Can we win the primershoip in 2007

[noddy]

We can win a premiership next year & any other year that we compete in.

Luck & a relative injury free year will decide how close we go.



Faith, faith & more faith

 

[AC07]

We can win a premiership next year & any other year that we compete in.
Luck & a relative injury free year will decide how close we go.
Faith, faith & more faith

I had a dream. It was so real.

We won the 2007 and 2008 AFL premierships.

I have faith in our boys. They will be leaders in the comp again. I think we will all be pleasantly suprised.

Here's to my dream.

 

[RoosterLad]

You reckon Nick Gill will play more than 3-5 games ?

It depends I guess. We need a forward who can take marks in the forward 50, he is also pretty athletic, but AFL will be a new test for him. I reckon he will play for the Crows at the start of the year and we will have to wait and see how he goes... he should add a bit of excitement though.

 

[tribey]

I see your Trent Hentschel and raise you a Nathan Bock.

Bock's best position is CHB. The drive he gave us in the second half of 2005 was Cavenesque. Is also outstanding defensively - we missed him just as much as we missed Roo in that QF vs the Saints.

He's OK as a pinch-hitter in bursts, but he's no Trentschel.

 

[Alex99]

Bock's best position is CHB. The drive he gave us in the second half of 2005 was Cavenesque. Is also outstanding defensively - we missed him just as much as we missed Roo in that QF vs the Saints.

He's OK as a pinch-hitter in bursts, but he's no Trentschel.

Regardless of how much talent Trent Hentschel possess he will not be doing anything for our premiership chances in 2007, Nathan Bock will play and has the potential to be a huge factor as either a forward or a defender.

Nathan Bock can adequately play and become a survivable CHF; this will only be possible if Scott Stevens can have the same sort of influence CHB as he had in 2006.

The question was “Can we win the premiership in 2007” and yes we will miss Trent Hentschel but IMO we can still be a premiership contender if Nathan Bock stands up at CHF.

The forward line should be set up with the 3 KPP in Welsh (FF), McGregor (FP) and Bock (CHF) with Ricciuto playing a cameo role during different periods of the game.

 

[tribey]

Regardless of how much talent Trent Hentschel possess he will not be doing anything for our premiership chances in 2007,

Precisely. That was the point. We'll be missing our #1 forward for the duration - big shoes to fill.

Nathan Bock will play and has the potential to be a huge factor as either a forward or a defender.

Nathan Bock can adequately play and become a survivable CHF; this will only be possible if Scott Stevens can have the same sort of influence CHB as he had in 2006.

The question was “Can we win the premiership in 2007” and yes we will miss Trent Hentschel but IMO we can still be a premiership contender if Nathan Bock stands up at CHF.

The forward line should be set up with the 3 KPP in Welsh (FF), McGregor (FP) and Bock (CHF) with Ricciuto playing a cameo role during different periods of the game.

Too many what-ifs in such key posts for my liking.

If Bock can play adequately at CHF still won't be good enough to win a flag.

If Stevens can have the same sort of influence at CHB as he had in 2006 would be nice, but you still wouldn't class him as one of the better key defenders in the land - let alone as good as Bock.

Bottom line is it looks like we'll be going in with a makeshift forward line again - and the past couple of seasons have proven that isn't good enough.

The much-maligned forward line of WCE was only able to fall in by a point last year and that was largely because of QL's emergence as a 60 goal forward and Hunter's highly effective cameos at CHF (30 goal seasons from Judd and Embley and Cousins' usual goal a game helped a great deal also).

We don't even have that level of firepower.

To have to rely on Bock, Ricciuto (assuming he doesn't move back into the middle) and the injury-plagued Welsh and Burton to supply match-winning scores week-in week-out - while Scott Stevens holds down the CHB post - doesn't exactly fill me with the belief we can take the next step and win a flag.

 

[maccas_no1]

Precisely. That was the point. We'll be missing our #1 forward for the duration - big shoes to fill.



Too many what-ifs in such key posts for my liking.

If Bock can play adequately at CHF still won't be good enough to win a flag.

If Stevens can have the same sort of influence at CHB as he had in 2006 would be nice, but you still wouldn't class him as one of the better key defenders in the land - let alone as good as Bock.

