Looking forward to next year...u bet

[Slamin]

Theres a fair bit of ho hum going on and I recieved a post from "fightingdreamer88" that I thought would be good topic.

We are both really looking season 2008....are you ?

Its the biggest upheaval in 10 years, some old faces ( and much loved ones ) gone.

Some fresh faces comming in!

I cant wait to see what gems we discover, to follow the progress of some of our outstanding young ones.
See how the dynamic of the group changes with such experience moving on. Who will stand up , who will lead etc.

Will all these movements change our game style ?

Personally I dont think we are a premiership chance next year, but I think it will be one of the most refreshing years to watch our lads in years.

How will Symes and Moran develope with us ?

I find it all damm exciting and I say bring it on........

GO YOU CROWS !!!!!!!

 

[pjcrows]

I'm looking forward to next year, but don't expect us to be even close to winning a premiership. If we get in the finals it will be a bonus.

 

[BlackDouglas]

I agree and I am also looking forward to next year, I am excited about the new prospects coming into the club. I am excited about the fact that the match committee have identified that the current squad is not a premiership threat and we need to rebuild so we can start moving in the correct direction.

As we all know winning a premiership is more than one year hard work; it is a journey that takes many roads and right now we are at the begging of a new premiership journey. We may not make the finals next year but as long as we start adding the correct pieces to the puzzle we will achieve the ultimate success.

We now have a 6 year window to win a premiership because then the like of Ben Rutten, Nathan Bock, Scott Thompson, Brent Reilly, Trent Hentschel and Graham Johncock will be hitting the 30 year old age barrier. This will give us 2 year to get the likes of Walker, Sellar, Tippett, Maric, Griffin and any other new draftee up to scratch. So our window will be open between 2010 and 2013 giving us 3 or 4 year to win one with the next breed of players.

Hopefully we can fast track a few player and increase the level of expectation in 2008 and 2009 but I am not expecting finals next year. 2009 hopefully we can make the top 4 and be a genuine contender by 2010 again. I would like to think 1995 and 1996 under Robert Shaw had a lot to do with the success in 1997 and 98 so 2008 and 2009 have to amount to something as well. But this is just how I see the time line over the next few years, you may see thing differently.

 

[bobshoby]

It will be interesting to see how some of the younger players develop but beyond that I'm not really hoping for all that much, as has been said before, making the finals again would be an unexpected bonus.

 

[BWST]

You guys will be around the mark, sooner rather than later.

As much as i hate to say, your in my eight next year. Some players to come back, and a fantastic foundation.

 

[jenny61_99]

Yep Im looking forward to it... as I do every year. Love my footy.. pissed the cricket is on and want to know how many days is it till we start again?

 

[The Floodbuster]

I was bemused at some of your club's decisions over the past week.
I think the Crows will struggle next year, anything over 5 wins will be a great effort considering the state of your list.
Good luck on drafting Brad Ebert, I believe he will be availale when your pick comes around. It would be cruel to see the Crows waste another first round pick.

 

[jumpman5]

next year will possibly be one of them years when development of youngsters will be more exciting than winning....

the chop has been made and our intentions are clear....i'm highly anticipating watching sellar, TIPPET (big on this lad), mac kay, douglas, campbell, griffen, vince, maric and some possible first years being given plently of opportunity....

to be told they will be given 5-6-7 weeks on end to display their talents, allowing these boys to play with flair and no fear....in addition to this to be given quality time on the ground in positions they can thrive....

i think you'll also find NC will be forced to play a much more attacking brand...the tide has certainly turned and the ULTRA-DEFENSIVE has to go...its one thing to be good going both ways but i think you'll all agree the crows need more license to 'go for broke'.....

really looking forward to seeing the no.37 running around again, be a while before back to top flight but to see him back on the park will be fantastic...

 

[FAITH]

I think we should have kept Pfeiffer for at least 1 more yr, and I'm still shocked by the Torney decision.

Happy with the Gallman decision, and the other delistings. Also happy that Campbell was retained.

Dissapointed with how Hinge ended up, thought he had the attributes to succeed in the AFL.

Also If the crows decided to make the tough decisions like delisting Pfeifffer and Torney, why not go 1 further step and get rid of Doughty and Jericho?

As supporters of AFC, do we not deserve reasons why Torney and Pfeiff were delisted, and Doughty and Jericho not???

I'm also starting to get sick off our off-field staff. JR thinks he owns the club, and our recruiting department is a joke (Matt Rendell's comments especially).

Any chance we can recruit the entire off-field staff that exists at the Power?

