Crows 2019 injury and fitness thread with regular updates.

[Betts are off]

Give or take a month...

What is with this club and bloody feet injuries? Think about all the guys we've lost to feet related injuries over the years, BCrouch, Tex, Sloane, Knight, Brown, Berg, Gooch, and thats just the ones I remember off the top of my head!

And not to mention the long, drawn out recoveries from feet injuries? Have we ever inquired into the practice playing surface? Seems too odd an area of the body to keep reoccurring for my liking!

 

[Jack is Back]

We currently have the fittest list in the AFL. Only 4 players on our injury list compared to the AFL average of 8. Our four players include Himmelberg and Gallucci who are ‘test’ and McPherson 1 week.

Theoretically we could have 43 players available for round one. We all know that this never lasts but it is a good starting point. Ironically the next best is GWS who also had an injury season from hell in 2018.

Sydney, St Kilda, North Melbourne and Melbourne have 10-12 on their injury list with Freo leading the pack with 13.

More importantly, our ten most valuable players are all ready to go (I rank Brown just outside the top ten). Last year Talia, Brown, Smith, Sloane, Brouch, Mrouch, Tex, Lynch and Eddie all missed games and/or played with significant injuries.

Is it good luck or good design? I don’t GAF just as long it continues.

 

[Carmo]

Amazingly Richmond actually have a few injuries for the first time in two years as well.

We should be able to beat a full strength sydney if we're any good, but that said they've got a few 1-3 weekers, it would be a real help to us if they turned out more 3 weekers than 1 weekers seeing as we have them in round two.

 

[John Who]

We currently have the fittest list in the AFL. Only 4 players on our injury list compared to the AFL average of 8. Our four players include Himmelberg and Gallucci who are ‘test’ and McPherson 1 week.

Theoretically we could have 43 players available for round one. We all know that this never lasts but it is a good starting point. Ironically the next best is GWS who also had an injury season from hell in 2018.

Sydney, St Kilda, North Melbourne and Melbourne have 10-12 on their injury list with Freo leading the pack with 13.

More importantly, our ten most valuable players are all ready to go (I rank Brown just outside the top ten). Last year Talia, Brown, Smith, Sloane, Brouch, Mrouch, Tex, Lynch and Eddie all missed games and/or played with significant injuries.

Is it good luck or good design? I don’t GAF just as long it continues.

I think it’s a combination of poor management, poor training, and bad luck.
So far it seems reversed because we’re approaching the management with more care and luck is returning due to the laws of conservation of luck (ie. you win some, you lose some).

Hopefully no lengthy injuries this year, and the team can build on momentum working as a unit.

 

[Relaxed]

What is with this club and bloody feet injuries? Think about all the guys we've lost to feet related injuries over the years, BCrouch, Tex, Sloane, Knight, Brown, Berg, Gooch, and thats just the ones I remember off the top of my head!

And not to mention the long, drawn out recoveries from feet injuries? Have we ever inquired into the practice playing surface? Seems too odd an area of the body to keep reoccurring for my liking!

Not that many considering you have 40+ squad members running, jumping, kicking and getting tackled around 200 days of the year.
Running out 10-16km every game there are a plethora of situations where injuries can occur as well.

The types of foot injuries you tend to see keep players out of AFL are bruised heel, turf toe, linsfranc strain, plantar fasciitis. AFL players get their feet trapped in tackles (Rory Sloane) or trodden on. Repetitive kicking of a footy would put relatively strong forces through the foot area as well.

If it was purely a bad/uneven training surface, you would also see a number of other lower leg injuries crop up, like ankles, calves and hamstrings.

I had a pair of footy boots a few years ago, where I would get a midfoot strain every time I ran in them. It happened a few times before I realised it was the actual boots and not a recurring injury. I had been using the same series and size for a number of years, it was just this particular iteration that caused it. Needless to say I didn't use those again after I figured it out, and the foot issues ceased. I've had a couple bruised heels as well (ala Buddy Franklin 2018). The problem with foot injuries is that they start to feel alright walking around or jogging, but once you start to load up in a game situation if they go, you lose the ability to put any power through the ground.