Bottom line is it looks like we'll be going in with a makeshift forward line again - and the past couple of seasons have proven that isn't good enough.

The much-maligned forward line of WCE was only able to fall in by a point last year and that was largely because of QL's emergence as a 60 goal forward and Hunter's highly effective cameos at CHF (30 goal seasons from Judd and Embley and Cousins' usual goal a game helped a great deal also).

We don't even have that level of firepower.

To have to rely on Bock, Ricciuto (assuming he doesn't move back into the middle) and the injury-plagued Welsh and Burton to supply match-winning scores week-in week-out - while Scott Stevens holds down the CHB post - doesn't exactly fill me with the belief we can take the next step and win a flag.

Exactly right and my exact thoughts as to why we wont win the flag in 07 or anytime soon, the window shut unfortunately.

 

[Alex99]

Exactly right and my exact thoughts as to why we wont win the flag in 07 or anytime soon, the window shut unfortunately.

Then why didn’t we completely start the re building process and start heading for a premiership?

I will guarantee you that a Michael Doughty, Kris Massie, Mathew Bode, Scott Stevens, Jason Torney and Scott Welsh will be first choice players and will get games over the kids

Either we are a team that is going to be a premiership threat in 2008 (and I see no reason why that side that played a home preliminary final can not get back there again) or we will not be, if we are not then we should be clearing out the dead wood and starting the premiership process again.

For the record – I believe that with a few minor adjustments to the side we can still be a legitimate premiership threat.

Nathan Bock will cover the loss of Trent Hentschel
Ben Hudson and the youthful injection of John Meesen and Ivan Maric will cover the loss of Mathew Clarke and Rhett Biglands.
Scott Welsh, Ian Perrie and Ken Macgregor can become a very potent forward line and this may allow Nathan Bock to play CHB.

There are so many variables in a season of football it not funny (what will WCE do if Cousins and Judd go down or Sydney if Barry Hall gets injured) but with all things being equal the Adelaide Crows have enough ingredients in the pantry to make that 2008 premiership cake a reality.

 

[betterthanu]

i would say the form of welsh will have a big impact of how dangerous we are. He can look really good sometimes but other times hes totally unsighted.

 

[Alex99]

i would say the form of welsh will have a big impact of how dangerous we are. He can look really good sometimes but other times hes totally unsighted.

He has kicked 70 goals in his last 29 AFL games. Last season was wreaked with a leg injury but still managed to kick 12 games in 6 games (on average 2 a game).

Ian Perrie 2006 season was ruined because of a knee injury as well so judge those 2 on how they go during this pre season; not on the perception they left with a few sub standard games late last season.

 

[- PC -]

i would say the form of welsh will have a big impact of how dangerous we are. He can look really good sometimes but other times hes totally unsighted.

We are screwed

 

[Crow-mo]

instead of arguing about our premiership window, I'd like to see someone argue credibly that the window even exists.

 

[RoosterLad]

instead of arguing about our premiership window, I'd like to see someone argue credibly that the window even exists.

I refuse to believe talk about a 'Premiership Window', sure some years you will have a better chance of taking the flag than others, but as a top club you would want to be in with a shot basically every year.

Believing you have no chance of coming out on top because your 'window has shut' is loser talk and simply accepting mediocrity.

 

[Mad Dog]

I refuse to believe talk about a 'Premiership Window', sure some years you will have a better chance of taking the flag than others, but as a top club you would want to be in with a shot basically every year.

Believing you have no chance of coming out on top because your 'window has shut' is loser talk and simply accepting mediocrity.

nicely said...

 

[KUNG FU]

Seems like half the posters on thsi board have memories that can only span back 6 months. Has everyone forgotten how much the 'Crow-bots' dominated this year? Certainly thats no guarantee of a flag this year (or last year obviously), but to say we can't win the premiership is laughable. There are probably 8 clubs that can win it next year and we are definitely amongst them.

 

[tribey]

Seems like half the posters on thsi board have memories that can only span back 6 months. Has everyone forgotten how much the 'Crow-bots' dominated this year? Certainly thats no guarantee of a flag this year (or last year obviously), but to say we can't win the premiership is laughable. There are probably 8 clubs that can win it next year and we are definitely amongst them.

