Preview R4: Changes vs. Gold Coast Suns (Match of the Round!!!)

[Billy_01]

Where the **** did this perception that Max plays loose come from? Max produces nothing in this aspect.

No one said he plays loose, I said he’s amazing at coming off his man and intercepting which he did 3-4 times against north.

Keane is rubbish at sticking to his man which we need if he’s going to play on the best forward.

 

[Golumless]

No one said he plays loose, I said he’s amazing at coming off his man and intercepting which he did 3-4 times against north.

Keane is rubbish at sticking to his man which we need if he’s going to play on the best forward.

Yeah, 3-4 times is below average to average at this aspect (which is Max 2024/2025 average). Others do this to the point its relevant to their game, not Max. If we're also being genuine, it's this aspect that holds Max back from being a star.

I agree Borlase needs to be dropped if we're not confident he can take the main key forward (as Keane is wasted as a shutdown), but Max is not the reason why Keane should be in the gun. Max is part of the reason why Keane should be persisted with, and protected from those assignments.

 

[1970crow]

I would've had him ahead of Sholl. I appreciate his gut running and consistently providing an option but think he's a liability at times given this is a contact sport and he rarely damages with his touches.

"I'd rather have Nank in the team than Milera". Are you walking that back now?

 

[davos44]

That's a 2 sided coin though. What if the Suns are total front runners given the level of oppo they've played? Has anyone challenged their ball movement yet? 1 thing we can guarantee, is the Crows will not let them have it on their own terms for 4 quarters, and vice versa. For me this will be a game of momentum swings. Whoever capitalises on the scoreboard the heaviest during their swing will win.

Full disclosure im tipping the Suns, but I'm only doing that based on home field, I'd be thrilled to burn that tip though. Either way I feel like this game could be an all timer.

Agreed, the discourse around Adelaide having played "nobody" is a fairly dismissive take.

Saints are playing very well.
North smashed Melbourne by 10 goals.

Gold Coast have played 2 of the 3 worst performing teams this year.

Were just as much of a test for them as they are for us.

Neither side will play like Essendon, West Coast or Melbourne did this weekend.

 

[1970crow]

There was a strong movement against Milera on this board during the off season - maybe lead by some Flinders Uni psychology or politics student who's now collating their results on how to influence opinion.

He's ahead of Issac Cumming for example, in almost every metric this season, as well as shutting out his half forward in each game. They share the same injury prone career, injury interrupted pre season etc. yet no one mentions Cumming being dropped, as he's the shiny new toy.

Nank should be in the side and should've been from the start but it doesn't need to be a one or other situation.

Numerous posters have mentioned Cumming's reasonably slow start. Why there's not much stronger noise re dropping him is that Sholl is on the other wing, and he has his shortcomings when the heat is on. Added to this, Chayce Jones would just about seem next wingman up, although Dowling could be too, but he's more a contested midfielder than a wing. Whereas Milera has a straight swap available for his position and that player has proven themselves at the level, had an uninterrupted and high quality preseason and has just been BOG (or near) in our first SANFL game.

 

[1970crow]

That's a 2 sided coin though. What if the Suns are total front runners given the level of oppo they've played? Has anyone challenged their ball movement yet? 1 thing we can guarantee, is the Crows will not let them have it on their own terms for 4 quarters, and vice versa. For me this will be a game of momentum swings. Whoever capitalises on the scoreboard the heaviest during their swing will win.

Full disclosure im tipping the Suns, but I'm only doing that based on home field, I'd be thrilled to burn that tip though. Either way I feel like this game could be an all timer.

I'm not sure challenging ball movement is one of our strengths.

 

[CrowBloke]

Also, I think his run-all-day work ethic makes him a handy asset in the Gold Coast heat.

True, he's fit and runs both ways.
Gonna be two kinds of heat this week:
--- 27C on top of some showers predicted between 10a.m. and 1p.m. -ish (Willyweather), creating slipperiness and humidity
and
--- the heat provided by a keen, fast, very well-coached Suns side.

Watch him have a decent game this week.

I really, really hope you're right.

 

[GROTTO]

Agreed, the discourse around Adelaide having played "nobody" is a fairly dismissive take.

I think its right, we will know where we stand after the next 4 games, when we play Suns, Cats, Giants and Freo.

It will show a lot more accurately where we stand. A team that looks to make the 8, a prelim and semi final team of 2025 that should have beaten the Lions in those finals and team that just missed the 8.

So far we have only beaten 3 bottom 8 Clubs in 2024.

