Have we ever seen an exodus like what is taking place at Adelaide right now?

Jun 4, 2016
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Yep, 'looked like'. To be fair some players needed to be told their efforts were below par. Part of Walkers job is to lead from the front yes, and he didn't, but we don't know if structures were followed, I remember a couple of times where Richmond players went harder at the ball which should always be called out etc.
His behaviour towards lever when he left then hypocritically endorsing the Gibbs trade at the same time.
 
His peers wouldn't agree, being voted best captain on numerous occasions, guiding your team to a grand final after the playing groups coach being murdered I wouldn't say his legacy is poor, many captains never make a grand final, that would be seen as a poor or underwhelming legacy. It's time for a new leader, a new voice.

I agree on your last point... Sloane as a stand alone would be a good choice but could represent the "old regime".... Talia? one of the Crouches?
 

Great8

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Yeah they have their issues but have they really lost anyone so far they would like to keep? Most moving on are either moving on to collect a pension ie Jacobs/Betts or average jobbers who have struggled to get a game for them for one reason or another. They haven’t really lost anyone decent.
The fans have been calling for this for ages
 

Ron The Bear

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Maybe when Blighty arrived and tapped a number of blokes on the shoulder.

Tony McGuinness
Greg Anderson
Chris McDermott
Andrew Jarman
David Brown
Scott Lee
Wayne Weidemann
Scott Hodges
Nick Pesch
Matthew Kluzek
Jonathon Ross
Matthew Powell

That went rather well, but I don't see it happening this time.
 

John Who

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It’s really all a matter of perspective and what narrative you’ve been accepting in the last few years about the Crows.

Contrary to popular opinions the stuff ups started occurring after we had a spate of injuries in 2018 to Tex, Sloane, BCrouch (actually missed the entire year due to injury/surgery), MCrouch, Betts, Talia, Douglas, McGovern, Hampton, Seedsman. There was probably a few others.

Basically we couldnt play with any consistent structure due to our weakening midfield/forward over the weeks between early to mid-2018. The supposed “disaster”/“debacle” made out about the preseason camp was rubbish judging by the 6-3 start we had, sitting at 4th spot after round 9. Then when injuries hit us weekly at Guinness proportions, we started to crumble mid-2018.

This year was more due to the poor form of our veterans and none of the kids have really gone on to boost the results/morale. So this is where we’re at right now. Which choose-your-own-narrative would you like?

A. The Crows are having a mass exodus due to bad culture stemming from a 3 day Camp early 2018.

B. The Crows have been average this year and need a big kick up the butt to rejuvenate the playing list (with the aim to be more competitive in the coming years).
 
Jun 9, 2015
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Who knows, maybe it'll be the rebuild that is needed and be a positive.

But surely this is a poor reflection on T.Walker as captain?
No way. Ricciuto talks him up in the Adelaide media like he is a god, maybe because he is from the country, maybe because he bought into all his pubs, maybe because he is jealous of his man voice? There is no way he will ever get called a poor leader - the head honcho will ensure that
 
Apr 13, 2015
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Exodus is a tad dramatic.

Betts, Jacobs and Jenkins are pretty much cooked. Keath, CEY and Greenwood are handy role players but is there much point in offering them all 3-4 year deals at 27-28 years of age?

Brad Crouch is a fine player but gives them trade currency and cap space, plus his body has been troublesome in the past.

In saying all this, the decision to retain Mackay is quite bizarre. Probably not as bad as Melbourne re-signing Josh Wagner, but it’s up there on the fan rage-o-meter.

It’ll be interesting to see who they can bring in, but it’s not though they’re facing a breathtaking mass walkout.
 
Feb 14, 2018
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Discounting GWS and Gold Coast, which have become 'feeder clubs' in a sense, has there ever been this much fallout in the space of such a short time frame for a club?

I want to preface this by saying, this is in no way a slight against the fans or the Adelaide players, but against the management that has been heavily criticized in recent times.

While losing Dangerfield and Tippett stung in past years, trading by Adelaide was very much in their favour given the talent they brought in. In no particular order, players like Seedsman, Jacobs, Jenkins, Lynch and Betts, were all 'wins' for the club. These players were brought in for a decent price and were part of the push towards a GF in 2017 (a year Adelaide finished minor premiers and favourites for the cup).