That's exactly the issue though.

Crow-Bots were only dominant when almost everyone was fit and firing. Since then,

• Hart and Clarke have been delisted,
• Biglands has done his ACL,
• Hentschel's done his ACL, PCL, cartilage, the works,
• Ricciuto battled with soft tissue injuries all year and then contracted Parvo - there must be somewhat of a question mark that he can come back as dominant as he was given his age & sudden battle with tissue problems,
• Burton suffered a recurrence of his soft tissue problems,
• McGregor was either carrying an injury or suffered his worst form slump since he was a pup
• Our ruck division next year consists of Huddo who hasn't played in a year, young Maric and the untried and tested Meesen

You've finished by saying there are 8 clubs that can win a Premiership - of course there are. Anything can happen. It's just the likelihood of us being able to compete as strongly as we did in the past 2 years has to be questioned.

If it all falls into place and Welsh, Ricciuto, Hudson, Perrie and KMac all come up and are at top form then excellent - we're more than in the hunt.

I don't subscribe to the theory our 'Premiership window' has closed or the hand on the 'Premiership clock' has slipped back a few hours, but as it stands now however I'd be rapt with a 5-8 finish and a September-peak a la 97-98.

 

[jc67]

I refuse to believe talk about a 'Premiership Window', sure some years you will have a better chance of taking the flag than others, but as a top club you would want to be in with a shot basically every year.

Believing you have no chance of coming out on top because your 'window has shut' is loser talk and simply accepting mediocrity.

The last time I heard the sort of negative "can't make it" crap was when Malcolm was first appointed!

I hope the outcome is the same.

A premiership window is merely an attitude of 30 blokes.

 

[maccas_no1]

Then why didn’t we completely start the re building process and start heading for a premiership?

I will guarantee you that a Michael Doughty, Kris Massie, Mathew Bode, Scott Stevens, Jason Torney and Scott Welsh will be first choice players and will get games over the kids

Either we are a team that is going to be a premiership threat in 2008 (and I see no reason why that side that played a home preliminary final can not get back there again) or we will not be, if we are not then we should be clearing out the dead wood and starting the premiership process again.

For the record – I believe that with a few minor adjustments to the side we can still be a legitimate premiership threat.

Nathan Bock will cover the loss of Trent Hentschel
Ben Hudson and the youthful injection of John Meesen and Ivan Maric will cover the loss of Mathew Clarke and Rhett Biglands.
Scott Welsh, Ian Perrie and Ken Macgregor can become a very potent forward line and this may allow Nathan Bock to play CHB.

There are so many variables in a season of football it not funny (what will WCE do if Cousins and Judd go down or Sydney if Barry Hall gets injured) but with all things being equal the Adelaide Crows have enough ingredients in the pantry to make that 2008 premiership cake a reality.

Thats all hit and hope stuff, when you lose your two first choice ruckmen, one of your best defenders and one of your best forwards, you have thrown your structure out the door, and you can see that by what you are proposing by playing players out of position

5th to 8th for the AFC in 2007.

 

[maccas_no1]

He has kicked 70 goals in his last 29 AFL games. Last season was wreaked with a leg injury but still managed to kick 12 games in 6 games (on average 2 a game).

Ian Perrie 2006 season was ruined because of a knee injury as well so judge those 2 on how they go during this pre season; not on the perception they left with a few sub standard games late last season.

You would find those are average stats for a forward.

 

[macca23]

Thats all hit and hope stuff, when you lose your two first choice ruckmen, one of your best defenders and one of your best forwards, you have thrown your structure out the door, and you can see that by what you are proposing by playing players out of position

5th to 8th for the AFC in 2007.

Let me play a little bit of devil's advocate to the doubting thomases for the 2007 season.

One of the best defenders gone?? Hart was delisted as the club felt that there were better players available for the same spot than Benny - who has been a champion for so many many years, but wasn't in 2006.

Our two first choice ruckmen gone?? All this year the supporters have moaned and groaned that we got nothing out of our ruckmen - true around the ground but not in actual ruckwork.

