Preview R1: Changes for 2025

[Mutineer]

Wouldn’t be getting too carried away

Gothart will likely go past him next year and Darcy Jones is a more dangerous player overall re creating goals and applying pressure

Harvey Thomas will be a solid player though , Zac Merrett ? Nah don’t reckon

Ollie on the march too...

 

[Jeffcrowe]

We're not going to go head to head again Jeff, are we .......I watched all of his games, as an owner, very composed, beautiful reader of the game .....I'll happily compare to Merrett, given what he achieved in his first year

Yep, let's get it on ....again

11 possessions a game , 0.4 goals per game , 2.7 tackles a game . Good solid player with footy smarts , don’t see huge weapons like I see with Hannaford , Jones , Gothart even

It was a solid debut year for a late pick as a small forward

 

[1970crow]

I think he has a lot of AFL attributes and seemed to be a clear best 22 before his injury. I hope he finds his way back to that level.

Regardless how he got there, he descended to a bloke that would have been playing 3rds of we had an ammo alignment or sanfl reserves. But he got back up and going and played some good footy behind the ball and then on a wing. I’m still cautiously optimistic that he’ll end up a top dozen player.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

11 possessions a game , 0.4 goals per game , 2.7 tackles a game . Good solid player with footy smarts , don’t see huge weapons like I see with Hannaford , Jones , Gothart even

It was a solid debut year for a late pick as a small forward

I don't think anyone could say Merrett has huge weapons ......he just finds the ball and hits targets .....I put him in the same category

Don't look at stats for a first year player ......just watch him move to the right spots ......can't be taught

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I don't think anyone could say Merrett has huge weapons ......he just finds the ball and hits targets .....I put him in the same category

Don't look at stats for a first year player ......just watch him move to the right spots ......can't be taught

Smart player

 

[1970crow]

I've been trying to work out who drops out, who comes in ... it's a tougher job than this time last year (which is a good thing)

For me, these are the 18 that I have in pen (assuming no injuries) in games played order:

Player	DOB	Age at start of season	Height	Games
Alex Neal-Bullen	09/01/1996	29yrs - 2mths	182cm	176
Ben Keays	23/02/1997	28yrs - 0mths	185cm	136
Jordan Dawson	09/04/1997	27yrs - 11mths	190cm	131
Reilly O'Brien	20/08/1995	29yrs - 6mths	201cm	121
Darcy Fogarty	25/09/1999	25yrs - 5mths	192cm	102
Izak Rankine	23/04/2000	24yrs - 10mths	179cm	83
Isaac Cumming	11/08/1998	26yrs - 7mths	183cm	81
Mitch Hinge	28/06/1998	26yrs - 8mths	187cm	65
Jake Soligo	25/01/2003	22yrs - 1mths	179cm	60
Josh Rachele	11/04/2003	21yrs - 11mths	180cm	56
Nick Murray	18/12/2000	24yrs - 3mths	195cm	55
Riley Thilthorpe	07/07/2002	22yrs - 8mths	201cm	53
James Peatling	21/08/2000	24yrs - 6mths	182cm	45
Max Michalanney	26/02/2004	21yrs - 1mths	190cm	45
Mark Keane	17/03/2000	25yrs - 0mths	194cm	31
Josh Worrell	11/04/2001	23yrs - 11mths	195cm	30
Dan Curtin	08/03/2005	20yrs - 0mths	197cm	7
Sid Draper	05/07/2006	18yrs - 8mths	182cm	0

Which leaves only 4 spots from this batch:

Player	DOB	Age at start of season	Height	Games
Taylor Walker	25/04/1990	34yrs - 10mths	192cm	278
Rory Laird	29/12/1993	31yrs - 2mths	178cm	247
Matt Crouch	21/04/1995	29yrs - 10mths	181cm	158
Wayne Milera	14/09/1997	27yrs - 6mths	185cm	99
Chayce Jones	14/01/2000	25yrs - 2mths	180cm	92
Jordon Butts	31/12/1999	25yrs - 2mths	195cm	75
Lachlan Sholl	07/03/2000	25yrs - 0mths	186cm	74
Sam Berry	12/02/2002	23yrs - 1mths	181cm	57
Luke Pedlar	17/05/2002	22yrs - 9mths	183cm	30
Brayden Cook	18/07/2002	22yrs - 7mths	189cm	27
Luke Nankervis	25/05/2003	21yrs - 9mths	189cm	24
James Borlase	18/07/2002	22yrs - 7mths	192cm	14
Zac Taylor	31/01/2003	22yrs - 1mths	180cm	9
Billy Dowling	01/07/2004	20yrs - 8mths	187cm	9
Hugh Bond	25/09/2004	20yrs - 5mths	185cm	7
Charlie Edwards	18/05/2005	19yrs - 9mths	191cm	0
Oscar Ryan	15/05/2005	19yrs - 10mths	187cm	0
Toby Murray	03/11/2003	21yrs - 4mths	200cm	0

That's tough.

