step forward, two steps back at the AFC.

Maybe your line of thinking is why we have been so casual about losing players in the past
- "we'll be right we will make up for the loss in other areas"

Losing quality required players has cost us a premiership imo. It doesn't get much more serious than that does it?

 

[Mike Smyth]

And gained one if B Crouch remains fit. Apart from not being a dangerous forward, I don't view a fully fit B Crouch as being much the lesser of Danger. What we lose in brute force we make back up in disposal quality and genuinely high footy IQ. But if Brad's fitness stutters, then I agree wholeheartedly.

Imo b crouch may turn our to be a better midfielder - a massive call I know. However, as it stands today Dangerfield is a massive loss and no way covered by a fully fit B Crouch, circa 2016.

 

[maxlilly]

Like everyone, I am looking forward to Brad playing a full year.
I am hoping we spread the midfield load a lot more next year and fell Pykey will give us a more rounded midfield performance.
The idea of team defence from our midfield will go a long way to improving this year.

 

[1970crow]

Are people still thinking we'll be the same or better without Danger?

Brouch will help ease the pain, but our midfield will certainly be worse off without a top 5 player in the game. There's no doubt about it. We've gone from having a top 6 midfield to a borderline top 12 midfield, IMO.

I think you're underating a fully fit B Crouch. Danger lacked polish and the ability to bring an outside player who had made position into the game. Like Thommo, he's great at what he does well, but lacks in other areas. Yes we lose something, but we gain a fair bit of it back if Crouch remains fit. Would be a serious midfield with both though, shame really.

 

[Danger in Texas]

I think you're underating a fully fit B Crouch. Danger lacked polish and the ability to bring an outside player who had made position into the game. Like Thommo, he's great at what he does well, but lacks in other areas. Yes we lose something, but we gain a fair bit of it back if Crouch remains fit. Would be a serious midfield with both though, shame really.

Brouch isn't a top 5 mid in the comp (he could be, but he definitely isn't yet). If people are thinking Brouch will come in after a year off and immediately make up for the loss of Danger, they'll be disappointed.

 

[Mike Smyth]

With both its a top 4 midfield. With neither its bottom 12. With a fully fit b crouch who knows, possibly top 8.

 

[Danger in Texas]

By the way, I love Brad. I think he's a gun mid. At this stage, though, he has nowhere near the influence Danger can have on a game.

 

[mrmatt]

Are people still thinking we'll be the same or better without Danger?

Brouch will help ease the pain, but our midfield will certainly be worse off without a top 5 player in the game. There's no doubt about it. We've gone from having a top 6 midfield to a borderline top 12 midfield, IMO.

To me, watching live (always obsessed with what's happening up and down the ground away from the ball), our biggest problem areas are speed, spread and ball use. Sure, our midfield will lose some of it clearance advantage without Danger but I think the gains we will make in the other areas (so desperately lacking) with the new arrivals, will more than atone.

 

[GrommoT]

M Crouch looks like he has had a fantastic pre-season and Brad is just a Jet who needs a bit of luck
The Brothers could be HUGE for us in 2016

and 2017,18,19... salivation

​

 

[jackster83]

Imo b crouch may turn our to be a better midfielder - a massive call I know. However, as it stands today Dangerfield is a massive loss and no way covered by a fully fit B Crouch, circa 2016.

Sloane, Douglas and Smith all had injury affected years in 2015. Smith in particular was ineffective after the concussions. Those three are the key to us having a midfield that can compete with the top sides.

 

[azza77]

To me, watching live (always obsessed with what's happening up and down the ground away from the ball), our biggest problem areas are speed, spread and ball use. Sure, our midfield will lose some of it clearance advantage without Danger but I think the gains we will make in the other areas (so desperately lacking) with the new arrivals, will more than atone.

Call me Mr. Happy or the glass half full guy, but id be inclined to agree.

Minus Danger from the equation and add a FIT Brad Crouch and things really don't look that bleak (if you rate Crouch as highly as some do) and I think we are extremely close to breaking even on last year's midfield in terms of ability.

