Neil Craig

[Moonwatcher]

Did anyone actually watch the H&A Adelaide v Hawthorn match. Massie continually trailed Franklin by about 5m and each time a Hawthorn midfielder kicked it over Franklin's head we cheered Massie. How could anyone say Massie played well because of the actions of the Hawthorn midfield. Craig should not have repeated the move after it didn't work the first time.

 

[birdmanptr]

You cannot pin point the loss on one single action of play. Don’t forget we kicked 12 behinds for the afternoon so if you want to blame Scott Thompson by kicking it out of bounds. If you’re going to lay the blame on Scott Thompson take a long hard look at the kicking for goal skill errors as well.

Lance Franklin’s last minute goal won the game for Hawthorn but Scott Thompson kicking it out of bounds didn’t lose us the game.

I am not blaming Thompson for the loss i am saying it did not help and no one has mentioned it.All every one is doing is blaming Craigy he to did not help BUT there was more to the hawthorn loss than Craigy as you point out 12 points a problem which haunted us most of the year.

You are also correct in saying you cant blame a loss on one single play however Craigy is getting slammed for leaving Massie on Franklin which could also be called one single play.

I dont see how so many people can continue to question Neil as he has had to deal with some hopeless circumstances in all 3 finals and the lead up to the finals.

 

[birdmanptr]

And if Thomspon single handedly didn't keep us in the game after half time, then the margin would have been much greater than it was. Thats a fact. He was one of only 2-3 players who can hold their heads high after half time. He was CLEARLY our best player in the 2nd half and to pin the loss on him is deplorable.

No Thompson and the margin if at least 30 plus points. No ifs or buts.

I am not

I am saying it was one of many factors that did not help although the blame for the loss is being put on Craigy for not moving Massie.

 

[Crow Envy]

I am not blaming Thompson for the loss i am saying it did not help and no one has mentioned it.All every one is doing is blaming Craigy he to did not help BUT there was more to the hawthorn loss than Craigy as you point out 12 points a problem which haunted us most of the year.

You are also correct in saying you cant blame a loss on one single play however Craigy is getting slammed for leaving Massie on Franklin which could also be called one single play.

I dont see how so many people can continue to question Neil as he has had to deal with some hopeless circumstances in all 3 finals and the lead up to the finals.

Id say it was more like 8 plays for the 8 goals Franklin kicked, three of those in the last qtr when Craig had more than enough time to realise it wasnt working.

 

[PCORF]

I'm going to blame the whole team for that loss! And many of our losses in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007.

 

[KingsCrow]

What I couldn't beleive was after Thompson kicked it out on the full, was how it eventually went to Franklin. Even to a blind baffon it was obvious who they were going to kick it too. When hodge ( i think) kicked it too him I screamed my lungs out.

Since I was about 8 my coach always told me to stand in front of the lead of a good forward line player. Also known as filling the spot.

I'd really like to see if anyone actually did that.

 

[NikkiNoo]

I'd really like to see if anyone actually did that.

Goodwin and Burton were the two. One was behind Franklin and one was in front and they both pretty much stood there and watched it occur and provided no help to Massie.

 

[Crow-mo]

I am not blaming Thompson for the loss i am saying it did not help and no one has mentioned it.All every one is doing is blaming Craigy he to did not help BUT there was more to the hawthorn loss than Craigy as you point out 12 points a problem which haunted us most of the year.

You are also correct in saying you cant blame a loss on one single play however Craigy is getting slammed for leaving Massie on Franklin which could also be called one single play.

I dont see how so many people can continue to question Neil as he has had to deal with some hopeless circumstances in all 3 finals and the lead up to the finals.

sorry thompsons kick is not often mentioned, as only the most illinformed would try to emphasise that as the difference.

 

[Markthirtytwo]

My concern is that I don't believe that he has. In an interview some time after the game he said that even in hindsight he would do the same again.

That's Gary Ayres stuff IMO.

I heard it's his New Years resolution. Don't put Massie on Buddy, Don't put Massie on Buddie.

 

[crowsup]

I think you are a bit harsh on NC on this call. I think it is the general view of the football community that the best way to play Franklin is to put a smaller player on him that can go with him for speed and has the agility at ground level, suprisingly enough this is the area he does the vast majority of his damage because he is creating goals out of nothing at ground level and makes bigger key position players look like they are moving in slow motion.

NC just felt that he was the best man for the job and that the team was not executing the plan correctly and if they were to get things right then the plan would come together.

On that reasoning you can understand him sticking with Massie if he felt it was not Massie's fault but the support he was getting both in defense and in the middle to put more pressure on the supply inside 50.

You can say he is a dingbat for not making a change but his plan still had the Crows in a winning position, it was only an untimely error in judgement that ultimately cost the match.

So what if he moved Rutten onto Franklin or someone else and he just contined to run amok and kick 10 goals instead of 7, would that have made him a better coach?

You guys almost won, should have won, were missing a lot of players and were carrying a lot of suspect players who hadn't really recovered from injuries. I think you are a bit harsh going the ten commandments at NC, especially when the following week we played the Hawks and put Gibson on Franklin who is basically the same size player with similar strengths and weaknesses.

