Review R21: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly vs. Hawthorn

[AFC979810]

Bad:

Cook - missed his opportunity to play finals IMO.

Peatling was terrible. Worst game for the club, couldn't get near it and when he did he was sloppy and fumble. Wonder if he is hurt as he only had 57% TOG.

Keays, FOG, Cumming all had little impact (apart from FOG's kickstart).

Great:

As everyone else said - TT, Woz, Dawson, Rankine, ROB, Curtin, Walker, Milera were all massive.

Weird:

23 of the 28 goals all kicked to one side of the ground despite perfect conditions (at least on the tele).

If you told me at the start of the year that at this point Draper would only have two full games of AFL - I would have lost my marbles. Hard to be too upset considering we are currently sitting top of the ladder - but still think he should be in ahead of Cook, Taylor, Jones and Smith.

 

[AFC979810]

The absolute beauty of this is that when we are so even across the board, we can carry one or two.

It's one of the reasons we are so hard to match up against - especially with our forwards.

It would be hard enough game planning for TT, but then you have to worry about Rankine, Walker, FOG, Keays and ANB - all who have been match winners for us this year.

 

[moogerfooger]

Ugly
Half the people on this board. Grow up. Half of ya spend more time dribbling diarrhoea on the forum than watching the game.
The sooking and blaming is embarrassing. Some of you should really be going for port.

This x a million. Anyone who can't enjoy our season might has well stop watching footy. It's a shame having to use the ignore button so often these days. There really are some sad sacks polluting this board.

 

[Jibroni]

Another impressive win, as a member of the ANB appreciation society I wish him every success.

What an impressive individual is Jordan Dawson

12

Jordan Dawson

Age

28

Ht

190cm

Wt

91kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.0

4star

K

11.4

4star

HB

5.7

4star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.8

4star

CL

0.6

3star

D

15.7

4star

K

10.9

4star

HB

4.9

3star

M

2.9

3star

T

2.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

D

11.8

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

5.0

5star

T

3.0

5star

CL

0.6

3star

, an excellent leader. Might be one of the best acquisitions the Crows have ever made?

On top of that, acquiring Neil Balme has been a masterstroke, seems to bring success wherever he goes.

 

[moogerfooger]

He got his comeuppance for the premature "I can't hear you" gesture to the crowd.

Seems to be premature in everything he does.

 

[moogerfooger]

The Great:

We passed a test against one of the finest tactical coaches around. Don't underestimate this.

Dawson will be AA captain. Curtin will win the RS. Tex is a legend. Worrell should be AA.

Taylor's best game, maybe Milera's best game and special mention to Bond who stood up to a baptism of fire in the first quarter.

Another complete team performance. Too many individuals to mention and this is why we're in contention.

2nd quarter reminded me of the beginning of the last quarter against Brisbane. When we get in that zone I don't think anyone can touch us. We seem to be able to absorb the best of what the oppo throws at us, then go to another level.

Bad:

Another poor period like the Melbourne game where we just got smashed and couldn't handle the pressure. Brisbane and Collingwood won't let us back in if that happens.

Cut Cook some slack coming back from a nasty head knock. His game against the Bulldogs was enough to earn him an opportunity for a few weeks.

Offensively he's first class but Keane would want to work on not panicking in one on ones. Good teams will try and isolate him. Gunston was very crafty in exploiting that though.

Ugly:

The "unsociable Hawks" bullshit. The goal celebrations from players whose celebrations are their only redeeming feature.

I'll be kind and say inconsistency and poor standard of umpiring, particularly for a Friday night when we're supposed to get the best.

 

[FR0GGY]

We have copped way worse many many times against the Hawks. We deserved things going our way.

I mean if they are trying to even things up, they aren’t even up to 2007 yet.

 

[Pugsley]

That Rankine 50nin the 4th was rubbish.
Rankine played on, twice.

Fully understand Scicilys reaction there.


One of the 4 umpires should have seen the touch as well. All.the players did.

 

[Hobbes]

Good - top 4 is a lock

Great - win the last 3 and it's possibly a minor premiership

Not possibly. If we win the last 3, it’s a certainty.

 

[Romano]

Lucky for those at the game. Not so for those paying for the “privilege” and being served up that garbage. Absolutely horrific. Hudson is out of control also.

Hudson seems to put on this forced enthusiasm with us for some reason. It really stands out compared to Dunstall or Buckley.

His ‘locals’ references to Adelaide Oval are as condescending and tiresome as Dwayne’s ‘natives are restless’.

 

[Romano]

The first quarter was probably some of the worst footy we’ve played all season.

But it was only one quarter, and I commented at quarter time that there were still 3 quarters to go.

As poor as we were in the first quarter, we were sensational in the second quarter. That was last quarter last week-esque.

Every challenge the Hawks threw at us, we responded. Every challenge the umps threw at us we responded. In the end, Hawthorn relied too much on free kicks for their goals while we were pulling them out of everywhere!

We’ve got through the last 3 weeks 3-0 (all tricky games on paper). Let’s keep the throttle on in Perth next week!

A couple of interesting facts from tonight:

- Tonight was our first ‘home’ win at Adelaide Oval against Hawthorn (our other win against Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval in 2020 was a Hawthorn home game - what a strange year that was)

- Our last win and our last loss are both against Hawthorn!

