Analysis Have the Crows botched their rebuild?

[Obeanie1]

They'll be right. Next year they should push for finals. 0-4 start is effectively season over as silly as that sounds.

Too many clubs who failed to make it last year have made significant inroads.

I tipped them to not make finals.

Key defensive posts took a hit and needs addressing before they make finals was my reasoning.

Got a bit of flak for suggesting that and saying that rebuilds often are not linear. Sometimes clubs take a step back before heading forward again. This year looks like a step back or hovering just outside the top 8.

Tex had an outstanding season last year as well.

They havent stuffed up a rebuild. Thats a knee jerk Kane Cornes headline.

 

[faible]

They've had a lot of draft misses in the last 10 years, and lost some of their hits to other clubs. Always makes it hard when you've got to backfill talent.

Curtin and Thilthorpe are still young for KPPs, Rachele and Rankine are dynamic up forward and Dawson is quality through the middle.

There's enough there to keep them competitive, just need to find a star and fill some holes. They'll be fine, they're rarely bad for long.

 

[BACCS]

Our defensive six has been the best performing area all season (Keane could be leading our B&F atm), no idea why people default to that as a reason we are shit this year.

For someone that is apparently cooked, Tex did have 15 disposals, a goal, 10 marks and 8 score involvements last night.

Our issue very clearly lies with our midfield mix and offensive structures, which comes down to coaching. They kept banging on all pre season about needing to improve defensively (which is slightly better this year, so yay), but seemed to forget what won us so many games last year was our ability to kill teams on turnover. As a result, have lost 40+ points per game on offense to have a slightly better defense.

The most worrying thing is that Nicks keeps thinking it’s just players out of form and not playing to their structures well enough, no accountability that maybe their planning for this season could be an issue.

 

[Daka]

For someone that is apparently cooked, Tex did have 15 disposals, a goal, 10 marks and 8 score involvements last night.

Our issue very clearly lies with our midfield mix and offensive structures, which comes down to coaching. They kept banging on all pre season about needing to improve defensively (which is slightly better this year, so yay), but seemed to forget what won us so many games last year was our ability to kill teams on turnover. As a result, have lost 40+ points per game on offense to have a slightly better defense.

the Crows had more inside 50 entries than Melbourne last night, although maybe the entries haven't been as good you can't always blame the midfield. last year you guys were the top scoring team what has changed?

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

They have had a few draft misses, there most most talented players they got from other clubs Dawson/Rankine.

Walker old & Sloane basically retired.
Weak spine on both ends and a midfield which is pretty vanilla but not the most damaging players.

Walker having a freak 70 goal season surely created a false economy for them.

I still can't wrap my head around how that happened to be honest.

 

[Daka]

Walker having a freak 70 goal season surely created a false economy for them.

I still can't wrap my head around how that happened to be honest.

Could be but also they're not locking the ball inside 50 like they were a lot last season.

 

[Atomboy]

Would you say they are in “No Man’s Land” ?.

 

[BACCS]

the Crows had more inside 50 entries than Melbourne last night, although maybe the entries haven't been as good you can't always blame the midfield. last year you guys were the top scoring team what has changed?

I just explained it, we have completely changed the way we move the ball on offense. Rahilly left and Burns has taken over, but seems to be using nothing from what Rahilly helped build here over the last 3 seasons.

We played our best game of the season last night, which is concerning as it’s still well below last years standards. We shouldn’t be regressing at this stage of our development.

 

[madjoe]

rebuild looks poor due to ball use, not sure how you fix that with the players they have on the list. biggest issue i see is nicks backs in smith to be the kicker out of the defence when he has poor skills. add into that the mid group looks one paced, berry cook just look off it which is costly for them


rachele looks lost atm not sure what's going on his first month of footy as a18 year old was insane.

 

[BACCS]

Walker having a freak 70 goal season surely created a false economy for them.

I still can't wrap my head around how that happened to be honest.

Probably because he’s an elite key forward and has kicked 50+ goals in a season before. We also had 7 other players kick 20-30+ goals last year too, it wasn’t all just Tex (otherwise you end up like North with Larkey).

 

[RonnieRaven]

If you botch your picks you botch your rebuild.
People called me foolish at the start of the year when I said they would be btm 6 and getting an AA year out of tex and good years (injury free) out of their over 25 created a false dawn.
They have good workers classy fwds and honest backs but they have no top 10 midfield talent.
They have to wait until the end of 2025 to get petty for free and utilise the next two years of top 10 picks on midfielders.
If they got butters instead of jones in 2018 and serong or young instead of Mcasey in 2019 they would be in a lot better position

 

[TheKanga]

I think they could be the next Eagles if they are not careful.