 

[Alwaysacrow]

Wow. I just had a look at the injury list on the afl website. That looks magnificent. (Pity about Brown though), but we can't complain I guess. No excuses this time.
March 23rd. Bring it on!!!
I can't wait.

 

[crows dude]

So only Brown out for Round One. So we will have 44 + Wright available. 22 in the AFL and the others in the SANFL trial against Port Friday Night. Maybe one held back as an emergency. Be interesting if we are still like this for round one SANFL so see who is rested as Wright plays. Rules were changed after Summerton had to play reserves.

 

[Geoffa32]

I think it’s a combination of poor management, poor training, and bad luck.
So far it seems reversed because we’re approaching the management with more care and luck is returning due to the laws of conservation of luck (ie. you win some, you lose some).

Hopefully no lengthy injuries this year, and the team can build on momentum working as a unit.

Steve Saunders.....

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[Thylacinus]

Steve Saunders.....

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It seems like Brad Scott would agree with you:

"...Aside from the camp debacle, the Crows have also endured a torrid time with injuries, including a string of hamstring problems.

Senior figures in Adelaide’s football department, including Don Pyke and head of football Brett Burton, have grown frustrated at the amount of hamstring injuries after they consulted former North Melbourne fitness guru Steve Saunders.

Saunders’ KangaTech program was a raging success at North Melbourne, with Brad Scott once referring to Saunders as the most important person at the club..." https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...aftermath-of-horror-year-20180828-p500ct.html

 

[Betts are off]

Not that many considering you have 40+ squad members running, jumping, kicking and getting tackled around 200 days of the year.
Running out 10-16km every game there are a plethora of situations where injuries can occur as well.

The types of foot injuries you tend to see keep players out of AFL are bruised heel, turf toe, linsfranc strain, plantar fasciitis. AFL players get their feet trapped in tackles (Rory Sloane) or trodden on. Repetitive kicking of a footy would put relatively strong forces through the foot area as well.

If it was purely a bad/uneven training surface, you would also see a number of other lower leg injuries crop up, like ankles, calves and hamstrings.

I had a pair of footy boots a few years ago, where I would get a midfoot strain every time I ran in them. It happened a few times before I realised it was the actual boots and not a recurring injury. I had been using the same series and size for a number of years, it was just this particular iteration that caused it. Needless to say I didn't use those again after I figured it out, and the foot issues ceased. I've had a couple bruised heels as well (ala Buddy Franklin 2018). The problem with foot injuries is that they start to feel alright walking around or jogging, but once you start to load up in a game situation if they go, you lose the ability to put any power through the ground.

Not downplaying the rest of the post, cause I agree and appreciate that info. But the part in bold, I did mean in comparison to other teams!

I don't feel like I see any other clubs struck down as often as us with feet related issues

 

[baldandbroke]

Will need a fit Himmelberg, Mcadam and Davis this. All 3 may be very useful at the pointy end of the season if we have tired or injured players. The ruck situation will be interesting to watch if Jacob's ruckwork totally falls off a cliff which i suspect it will. The club obviously has a contingency plan in place of using one of ROB, Paul Hunter or Himmelberg. I would presume Jacob's has been promised a certain amount of games to prove himself otherwise he will be dropped. I would say 3 games at this stage. If he loses all 3 i feel pretty confident we will have a different ruck setup by round 4. Moving forward the club must trade in a decent ruck end of year as it's single biggest priority.

I was reading the Hawks board re the opening game ... And there were a few posts lauding our ruck. Described as 'one of the best ruck divisions in the AFL' if I remember correctly.

Funny how we eat our own.

Jacobs is a good ruckman. Jenkins has improved his ruck work (only way was up). ROB / Himmelberg / Hunter as back up.