Walker, Laird are straight through ... Walker only in this batch because I don't think he is an automatic selection each week based on management of the old fella!! Laird needs to perform to keep his spot, which I fully expect him to do.

Crouch is on the edge. I love his first class hands but not sure how he fits in, who's spot he takes from the first list?

I have Nankervis in the 22, so that leaves only one best 22 spot.

Jeez - that is quite the squeeze.

Bond pushed back by Laird going to the back-line.
Dowling fighting with quite a list of similar types now, love him ... he looks like a really good prospect.
Taylor is a footballer, but again - who does he push out?

Jones, Cook and Pedlar need some luck with their bodies and a quantum leap to come to fruition sooner than later.

Edwards and Ryan are on the top of my list for "wanting to see what they can do at AFL level".

The other talls in there like Butts, Borlase, Murray will be needed at some stage.

Milera needs to show at SANFL that he still has his weapons - and that they are loaded and firing when needed.

Berry, as others have pointed out is fighting directly with Peatling - a fight he loses at this stage :-(

I reckon it's Sholl that gets the last spot. Had a very good 2024.

Berry is the most probably sub for me from the remainder, although don't exclude Murphy from having his card played by the shape loving coaches for that role.

And these 7 on the next level:

Player	DOB	Age at start of season	Height	Games
Brodie Smith	14/01/1992	33yrs - 2mths	194cm	262
Lachlan Murphy	04/12/1998	26yrs - 3mths	178cm	115
Harry Schoenberg	21/02/2001	24yrs - 0mths	180cm	61
Chris Burgess	26/11/1995	29yrs - 3mths	193cm	43
Kieran Strachan	05/10/1995	29yrs - 5mths	202cm	7
Tyler Welsh	15/08/2006	18yrs - 7mths	192cm	0
Karl Gallagher	21/02/2002	23yrs - 0mths	187cm	0

So my best 22:

F - Thilthorpe, Fogarty, Rachele
HF - Walker, Neale-Bullen, Curtin
Mid - Sholl, Dawson, Cumming
HB - Laird, Hinge, Michalanney
B - Worrell, Murray, Keane
Ruck - ROB, Soligo, Rankine
Int - Draper, Peatling, Keays, Nankervis
Sub - Berry

Looks solid, for a December squad

I don’t think Curtin is a certainty

 

[adelaidecrows]

I don’t think Curtin is a certainty

I agree. It will all hinge on his form in the pre season trial and intra club games.

 

[baldandbroke]

I don’t think Curtin is a certainty

I do. He needs to get a full taste of the big stuff and show us what he's got.

The club will want to know how much of the farm it should be selling to keep him.

 

[DarthMader]

B: Worrell, Murray, Michalanney
HB: Hinge, Keane, Cumming
C: Sholl, Dawson, Curtin
HF: Keays, Fogarty, Neal-Bullen
F: Walker, Thilthorpe, Rachele
R: O’Brien, Rankine, Crouch
I: Peatling, Laird, Soligo, Draper
Sub: Jones

Laird, Crouch and Sholl the only 3 I can see myself wanting to make way from this team for a best 22 as opposed to RD1 side (not including jones as the sub) the only other 2 who shouldn't be just about picking themselves every week (in the coaches view not mine) is Curtin and Draper.

 

[1990crow]

B: Worrell, Murray, Michalanney
HB: Hinge, Keane, Cumming
C: Sholl, Dawson, Curtin
HF: Keays, Fogarty, Neal-Bullen
F: Walker, Thilthorpe, Rachele
R: O’Brien, Rankine, Crouch
I: Peatling, Laird, Soligo, Draper
Sub: Jones

Laird, Crouch and Sholl the only 3 I can see myself wanting to make way from this team for a best 22 as opposed to RD1 side (not including jones as the sub) the only other 2 who shouldn't be just about picking themselves every week (in the coaches view not mine) is Curtin and Draper.

That 20 - 25th picked is pretty hard. Good problem to have.

Nankervis, Pedlar, Milera, Taylor, Bond could all find a way into the side pretty comfortably.

 

[adelaidecrows]

That 20 - 25th picked is pretty hard. Good problem to have.