 

[joe444]

I just explained it, we have completely changed the way we move the ball on offense. Rahilly left and Burns has taken over, but seems to be using nothing from what Rahilly helped build here over the last 3 seasons.

We played our best game of the season last night, which is concerning as it’s still well below last years standards. We shouldn’t be regressing at this stage of our development.

Maybe.

Teams are paying more attention to you now as well. And your older players are a year older, too.

Personally, I just don't buy the claims that the list is particularly good. I see plenty of honest tryers there. But I see a lot players who would frustrate the hell out of me at Geelong.

And what, in the end, was last year? After Round 6, it was 7 wins and 10 losses.

And those wins included playing the Eagles twice, and North. And in Round 6 you beat Hawthorn.

To quote the Americans, maybe there's just "no there there".

 

[Ricmel]

Their biggest issue is that Tex is still their go to forward. It reminds me of Saints 2012 - 2015 with Riewoldt. Not in the right age bracket to rebuild around. Need to find a KPF and some more mid field class. List is solid, needs some stars.

 

[go_the_dockers]

They've had a lot of draft misses in the last 10 years, and lost some of their hits to other clubs. Always makes it hard when you've got to backfill talent.

Curtin and Thilthorpe are still young for KPPs, Rachele and Rankine are dynamic up forward and Dawson is quality through the middle.

There's enough there to keep them competitive, just need to find a star and fill some holes. They'll be fine, they're rarely bad for long.

Thilthorpe has been disappointed for an early pick, but it still early. May be a better ruck.
Same with McHenry.
McAsey was a disaster, especially considering the picks after him.


They are missing at least two good mids, a good key forward plus some quality in there back half. I see them struggling the next 5 years, as Tex and a few other older players stop playing.

 

[JPetro83]

100%.. poor drafting yet again and poor trading/FA..
we continue to address our needs and that's a gun midfielder and a solid KPD
Plus the coach isnt the right guy for the job. He will be sacked come May 2025.

 

[JPetro83]

Bottom 4 lock this year. They should just tell Tex and Sloane to play their farewell games in the showdown next month and just play the kids. Time to Bring in Curtain and Dowling.

 

[Ambrosia]

I don't think they ever did rebuild.

Made a grand final. Had a camp. Been somewhat competitive ever since.

They need a scorched earth rebuild now though.

You mean like North Melbourne? Scorched earth rebuilds make no sense with the removal of priority picks and the draft being compromised.

What’s the last tear down rebuild that can be pointed to as a success?

 

[joe444]

100%.. poor drafting yet again and poor trading/FA..

Yeah, I was just looking at the 2020 draft again. Of the top 20 picks, Adelaide have Thilthorpe and Pedlar.
Geelong have Bruhn, O Henry and Holmes.
That's pretty stark.

 

[Harris 10]

Adelaide are another example of how hard it is to rebuild.
The FS, academy picks and free agency have completely screwed the integrity of the competition.

 

[Alfonz]

To state the obvious, they haven't managed to get a good return from their drafting with top 20 picks in the last 10 years ... Lever left, Milera, Doedee left, Fogarty, Gallucci, Jones, McHenry, McAsey, Pedlar. Not sure where Thilthorpe is at. Might be some alarm bells with Rachele's form. If Curtin comes on, I think Freo will come calling.

 

[burge13]

Adelaide are another example of how hard it is to rebuild.
The FS, academy picks and free agency have completely screwed the integrity of the competition.

Agreed completely compromised drafts is just another thing that shows how amateur the AFL really is compared to other sports

But we'll also benefit from Scott Welsh son next year who's reportedly a gun so may we finally benefit

We also thankfully missed on Tarryn Thomas due to NM matching pick 9 with random picks in the 40s (showing how dumb that fiasco is) so he was their problem rather than ours

 

[STPer18]

Roast - Geelong can't develop young players

As part of my research into the Crows slow rebuild I thought I'd check out high ranking teams lists. First team I checked out was perennial finalists Geelong. What I found with Geelong was really surprising, they have an abysmal record of developing their own players. Others may want to offer...

www.bigfooty.com

[ROAST] Adelaide can't develop young players

 

[joe444]

Adelaide are another example of how hard it is to rebuild.
The FS, academy picks and free agency have completely screwed the integrity of the competition.

Ah, not this again.

Some teams simply refuse to accept that they have stuffed up their rebuild, or rebuilt too harshly. Or just aren't very good at recruiting and trading.

Since 2015, St Kilda, Carlton and Melbourne have rebuilt. The fact that the only Victorian team that hasn't is North Melbourne has nothing to do with how unfair and unjust the competition is.

 

[Orange crush]

I think they could be the next Eagles if they are not careful.

Indeed …. Or even worse, the next North