I watched Jacobs very closely on replays from last year ...cf the pre-season games this year. He was not even 75% in 2018.

His work in close is very good, his disposal and ball use is very good. Sure, I hate it when he taps it to his feet for a quarter ... Or misses the free tap to one of our mids and feeds the oppo instead.

BUT he is an important part of our midfield, and most teams would love him in their 22.

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[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

I was reading the Hawks board re the opening game ... And there were a few posts lauding our ruck. Described as 'one of the best ruck divisions in the AFL' if I remember correctly.

Funny how we eat our own.

Jacobs is a good ruckman. Jenkins has improved his ruck work (only way was up). ROB / Himmelberg / Hunter as back up.

I watched Jacobs very closely on replays from last year ...cf the pre-season games this year. He was not even 75% in 2018.

His work in close is very good, his disposal and ball use is very good. Sure, I hate it when he taps it to his feet for a quarter ... Or misses the free tap to one of our mids and feeds the oppo instead.

BUT he is an important part of our midfield, and most teams would love him in their 22.

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I think that may just be because the Hawks supporters are remembering 2014-2017 Jacobs, not 2018 Jacobs.

 

[Murray2503]

I was reading the Hawks board re the opening game ... And there were a few posts lauding our ruck. Described as 'one of the best ruck divisions in the AFL' if I remember correctly.

Funny how we eat our own.

Jacobs is a good ruckman. Jenkins has improved his ruck work (only way was up). ROB / Himmelberg / Hunter as back up.

I watched Jacobs very closely on replays from last year ...cf the pre-season games this year. He was not even 75% in 2018.

His work in close is very good, his disposal and ball use is very good. Sure, I hate it when he taps it to his feet for a quarter ... Or misses the free tap to one of our mids and feeds the oppo instead.

BUT he is an important part of our midfield, and most teams would love him in their 22.

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Shaun Rehn was a great ruck when he wasn't injured. No adelaide crows ruck has ever come close to 50% of Rehn's output imo. I know Jacob's is like bambi to many a supporter but my eyes don't lie.
He finished in the bottom few rucks last year for a reason. He may have been a good ruck 4 to 5 years ago which commentators and other teams supporters who maybe watch 1 of our games a year keep referencing. Sorry but the fact he is still our first choice ruck is an indictment on list management and our ability to trade in players. If we win a flag it will be in spite of him and not because of him.

 

[crows dude]

Shaun Rehn was a great ruck when he wasn't injured. No adelaide crows ruck has ever come close to 50% of Rehn's output imo. I know Jacob's is like bambi to many a supporter but my eyes don't lie.
He finished in the bottom few rucks last year for a reason. He may have been a good ruck 4 to 5 years ago which commentators and other teams supporters who maybe watch 1 of our games a year keep referencing. Sorry but the fact he is still our first choice ruck is an indictment on list management and our ability to trade in players. If we win a flag it will be in spite of him and not because of him.

Rehnny carried us in 1994. 1995 and 1996 a write off. 1997 he really started coming into his own working in tandem with Pitto. 1998 he was in a class of his own. Him and Roo top 4 in the Brownlow that year. 1999 another knee. Played a few games in 2000 before Ayres shifted him off to Hawthorn. That 1998 year though was a thing of beauty. I remember saying to my Dad in 2017 does Jacobs now replace Rehn as No 1 ruck if you do a greatest ever Crows team due to longevity. But Rehnny still has it.

 

[relapse]

Steve Saunders.....

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I agree, Saunders has definitely turned it all around for us.

A rumour I heard a few month ago (which I posted on here) was that the club had restructured our fitness dept and Burton no longer has any input into it. He is still listed in reporting terms above Matt Hass, but supposedly has no day to day input into our fitness program.

It's all Steve Saunders now with Matt Hass overseeing the area.

It definitely can't be a co-incidence that our injury issues have just magically disappeared since Burton has been removed from our fitness department. It's already looking like getting Saunders has been a massive coup for the club.