I seem to remember beating them at AO with Danger kicking a clutch goal in the last. Maybe 2014?

 

[Romano]

Yep

Like Mitch Lewis taking advantage, kicking a point, after the Gunston free.

The advantage not called.

Besides the worst umpiring in a big game we have ever copped (2012 Prelim), the David Mackay in the back free against him in MCG at 2016 was the angriest I’ve seen Crows fans in Melb. Paul Roos called it the worst decision he’s ever seen. This was at the height of freekickhawthorn.

 

[kirky]

That felt real good. I don't hate many teams, but for some reason I hate playing Hawks and their supporters can be campaigners. Their players cab be campaigners too.

Liked listening to Mitchell in the press conference. Reckon he'll be a premiership coach.

Prior to Adelaide entering the AFL I was a Hawks supporter but literally can’t stand them now with flogs like Sicily, Watson and Ginnivan in their side.

 

[ams4crows]

I would have him sub ahead of Jones.

From tonight.

Cook and Bond out
Rachele MM in

Laird? For Smith?

 

[steve9798]

The atmosphere was amazing. The final two minutes when everyone stood and cheered the guys home will stay with me for along time.

Keane was immense, as was Dawson. Milera has turned his career around and silenced the doubters, including me. Worrell was his brilliant best as was Tex and RT. Curtin was amazing and continues to play beyond his years. O'Brien was good.

If you think Cook has a future watch the replay. One of the worst performances I have seen from a Crows player. Will be a liability if he plays finals. Taylor is still a 50/50 for me, filling a hole until someone better comes along. Peatling was a fumbling mess and the midfield is still our achilles heel. Completely pointless having Rankine in centre bounces.

 

[steve9798]

Surely Smith goes out and not Bond. Bond has a future, Smith doesn't.

 

[suburpy]

One thing really evident last night was the never give up attitude show by the number of smothers. I’ve seen crows teams not even try for this before, but not this one relentless pressure and oppo has to win every inch. Great to see.

The really ugly - 50 metre penalty lottery. Right from the start first quarter Hardwick literally shepherds the ball to stop nibbler getting it. Clearly wasting time to stop quick movement by us and for his team to set up. Nibbler finally throws him aside. Most obvious time wasting 50. Stevic just stood and watched like a muppet. Very happy to blow his whistle for millimetre infractions into the protected zone where there was no impact on play.

 

[whattagun07]

Does anyone have the Stevic count?

 

[Crows I Am]

Surely Smith goes out and not Bond. Bond has a future, Smith doesn't.

Laird needs to come back in for Smith, we missed him last night back there. Bond stays in until Max is back.

 

[hugecannon]

Brodie is a top guy. Wouldn't be opposed him being sub in our grand final side.

Feels like Smith has been our best sub option this year, has been able to come in the game later and have some impact once the game has slowed down a bit.

I don’t think the other players who have come in as sub have been able to do that.

 

[ftmch]

Hudson seems to put on this forced enthusiasm with us for some reason. It really stands out compared to Dunstall or Buckley.

His ‘locals’ references to Adelaide Oval are as condescending and tiresome as Dwayne’s ‘natives are restless’.

Yes! The 'locals' thing is sooo condescending. And he does it all the time

 

[crows dude]

The funny
Ginnivans team mate shoving him telling him to pull his head in after he kicked a goal in the third after Ginnivan shows his ear to the crowd.

 

[suburpy]

Nothing can explain 1 disposal but just did not see him on the wing at all.
Was all Curtin and cumming

He played on the wing quite a bit with cumming in defence. When jones came on he went to defence and cumming to wing.

 

[Milo Cyrus]

Wow, that was some win. We plucked them.

Coming off a 6 day break after those atrocious conditions last week vs the full steam ahead Hawks.
Mrs Cyrus said "watch us start slow and once we warm up we'll be fine" and then she said it again at half time.
She keeps telling me to get on the train baby. Just throw another log in the burner and get that steam pumping!

Good - 4pts banked job done, no season ending injuries. Murray Davis is making that box tick. We have eliminated so much of the stupid shit and it's starting to shine.

Bad - the rules of the game are broken, hopefully Swan can get this shit sorted out next year.

Ugly - How bad was the umpiring last night? It was consistently shit all night, It seems to me they were doing their best Betfair laundering agents work. An epic prime time contest maligned by some of the strangest half arsed decisions any one could conjure. Can't allow it to become a thing that impacts the overall result. Should be expecting it to be this way and make it a non factor.

Go Crows!

 

[Bob Neil]

I would really like to see Bond and Michalanney in the same team and I think a lockdown small defender is critical in big finals games. I’d trust Bond to do that job and then think Michalanney is better and more flexible than Laird or Smith in any other general defender roles.

Cook simply can’t stay and so hopefully Rachele is right come finals to like for like replace him.

That leaves one final position and I’m still lukewarm on Taylor. It’s out of him, Jones, Laird and Smith for that presumably sub role. Take your pick.

Finally I really hope they don’t go for Crouch over Berry. We’ve shown demonstrably that we’re better without the accumulator types and Berry does his role and brings impact in the contest - must keep.