Add to that a hopefully full pre-season from Knight and Junior Crouch and I think they can only go onwards and upwards from here. I think just having Brad Crouch on the park and some improvement from Matt will go a long way to replacing what Dangerfield brought to the table.

Im tipping Sloane to really thrive with no Danger. Add to that one Brodie Smith with his head still firmly planted on his shoulders for 22 games. Throw Menzel forward and we now also have Cameron and Betts available to use through the midfield more often and we all know what they're capable of at times.

I really want to throw Hampton and Seedsman's name into the category of balancing out the loss of Danger, but I'm still really undecided on how I think they will fare for us. Think Im going to have to watch some NAB games before I can say anything with confidence.

As Mrmatt said, Danger was a contested beast who was also a major threat up forward, but lets be honest his outside work wasn't as good as some make it out to be. Yeah he was quick, but often his end product left a lot to be desired. We have players at our disposal who IMO, will be able to match his inside work and still make us a very good clearance team (Brad, Matt, Sloane). We also have the talent up forward to make up for his goals. But what we now also have is a lot more quality on the outside of the stoppage and I think that's where our midfield will benefit most from in 2016.

Sure, if we didn't have an emerging Matt Crouch and Brad was still injured, then Id agree hands down that our midfield would be ****ed for this upcoming season. But I just don't think things are as bad as what they first seem here.

Nonetheless, should be very interesting to see which way our midfield performances swing in 2016 and will be a topic of hot debate I'm sure.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

To me, watching live (always obsessed with what's happening up and down the ground away from the ball), our biggest problem areas are speed, spread and ball use. Sure, our midfield will lose some of it clearance advantage without Danger but I think the gains we will make in the other areas (so desperately lacking) with the new arrivals, will more than atone.

This is what I'm hoping too. We we're able to finish 6th on the ladder in 2015 despite being ranked 17th for disposal efficiency. If we can clean up that element of our game, who knows how far we could go? We've also drafted in multiple players with speed to help with us spread more effectively.

The loss of Danger hurts but whether or not this cripples the club is totally up to the AFC. We need a system where every player is able to contribute. I'm really sick of the obsession with individual players. You don't win premierships with one player.

 

[beartoo]

We weren't a premiership with Dangerfirld, however we were building nicely. One step forward, two steps back at the AFC.

Maybe your line of thinking is why we have been so casual about losing players in the past
- "we'll be right we will make up for the loss in other areas"

Losing quality required players has cost us a premiership imo. It doesn't get much more serious than that does it?

Who was/is casual about losing good players?
I don't agree that our lack of premierships since 98 is wholly down to this factor nor that it is a major cause.
We couldn't do much about the raids on our players by the new franchises. It was a poo sanger and we were forced to eat it.
My strong view is that losing Danger was a bummer, but that his loss will not make or break our premiership aspirations over the next few seasons.
One thing I noticed last season with our blokes was a new steely resolve about the team. We have a group of young men that are bent on success and their attitude will take us a long way IMO.
As I said, footy is a team game and I don't think our coaching staff is throwing up its hands and saying we're completely stuffed because we lost a gun midfielder so there's no point in having a go. I reckon there might be a strategy or three in operation to counter that loss.

 

[GameofSloanes]

We weren't a premiership with Dangerfirld, however we were building nicely. One step forward, two steps back at the AFC.

Maybe your line of thinking is why we have been so casual about losing players in the past
- "we'll be right we will make up for the loss in other areas"

Losing quality required players has cost us a premiership imo. It doesn't get much more serious than that does it?

We should have won a flag in 05 or 06 but choked

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Imo b crouch may turn our to be a better midfielder - a massive call I know. However, as it stands today Dangerfield is a massive loss and no way covered by a fully fit B Crouch, circa 2016.