 

[Geoffa32]

I agree, Saunders has definitely turned it all around for us.

A rumour I heard a few month ago (which I posted on here) was that the club had restructured our fitness dept and Burton no longer has any input into it. He is still listed in reporting terms above Matt Hass, but supposedly has no day to day input into our fitness program.

It's all Steve Saunders now with Matt Hass overseeing the area.

It definitely can't be a co-incidence that our injury issues have just magically disappeared since Burton has been removed from our fitness department. It's already looking like getting Saunders has been a massive coup for the club.

Burton is more Admin now.


Shares his desk with Nige......

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[relapse]

Burton is more Admin now.


Shares his desk with Nige......

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As much as I wanted to see Burton hung, drawn and quartered, I am okay knowing that the club has realised it's mistake and has moved Burton away from where he could continue to cause damage.

 

[Elite Crow]

As much as I wanted to see Burton hung, drawn and quartered, I am okay knowing that the club has realised it's mistake and has moved Burton away from where he could continue to cause damage.

Realised it but never owned up to it, long live the boys club. I still recall Fages telling me Burton was a superstar and run rings around Polous. Why has he been removed from that role then?

Also how long into the season before the club come out with something like “see 2018 was a one off, we have great fitness staff”

 

[Geoffa32]

Realised it but never owned up to it, long live the boys club. I still recall Fages telling me Burton was a superstar and run rings around Polous. Why has he been removed from that role then?

Also how long into the season before the club come out with something like “see 2018 was a one off, we have great fitness staff”

Fagan is hardly going to see Burton is doing a poor job to a fan.

I take more stock the action of moving Burton out of the role (and bringing in a world class expert) over rhetoric to a fan.

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[relapse]

Realised it but never owned up to it, long live the boys club. I still recall Fages telling me Burton was a superstar and run rings around Polous. Why has he been removed from that role then?

Also how long into the season before the club come out with something like “see 2018 was a one off, we have great fitness staff”

No doubt the bullshit from the club will continue.

I'd put money that the official line from the club will be that Burton's role hasn't changed from last year.

While the club won't publicly admit its stuff ups, at least it seems as though they are addressing them internally.

 

[Elite Crow]

Fagan is hardly going to see Burton is doing a poor job to a fan.

I take more stock the action of moving Burton out of the role (and bringing in a world class expert) over rhetoric to a fan.

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What have they done internally so we don’t let Boys Club appointments * up our year again?

 

[Crow54]

Sorry for not knowing this, but is the women's team trained by the same group that trains the men? The women are doing exceptionally well in this area this year, but according to Ebony in the 'Tiser this morning, they weren't all that fit last year.

 

[Crow54]

I agree, Saunders has definitely turned it all around for us.

A rumour I heard a few month ago (which I posted on here) was that the club had restructured our fitness dept and Burton no longer has any input into it. He is still listed in reporting terms above Matt Hass, but supposedly has no day to day input into our fitness program.

It's all Steve Saunders now with Matt Hass overseeing the area.

It definitely can't be a co-incidence that our injury issues have just magically disappeared since Burton has been removed from our fitness department. It's already looking like getting Saunders has been a massive coup for the club.

Is there a list anywhere of all AFC staff, including admin as well as coaching? I think there used to be some names on their web-site, but I can't find them now.

 

[NikkiNoo]

Burton is more Admin now.


Shares his desk with Nige......

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Actual fact is that they have desks on completely different levels in the admin, so no sharing happens.

Smart has done bloody well in terms of getting in some very impressive companies to sponsor our men's and women's teams.

 

[Large 1]

Actual fact is that they have desks on completely different levels in the admin, so no sharing happens.

Smart has done bloody well in terms of getting in some very impressive companies to sponsor our men's and women's teams.

See the error you made there?

This is not a place for fact, it is a place to repetitively re-state rumours as fact until they are generally accepted as such.

See, for example, the “rumour” that Burton has been moved - that is now a big footy fact and no matter what the club states they are merely lying to the fans.