The plan was fine, the execution by the players was far from flawless and NC shouldn't be the one hung up to dry for that. He identified the best strategy, the best matchup, you can say not making any changes cost the game but you don't know that, perhaps making a chance wouldn't have blown the game wide open and the Hawks could have won comfortably.

I think when you are in a winning position then you can't ask much more from the coach, the rest is up to the players and they made a lot of errors on the night, focusing on Thommo's is not fair but it highlighted the real problem for the night.

Perhaps his biggest flaw is having too much faith in the players, it is a kind of personality quirk that will go thankless no matter how much good it brings to the club yet people only seem to remember the negatives.[/quote]

I would like to thank you for taking the time to post such an insightful comment on this (apparently) contentious thread.
I agree with all of the points you made. Especially the highlighted paragraph.
It is unbelievable to think that the best coach of 2005 and till round 16 of 2006, has his ability questioned by so many so soon.

 

[Damp Squarie]

Its more astounding that you dont mention the 2006 PF and beyond.

 

[KingsCrow]

Its a shame. If we had won either of those PF I am so sure we would have beaten Sydney in the GF and Craig would be praised as one of the best coaches of the modern era. But things didn't turn out that way.

I don't think we should be to quick to pull the pin on him. 2008-2009 will show his true ability as a coach. I wish him the best of luck too

 

[Geoffa32]

Its a shame. If we had won either of those PF I am so sure we would have beaten Sydney in the GF and Craig would be praised as one of the best coaches of the modern era. But things didn't turn out that way.

I don't think we should be to quick to pull the pin on him. 2008-2009 will show his true ability as a coach. I wish him the best of luck too

this is what I am looking forward too.

I was talking to a mate about Adelaide on New Years Eve. In particular our young players. He has played some top level football, no names.

He mentioned one reason we dont get Norwich Rising Star nominations, is because our young players get a spot and generally manintain it. They dont necesarily have an "explosive game", which is needed to get a nomination. Key examples of this are Rutten, VB Johncock, Knights, Mattner. He was saying that NC instills in our kids that they have as much responsibility as the Goodys and Maccas.

This will be emphasised in the next two years.

 

[birdmanptr]

sorry thompsons kick is not often mentioned, as only the most illinformed would try to emphasise that as the difference.

It was not the difference far from it but it was one of the factors that did not help along with Craig leaving Massie on Franklin along with kicking 12 points.

 

[PCORF]

Its a shame. If we had won either of those PF I am so sure we would have beaten Sydney in the GF and Craig would be praised as one of the best coaches of the modern era. But things didn't turn out that way.

I don't think we should be to quick to pull the pin on him. 2008-2009 will show his true ability as a coach. I wish him the best of luck too

Not only we would have won those Grand Finals but we would have also put this close game rubbish behind us and gotten alot more faith into the players. Welsh and Huddon only quit because of our success and lack of faith. Now we'll be sitting there in (probably in our red uniforms) under the open roof at the dome in Round 1 watching them blast us to pieces. But having a bad year or two can be good actually. Only 3 games at Telstra Dome, all day games is a big no from me.

 

[Dogga79]

Not only we would have won those Grand Finals but we would have also put this close game rubbish behind us and gotten alot more faith into the players. Welsh and Hudson only quit because of our success and lack of faith. Now we'll be sitting there in (probably in our red uniforms) under the open roof at the dome in Round 1 watching them blast us to pieces. But having a bad year or two can be good actually. Only 3 games at Telstra Dome, all day games is a big no from me.

So they decided to go to the Dogs to find premiership fulfillment.

 

[relapse]

My concern is that I don't believe that he has. In an interview some time after the game he said that even in hindsight he would do the same again.

That's Gary Ayres stuff IMO.

Agreed

Unless he learns the ability to critique his own performance as a coach he wont ever take the next step and could end up on the scrapheap with Ayres if he isnt careful.

 

[Crow-mo]

It was not the difference far from it but it was one of the factors that did not help along with Craig leaving Massie on Franklin along with kicking 12 points.

correct. it was not the difference, not nearly. nor was it a factor on anywhere near the same level as the franklin matchup.

so it begs the question, why are you even asking about it?

 

[birdmanptr]

correct. it was not the difference, not nearly. nor was it a factor on anywhere near the same level as the franklin matchup.

so it begs the question, why are you even asking about it?

I ask cause I FEEL it needs to be asked

 

[Damp Squarie]

He mentioned one reason we dont get Norwich Rising Star nominations, is because our young players get a spot and generally manintain it.

Fair Point; but Griffin mustve been close.
Besides, theres more to the game than explosiveness.

Adelaides midfield is going to maintain presence in the middle just like Adelaide maintains presence in the finals.

We will never bottom out.

 

[Alex99]

this is what I am looking forward too.

I was talking to a mate about Adelaide on New Years Eve. In particular our young players. He has played some top level football, no names.

He mentioned one reason we dont get Norwich Rising Star nominations, is because our young players get a spot and generally manintain it. They dont necesarily have an "explosive game", which is needed to get a nomination. Key examples of this are Rutten, VB Johncock, Knights, Mattner. He was saying that NC instills in our kids that they have as much responsibility as the Goodys and Maccas.

This will be emphasised in the next two years.

We don’t get NAB rising star nominations simply because our young player only play about 45 – 50% game time.