 

[jarmanagic]

I was bemused at some of your club's decisions over the past week.
I think the Crows will struggle next year, anything over 5 wins will be a great effort considering the state of your list.
Good luck on drafting Brad Ebert, I believe he will be availale when your pick comes around. It would be cruel to see the Crows waste another first round pick.

well we play Port twice so already half way there. We've wasted 2 top 12 picks in the last 10 years but Port on the other hand

Rombotis
Lockwood
Harwood
Michael Stevens
Koulourotis
Adam Thomson

ring any bells?

 

[King Elvis]

Seriously - I'm not trying to be a w***er here, but the biggest thing to come out of next year will be whether Neil Craig develops as a Coach, or whether he has failed to learn anything over the last couple of years.

 

[Farmy]

I am looking forward to the many wins next year, and seeing some young kids develop.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

This may haunt me but i am not sure why many are thinking we will be lucky to make the 8.

Unless the injury curse strikes again, i can only see us improving.

We finished 8th in 07 (just, i know) but we lost so many close games, injuries disrupted the side, the coach was questionable in a couple key areas (much discussed), there appears there was a level of unrest within some factions of the playing group (some of whom are gone), and the players we have lost didn't contribute greatly in 07 bar Hudson and, to a lesser extent, Torney. IF we can cover Hudson, which with a new mix and midfield coach i believe we can, then all is not lost! Craig must also improve in flexibility and risking more attack (our defence will still cope better than most).

Crows to finish 3rd-7th!!

 

[Slamin]

This may haunt me but i am not sure why many are thinking we will be lucky to make the 8.

Unless the injury curse strikes again, i can only see us improving.

We finished 8th in 07 (just, i know) but we lost so many close games, injuries disrupted the side, the coach was questionable in a couple key areas (much discussed), there appears there was a level of unrest within some factions of the playing group (some of whom are gone), and the players we have lost didn't contribute greatly in 07 bar Hudson and, to a lesser extent, Torney. IF we can cover Hudson, which with a new mix and midfield coach i believe we can, then all is not lost! Craig must also improve in flexibility and risking more attack (our defence will still cope better than most).

Crows to finish 3rd-7th!!

Hope you are right champ

The one thing amongst alot of gloom on here is that we still have a solid base. With the room now to play alot of the younger ones anything could happen.

My Port mates all say they had real enjoyment watching their young lads grow, and apart from the obvious they really had an outstanding year.

I do agree with the N.C. bit here. It will be facinating to see how he goes about handling all this.The game plan , the sacrifices he will have to make to get some game time experience into the young ones.

I will find this year more exciting than the last few.

I have enjoyed watching clubs like Hawthorn , Port even Collingwood over the last year or 3 as they have pushed their youth into the big time. Some have sunk, but plenty will swim and others take to it like a fly to a ****.

I cant wait to see who is upto it, who is not. That goes for on field and off field.

Roll on 2008

 

[Crows88]

I was bemused at some of your club's decisions over the past week.
I think the Crows will struggle next year, anything over 5 wins will be a great effort considering the state of your list.
Good luck on drafting Brad Ebert, I believe he will be availale when your pick comes around. It would be cruel to see the Crows waste another first round pick.

First game thursday march 27th, dont know when we're on i cant wait!!!

 

[CaptainDangerfield]

Minimal quality EXPERIENCED ruckman, minimal forward line, minimal pace, minimal aggression - the rebuild has begun.

2008 - 10th-14th.

I'm happy that we are now finally looking towards the future. I just hope the NON-SA kids are content to hang around for what could be a bumpy few years.

 

[MeeKrob]

well we play Port twice so already half way there. We've wasted 2 top 12 picks in the last 10 years but Port on the other hand

Rombotis
Lockwood
Harwood
Michael Stevens
Koulourotis
Adam Thomson

ring any bells?

Matthew Bode, Shaun Burgoyne? Ring any bells?

 

[SA Tricolours]

Early days - but Crows should be similar to this year - around the 6 to 8 position.
Ricciuto has gone, but he only played 9 games (under injury cloud). Hudson has gone - Biglands will be back. Torney gone - Bassett (missed the last 10 games) to come back. Perrie gone (?) but Hentschel also to come back. Mattner can be replaced with Symes.
So overall the balance is the same.
Adelaide had the second worst injury/absense rate during 2007 - averaged 11 players per game according to the Official AFL website. [Note: Port had the fewest at 5 players per game.]
With better luck with injuries and some of the younger players hopefully to develop, and I believe that Craig will react positively to this year, that there is scope to finish around 4 to 5.

 

[Stiffy_18]

I think next year will be a really interesting one for us from development perspective.

I think the intentions this trade week and especially after the delistings are clear as daylight. Rebuild and develop. When you do that, you will get inconsistencies, trashings but also some exciting wins and exciting young talent growing in front of our very own eyes.