I mentioned two years ago before all Brad's injury woes and before we all knew Danger was leaving I had Brad developing into our best and most important mid even ahead of Danger

 

[RePete]

As good as Dangerfield is, we just were never a genuine premiership contender with him doing the hard work in the guts. Him and Thompson and Co just haven't created the right midfield required to win a premiership, just look at the Hawthorn game. Hopefully Pyke can change the way our midfield runs, into something different that works. Something that is smarter with the small, and runs harder, rather than just going all-in trying to win the contested ball.

We will miss Dangers marking power around the ground though...

 

[Bicks]

Seems like Bicks' description of a brick outhouse is very apt! Inside midfielder genes in the family.

LOL

Now you can see for yourself where the boys get the massive shoulders and barrel chests from hey!

 

[Bicks]

Brouch isn't a top 5 mid in the comp (he could be, but he definitely isn't yet). If people are thinking Brouch will come in after a year off and immediately make up for the loss of Danger, they'll be disappointed.

More likely you'll be surprised.....

 

[ad victoriam]

As good as Dangerfield is, we just were never a genuine premiership contender with him doing the hard work in the guts. Him and Thompson and Co just haven't created the right midfield required to win a premiership, just look at the Hawthorn game. Hopefully Pyke can change the way our midfield runs, into something different that works. Something that is smarter with the small, and runs harder, rather than just going all-in trying to win the contested ball.

We will miss Dangers marking power around the ground though...

Major issue we had with PD was see ball get ball, Looks good gets good stats, But has a habit of stopping others from getting involved, What effect that has on other this year will be interesting, I believe other will step up and cover

 

[Danger in Texas]

More likely you'll be surprised.....

Do you seriously expect Brad to become a top 5 mid in the comp this year? If he does (which he definitely has the capability to do, not saying either way though at the moment), it will be in 2017/18. Not after a year off due to injury.

 

[StonesThrow]

Do you seriously expect Brad to become a top 5 mid in the comp this year? If he does (which he definitely has the capability to do, not saying either way though at the moment), it will be in 2017/18. Not after a year off due to injury.

This

 

[Bicks]

Do you seriously expect Brad to become a top 5 mid in the comp this year? If he does (which he definitely has the capability to do, not saying either way though at the moment), it will be in 2017/18. Not after a year off due to injury.

Well if as suggested Ollie Wines is heading into the top 5 in the comp....

Brad Crouch>>>>>Ollie Wines...

Brad's a "natural" footballer so I really do expect him to slot straight back into top form very quickly....only proviso will be staying injury free..

I really think some of our supporters have short memories and have forgotten just how dominant Brad can be...

And remember at that time he was playing as 3rd or 4th "banana" behind the likes of Thommo, Voldemort, and Sloane...

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pg-adelaide-crows--brad-crouch?year=2013

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pg-adelaide-crows--brad-crouch?year=2014

 

[baldandbroke]

Well if as suggested Ollie Wines is heading into the top 5 in the comp....

Brad Crouch>>>>>Ollie Wines...

Brad's a "natural" footballer so I really do expect him to slot straight back into top form very quickly....only proviso will be staying injury free..

I really think some of our supporters have short memories and have forgotten just how dominant Brad can be...

And remember at that time he was playing as 3rd or 4th "banana" behind the likes of Thommo, Voldemort, and Sloane...

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pg-adelaide-crows--brad-crouch?year=2013

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pg-adelaide-crows--brad-crouch?year=2014

And the "Top 5" thing is so subjective. Surely you can think of 5 midfielders you would rather have in your team than Dangerfield?

I'm looking forward to seeing a different team this year - coz what we have had before (including PD) has not cut it. I want to see a different look, a different focus.

 

[Doobie Doedee]

Brad Crouch>>>>>Ollie Wines...

Brad's a "natural" footballer so I really do expect him to slot straight back into top form very quickly....only proviso will be staying injury free..

Brad also looks like a real footballer, not a female Ukrainian gymnast on steroids

 

[Danger in Texas]

And the "Top 5" thing is so subjective. Surely you can think of 5 midfielders you would rather have in your team than Dangerfield?

Fyfe, Ablett, Pendlebury. That's it for me.