Nankervis, Pedlar, Milera, Taylor, Bond could all find a way into the side pretty comfortably.

All the best sides I have seen from the media dont have Murphy listed even as emergencys. But Nicks loves him and I think we are all making a mistake to assume he wont be part of the round 1 best 23.

 

[1990crow]

All the best sides I have seen from the media dont have Murphy listed even as emergencys. But Nicks loves him and I think we are all making a mistake to assume he wont be part of the round 1 best 23.

Would mean a good player misses out, could cause friction if the form doesn't stack up on paper.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Would mean a good player misses out, could cause friction if the form doesn't stack up on paper.

Does it? Its competition for spots. If we have a lack of injuries round 1 thats all it will be written off as. Team Balance and competition.

Dont get me wrong, I dont think he should be anywhere near the best 30.

The likely scenario is Nicks selects players who dont need development.

 

[Pugsley]

I hope Nicksy takes some note of this. I don't see L. Murphy

 

[Jetwa5h]

F - Thilthorpe, Walker, Rachele
HF - Fogarty, Neale-Bullen, Curtin
Mid - Dawson, Crouch, Cumming
HB - Nankervis, Hinge, Michalanney
B - Worrell, Murray, Keane
Ruck - ROB, Soligo, Rankine
Int - Draper, Peatling, Keays, Ryan
Sub - Bond

Wouldnt mind seeing Dawson moved out to a wing in more of a Gulden type role, with his marking could be a great link and deliver type. Bond in case anyone gets of the leash, Rachelle to give Rankine a chop out from time to time

 

[119others]

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/adelaide/adelaide-season-2025-preview-simeon-thomaswilson-breaks-down-where-the-crows-sit/news-story/e750ea85a2433f95c76769c7eb3cedc9

Adelaide season 2025 preview: Simeon Thomas-Wilson breaks down where the Crows sit
Simeon Thomas-Wilson

From weekends Tiser. Close to my favoured team inc positions for round 1

FB: Max Michalanney, Mark Keane, Josh Worrell
HB: Wayne Milera, Nick Murray, Isaac Cumming
C: Lachlan Sholl, Jake Soligo, Mitch Hinge
HF: Alex Neal-Bullen, Darcy Fogarty, Ben Keays
FF: Riley Thilthorpe, Taylor Walker, Josh Rachele
FOLL: Reilly O’Brien, Jordan Dawson, Izak Rankine
INT: Matt Crouch, Rory Laird, James Peatling, Dan Curtin, Sid Draper

It should be a much changed best Crows team with the players they have brought in and those returning from long injury layoffs in 2024. Neal-Bullen should slot straight into a half-forward role, Cumming looks set to provide some class off half-back with a fully fit Wayne Milera, while Peatling is likely to rotate between a midfield and forward role. Draper has shown such promising glimpses in pre-season so far that, as reported by 'Bigman' on the Bigfooty AFL forum, he should bang down the door to the Crows side pretty quickly, while how Dan Curtin is used will be something to watch.



My minor changes - Hinge to HBF as like his big rebounding kick, toughness, aerial work and can 'play tall' in defence (eg taking down Cameron at the Cattery). So swap Hinge and Cumming who will provide pace on the wing and better kick into the forward line.

Jones, if fit and in form, replaces Sholl. Tougher, faster, better tackle and booming kick whilst offering more positional flexibility. Hoping he returns to second half of 2023 form now that he is injury free

To me its an exciting team both for the now and the future.

FB: Max Michalanney, Mark Keane, Josh Worrell
HB: Wayne Milera, Nick Murray, Mitch Hinge
C: Chayce Jones, Jake Soligo, Isaac Cumming
HF: Alex Neal-Bullen, Darcy Fogarty, Ben Keays
FF: Riley Thilthorpe, Taylor Walker, Josh Rachele
FOLL: Reilly O’Brien, Jordan Dawson, Izak Rankine
INT: Matt Crouch, Rory Laird, James Peatling, Dan Curtin, Sid Draper

 

[1970crow]

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/adelaide/adelaide-season-2025-preview-simeon-thomaswilson-breaks-down-where-the-crows-sit/news-story/e750ea85a2433f95c76769c7eb3cedc9

Adelaide season 2025 preview: Simeon Thomas-Wilson breaks down where the Crows sit
Simeon Thomas-Wilson