It is since the fated 'pre-season camp' that everything has gone to hell. With rumours abound, Adelaide has fallen from one of the dominant teams of the comp, to back amongst the pack. With the list they have, and the talent acquired, they were expected to push back into Top 4 calculations this year, or at the very least, finals. Alas, this did not happen and the fallout this trade period is going to be even greater than years gone by. Now while there are some players that aren't required - Jacobs, Betts, Jenkins - players like Keath, Greenwood, Ellis-Yolmen, Brad Crouch, are still in their prime and worthy of staying on. Why is it then, that all these players are either:

a) requesting trades away due to Adelaide not meeting contractual demands?

or

b) being delisted due to not being part of the clubs's plans moving forward?

Speaking to a fair few Adelaide supporters and seeing the sentiment on their board, the fault seems to lie with senior management - in particular Ricciuto, Camporeale and Rob Chapman. Pyke is already gone, and Walker has stepped down as captain. 3 Indigenous players will be leaving/have left - Betts, Ellis-Yolmen and Cameron - and the fallout from this camp still continues to show itself.

To further demonstrate this, here is the Adelaide 22 from the 2017 Grand Final -

Laird, Hartigan, Lever
Seedsman, Talia, Brown
Mackay, Sloane, Atkins
Jacobs, B. Crouch, M. Crouch
Cameron, Jenkins, Betts
Lynch, Walker, Douglas
Knight, Kelly, Greenwood, Otten


Now here is the Adelaide 22, without the players being rumoured as leaving/already left/retired:

Hartigan,
Seedsman, Talia, Brown
Mackay, Sloane, Atkins
M. Crouch

Lynch, Walker,
Knight, Kelly,



Including McGovern in there as an emergency who failed to get up in time (who has also left), Ellis-Yolmen as a very decent fringe player and Keath as Best 22, is this list mismanagement, fall out from the camp, arrogance from their board and coaches in not offering players good enough contracts, or a combination of all of the above? This is probably the biggest list change I can ever recall, in recent years. Such is the differential between sides from 2017 to now. This is while still bizarrely offering players like Mackay, Knight and Hartigan to an extent, further contracts (Mackay just got offered his a few hours ago, which is just baffling to me).

This is the total sum of players lost since 2017 (including the proposed players this year). Bolded are the players I think will go/are gone, and underlined are the rumours:

Greenwood
B. Crouch
Laird

Jacobs
Betts
Jenkins
Keath
C. Cameron
M. McGovern
Ellis-Yolmen
Jacobs
Jenkins
Lever


I don't give much credence to the Smith and M. Crouch rumours, but the jungle fires are pretty strong on B. Crouch and Laird. I still think Laird will stay, but the fact his name is even being floated, is crazy to me.

What do people think? Is this smart management? Is this an acknowledgement of past mistakes, or more of the same? By re-signing Mackay and pushing out Greenwood and Keath, it certainly seems like there's some odd decisions still being made. Losing 12 best 22 players, alongside Otten and Douglas retiring, is very interesting to me. This is 2 seasons after recruiting Gibbs as the 'missing ingredient' for a Premiership.

Has there ever been a list fallout like this, from a contender just 3 seasons ago?

Discuss.

Yes I have seen an exodus like what is taking place at Adelaide right now
When MOSES led The Israelites from Egypt to the promised land
 

Shadow89

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Exodus is a tad dramatic.

Betts, Jacobs and Jenkins are pretty much cooked. Keath, CEY and Greenwood are handy role players but is there much point in offering them all 3-4 year deals at 27-28 years of age?

Brad Crouch is a fine player but gives them trade currency and cap space, plus his body has been troublesome in the past.

In saying all this, the decision to retain Mackay is quite bizarre. Probably not as bad as Melbourne re-signing Josh Wagner, but it’s up there on the fan rage-o-meter.

It’ll be interesting to see who they can bring in, but it’s not though they’re facing a breathtaking mass walkout.

You have to include Lever, Cameron and McGovern in there too, though. All highly talented players, that were in their Best 22 in 2017. I agree with some of it, but I do think that it's all happened at once, and a lot of their older players are going to suffer through some down years due to poor mismanagement in those years. I feel really sorry for Sloane, as he is just an out and out bleeding heart Adelaide star.

I just hope they look at their board and some of their decisions over the past 3-4 years, and really question these things (through the independent review outcomes).
 
Jan 19, 2008
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You have to include Lever, Cameron and McGovern in there too, though. All highly talented players, that were in their Best 22 in 2017. I agree with some of it, but I do think that it's all happened at once, and a lot of their older players are going to suffer through some down years due to poor mismanagement in those years. I feel really sorry for Sloane, as he is just an out and out bleeding heart Adelaide star.

I just hope they look at their board and some of their decisions over the past 3-4 years, and really question these things (through the independent review outcomes).

They do have a problem with player retention which is on the off field staff - but that is seperate to this year's exodus which is what they need to do with that list.
 
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