Who was both our first choice ruckman in 2005 and who was also in the top ten in the AFL for centre clearances - Ben Hudson. Benny showed at the end of last year that he will come back with a vengeance. That leaves one of Maric or Meesen to step up and take Biglands role - and I expect there to be very little loss if any in that replacement as well.

So as far as the two ruckmen go, we will gain several things and lose several things. Not a major impact, and the club obviously saw it the same way to encourage Clarkey - one of my favourites - to stick to the retirement plan.

So far so good IMO.

The irreplaceable player of course is Hentschel, who was growing in Hird like stature - capable of doing the freak thing up forward. A huge loss.

BUT - there's always a but - McGregor undoubtedly carried injury all through 2006. Who was our main forward in 2005?? Kenny!! Add a fit Roo and a fit Welsh around him and there'll be some real punch up forward.

Add to that the natural progression that Van Berlo, Knights, Douglas, and Pfeiffer will make in the on-ball area and the future is nowhere near as black as painted by many.

Like Dyertribe I don't believe in the premiership clock - Blighty smashed that theory in ribbons in 1997/1998.

IMO injuries will determine it. Given a good run with injuries, unlike this year, I cannot see any reason why adelaide won't be top 4 again in 2007.

 

[- PC -]

Top post macca23

I think people see the negative end to the season rather than the middle bits

Why cant we win a flag from 6? Certainly harder but not unacheivable

 

[*PAF]

Let me play a little bit of devil's advocate to the doubting thomases for the 2007 season.

One of the best defenders gone?? Hart was delisted as the club felt that there were better players available for the same spot than Benny - who has been a champion for so many many years, but wasn't in 2006.

Our two first choice ruckmen gone?? All this year the supporters have moaned and groaned that we got nothing out of our ruckmen - true around the ground but not in actual ruckwork.

Who was both our first choice ruckman in 2005 and who was also in the top ten in the AFL for centre clearances - Ben Hudson. Benny showed at the end of last year that he will come back with a vengeance. That leaves one of Maric or Meesen to step up and take Biglands role - and I expect there to be very little loss if any in that replacement as well.

So as far as the two ruckmen go, we will gain several things and lose several things. Not a major impact, and the club obviously saw it the same way to encourage Clarkey - one of my favourites - to stick to the retirement plan.

So far so good IMO.

The irreplaceable player of course is Hentschel, who was growing in Hird like stature - capable of doing the freak thing up forward. A huge loss.

BUT - there's always a but - McGregor undoubtedly carried injury all through 2006. Who was our main forward in 2005?? Kenny!! Add a fit Roo and a fit Welsh around him and there'll be some real punch up forward.

Add to that the natural progression that Van Berlo, Knights, Douglas, and Pfeiffer will make in the on-ball area and the future is nowhere near as black as painted by many.

Like Dyertribe I don't believe in the premiership clock - Blighty smashed that theory in ribbons in 1997/1998.

IMO injuries will determine it. Given a good run with injuries, unlike this year, I cannot see any reason why adelaide won't be top 4 again in 2007.

Good post as I too am looking forward to watching Hudson play as I like the way he goes about his game. With a bit of luck his injury will not bother him again, but yes Hudson is by far your best ruckman IMO.

Your oldies are still goodies, make no mistake about it. The query has to be how will Macca and Roo go with injuries this year, not if they are still up to it as they are and in a big way.
Question mark also over the Birdman in much the same way as our very own Peter Burgoyne, those sorts on injuries can drag on and on and on, hopefully both are in for a full season.
McGregor should not have two bad ones in a row.
Walsh? Well good luck as I am really not sure what to say.

The youngsters you mentioned however are all beginners so do not expect too much.
Van Berlo has shown heaps IMO but he is still under 50 games.
The one that needs to make this year his own is Reilly. He will be close to 100 games by year's end so he has no excuses, he must produce to his potential this year.

Injuries have hurt but can you go top 4? Yes you can but it will be harder than last year as a big reason was your gameplan and that has been sorted somewhat, so your coaching will play a big part of your season this year, bigger than in most years.
What you lot really need IMO is a youngster that can play HBF and rebound to ease the pressure of MCLeod and Stiffy. This is where Hart and also Basset have been good for the AFC, now you need a replacement for that role.
Have you got one? I have no idea about the ones that are in the SANFL.