From weekends Tiser. Close to my favoured team inc positions for round 1

FB: Max Michalanney, Mark Keane, Josh Worrell
HB: Wayne Milera, Nick Murray, Isaac Cumming
C: Lachlan Sholl, Jake Soligo, Mitch Hinge
HF: Alex Neal-Bullen, Darcy Fogarty, Ben Keays
FF: Riley Thilthorpe, Taylor Walker, Josh Rachele
FOLL: Reilly O’Brien, Jordan Dawson, Izak Rankine
INT: Matt Crouch, Rory Laird, James Peatling, Dan Curtin, Sid Draper

It should be a much changed best Crows team with the players they have brought in and those returning from long injury layoffs in 2024. Neal-Bullen should slot straight into a half-forward role, Cumming looks set to provide some class off half-back with a fully fit Wayne Milera, while Peatling is likely to rotate between a midfield and forward role. Draper has shown such promising glimpses in pre-season so far that, as reported by 'Bigman' on the Bigfooty AFL forum, he should bang down the door to the Crows side pretty quickly, while how Dan Curtin is used will be something to watch.



My minor changes - Hinge to HBF as like his big rebounding kick, toughness, aerial work and can 'play tall' in defence (eg taking down Cameron at the Cattery). So swap Hinge and Cumming who will provide pace on the wing and better kick into the forward line.

Jones, if fit and in form, replaces Sholl. Tougher, faster, better tackle and booming kick whilst offering more positional flexibility. Hoping he returns to second half of 2023 form now that he is injury free

To me its an exciting team both for the now and the future.

FB: Max Michalanney, Mark Keane, Josh Worrell
HB: Wayne Milera, Nick Murray, Mitch Hinge
C: Chayce Jones, Jake Soligo, Isaac Cumming
HF: Alex Neal-Bullen, Darcy Fogarty, Ben Keays
FF: Riley Thilthorpe, Taylor Walker, Josh Rachele
FOLL: Reilly O’Brien, Jordan Dawson, Izak Rankine
INT: Matt Crouch, Rory Laird, James Peatling, Dan Curtin, Sid Draper

I wouldn't have Milera in the round 1 side at this stage. I'd have Jones in the 23 instead.

 

[maxlilly]

I think Nankervis has gone past Jones and hope he can find a spot for round 1.
I'd play him in front of Milera also

 

[1970crow]

I think Nankervis has gone past Jones and hope he can find a spot for round 1.
I'd play him in front of Milera also

Forgot about him.

 

[Jcpdragonx]

F - Thilthorpe, Walker, Rachele
HF - Fogarty, Neale-Bullen, Curtin
Mid - Dawson, Crouch, Cumming
HB - Nankervis, Hinge, Michalanney
B - Worrell, Murray, Keane
Ruck - ROB, Soligo, Rankine
Int - Draper, Peatling, Keays, Ryan
Sub - Bond

Wouldnt mind seeing Dawson moved out to a wing in more of a Gulden type role, with his marking could be a great link and deliver type. Bond in case anyone gets of the leash, Rachelle to give Rankine a chop out from time to time

guldens just an extra mid on the wing

 

[DJ75]

I wouldn't have Milera in the round 1 side at this stage. I'd have Jones in the 23 instead.

I'm not even considering Milera. He was poor before the last injury. His defensive work is deplorable. We have other and better options.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Milera an unknown quantity going into this season. You'd think he'd need to play his way in via the SANFL though. Even if just to prove that he can get through full games back-to-back-to-back.

Pedlar another question mark. Coming off surgery. Was tracking well in 2023 but had a deplorable start to 2024, even prior to his injury. Played on inexplicably in the SANFL after doing his shoulder for reasons I cannot fathom, delaying surgery. Has it set his preseason back? Is he doing competitive work yet?

 

[32year crow]

Top level in depth analysis of our team. Spoiler Murphy doesn’t cut it.

 

[Golumless]

Top level in depth analysis of our team. Spoiler Murphy doesn’t cut it.

He shouldn't, especially with AVB coming into the squad. Seeing both AVB and Keays should do a lot of heavy lifting with forward line structure and we had issues with ball retention in the forward line (though, likely a double whammy of being an efficient side offensively and struggling with ball movement further afield)

Still, Murph has survived periluous list situations before, so I wouldn't be entirely ruling it out. Especially as there is no guarantee AVB and Keays can survive with one another without games being played.

 

[Cromulant]

He shouldn't, especially with AVB coming into the squad. Seeing both AVB and Keays should do a lot of heavy lifting with forward line structure and we had issues with ball retention in the forward line (though, likely a double whammy of being an efficient side offensively and struggling with ball movement further afield)

Still, Murph has survived periluous list situations before, so I wouldn't be entirely ruling it out. Especially as there is no guarantee AVB and Keays can survive with one another without games being played.

Alex Van Berlo ??