I expect us to push the kids through next year and push them hard. Throwing them to the wolves at times. As a result history will tell you there will be some short term pain for some long term gain.

Expect the likes of Douglas, van Berlo, Knights, Griffin, Maric, Tippett, MacKay, Symes, Vince et al... to get a fair few opportunities next year. Give them more game time and see what happens. Maybe this is the year that we need to have in order to make the transition a bit smoother.

Youth can surprise. When many expect the youth to fail, sometimes they rise up and surprise everyone around them. Think of Bombers in 1993 and Power of 2007.

I am looking forward to next year. Not so much of our achievment level in terms of wins and losses but more so to see these kids play and develop and thats one of the most exciting things in football.

 

[PCORF]

I'm looking forward to next year, but don't expect us to be even close to winning a premiership. If we get in the finals it will be a bonus.

We can have a very good year if we stop kicking ourselves in and start getting back to the basics like in 2005 and 2006. And confidence is the no1 issue to success. We can go a long way if we believe.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Next year is going to be a crunch year for Craig as he will need to reinvent himself as a coach. Certainly need to attack more & get back some of the enjoyment. In a way he has been a victim of his early success & with us being round abouts for a flag, it has probably cost us blooding more youth than we otherwise would have.

Apart from Geelong & the bottom few clubs, the competition was very even this year. I see it being a similar story in 2008, but with Richmond, Melbourne & perhaps Essendon the strugglers. If we get a reasonable run with injuries, there is no reason why we won't again make the finals - even playing the younger guys, which is a must. As Stiffy mentioned, this will lead to some inconsistent performances.

Our rucks will probably be weaker in the short-term with the loss of Hudson / gain of Biglands - we really need Maric &/or Griffin to take the next step.

Need to keep the phasing out of Goodwin & Edwards / increase the responsibilit of the younger guys. Hopefully see Vince & Douglas get more of a run.

Forward line should be better off with Hentschel (even 70% of his former self) & Gill combo. Welsh & Burton are better as flankers. Need to find a crumber though from somewhere.

Backline will be solid as always.

 

[bus24]

Backline will be solid as always.

That's the difference between us and some of the clubs that are rebuilding (ie. tanking), we'll still have a rock solid defence.

Should enable a decent rebuilding year, with a fair few wins, but no massive losses to kill the confidence.

If we get 9-12 wins, BUT see some big steps forward in terms of youth development, then I'll be reasonably satisfied. In all honesty, I don't think we'll be much worse than this year.

 

[johnwehbe]

well we play Port twice so already half way there. We've wasted 2 top 12 picks in the last 10 years but Port on the other hand

Rombotis
Lockwood
Harwood
Michael Stevens
Koulourotis
Adam Thomson

ring any bells?

and how many rising star nominations have we recieved unlike the dud youngsters the crows pick up

 

[Southerntakeover]

Minimal quality EXPERIENCED ruckman, minimal forward line, minimal pace, minimal aggression - the rebuild has begun.

2008 - 10th-14th.

I'm happy that we are now finally looking towards the future. I just hope the NON-SA kids are content to hang around for what could be a bumpy few years.

You're fairly confident then.


I think we'll be fine. Injuries will depend on whether or not we can makea top 4 run.

 

[FlyingCrow]

I thought we did well this year. We rarely had the same 22 on the aprk more than twice in a row. We saw Craigys plan B this year. We were playing each week trying to keep our head above water...

WE took neagatives going into Trade week with The three palyers wanting to go. lets face it besides Hudson's second efforts, will they be miseed. I dont think so. We walked out of Trade week witha new air of confidence and an ey on the future. Bighlands will be back and Hudson going will allow Maric (who will be the next AFL gun ruckman) to step up. Symes is a more than capable replacement for Mattner. He will be a star in two years time. Anyone who comes runner up in Magarey at 22 is special. Port wanted to keep him, he wanted out. With us he will flourish. He is dedicated to his craft and wont piss his opportunity away like other kids we get. Moran could be anything. He could end up being the answer to our forward line problems. He is quick and tall. He can ruck and he can even be a tall defender. Getting him for pick 37 is a good get. He fails he didnt cost much.

Torney and Bode getting delisted is a clear indication that as contracts come up the older players will be under heavy scrutiny. When does Burton and Doughty Contract come up, surely they should go. Be interesting to see how Goodwin,Edwards and Bassett are treated. Macca is ageless and will play till he wants to retire.

Next year is gonna be a good year... Looks like some younger guys are gonna get a shot and we will still be competative as our core playing group is still a top 8 group. I reckon we will be top 6...