 

[tinman]

I think its right, we will know where we stand after the next 4 games, when we play Suns, Cats, Giants and Freo.

It will show a lot more accurately where we stand. A team that looks to make the 8, a prelim and semi final team of 2025 that should have beaten the Lions in those finals and team that just missed the 8.

So far we have only beaten 3 bottom 8 Clubs in 2024.

By that logic this week proves nothing as both we and Gold Coast were bottom 8 teams in 2024

 

[GROTTO]

By that logic this week proves nothing as both we and Gold Coast were bottom 8 teams in 2024

Correct.

 

[Bob Neil]

As always the midfield battle is critical and to be honest when you line them up man-for-man it’s hard to split them:

Centre Square Players (Wheelo player ratings in brackets)
ROB (9.53) - Witts (15.35)
Crouch (11.40) - Rowell (23.00)
Dawson (13.97) - Anderson (21.45)
Soligo (17.20) - Miller (18.60)
Rankine (16.27) - Humphrey (15.35)
Peatling (10.33) - Flanders (7.40)

 

[George CantStandYa]

There was a strong movement against Milera on this board during the off season - maybe lead by some Flinders Uni psychology or politics student who's now collating their results on how to influence opinion.

He's ahead of Issac Cumming for example, in almost every metric this season, as well as shutting out his half forward in each game. They share the same injury prone career, injury interrupted pre season etc. yet no one mentions Cumming being dropped, as he's the shiny new toy.

Nank should be in the side and should've been from the start but it doesn't need to be a one or other situation.

That’s right, you wanted your whipping boy Sholl dropped

 

[Mutineer]

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[hippyhippy]

Why there's not much stronger noise re dropping him is that Sholl is on the other wing, and he has his shortcomings when the heat is on.

Because any opposition player can fend off sholl with their pinky...

 

[Danger in Texas]

As always the midfield battle is critical and to be honest when you line them up man-for-man it’s hard to split them:

Centre Square Players (Wheelo player ratings in brackets)
ROB (9.53) - Witts (15.35)
Crouch (11.40) - Rowell (23.00)
Dawson (13.97) - Anderson (21.45)
Soligo (17.20) - Miller (18.60)
Rankine (16.27) - Humphrey (15.35)
Peatling (10.33) - Flanders (7.40)

Will be interesting to see if Rowell/Anderson’s literal league-best form is sustainable. Either way, it’s a scary group to come up against. I hope Peatling is used in there more this week

Only area I’m confident we have them covered is our fwds vs their defenders

 

[WetCrow1991]

True, he's fit and runs both ways.
Gonna be two kinds of heat this week:
--- 27C on top of some showers predicted between 10a.m. and 1p.m. -ish (Willyweather), creating slipperiness and humidity
and
--- the heat provided by a keen, fast, very well-coached Suns side.

I really, really hope you're right.

Really got to thank the AFL and our dog shit performance last season for these day games in the hottest part of the season.

 

[baldandbroke]

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Trigger warning please Bicks!!

 

[jirkago1975]

Think Butts and Downing come in for Borlase and Rash.
I feel we need to put Rankine forward because as a midfielder, he’s good but not as valuable as a forward and our midfield has been impressive.


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[Alwaysacrow]

Yep, our forward line is firing on all cylinders. Rach going out hurts, but not enough to make me want to upset our midfield. Rach comes out, another player comes in to play that role, Rankine stays in the middle. If something happens like our midfield is on top but we're struggling at ground level up forward then maybe look at making the Rankine switch during the match, but I certainly wouldn't have "Rankine forward" in my plan A.

Yep. This is the week I hope ANB really steps up to play the Rach role. He's been quite good so far without hitting the scoreboard much but this week he needs to.

 

[1970crow]

Think Butts and Downing come in for Borlase and Rash.
I feel we need to put Rankine forward because as a midfielder, he’s good but not as valuable as a forward and our midfield has been impressive.


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Could bring Nank in and move Laird back into the midfield.

 

[Eddie Murphy]

Yep. This is the week I hope ANB really steps up to play the Rach role. He's been quite good so far without hitting the scoreboard much but this week he needs to.

Having two high half forwards that stretch the ground is too crucial to our structure. It’s partly why we persisted with Murphy and his shape keeping last year. If we want a like-for-like swap of Rash, IMO the closest we’ll get is Taylor.

 

[George CantStandYa]

Trigger warning please Bicks!!

Did he drop the M word

 

[Alwaysacrow]

Could bring Nank in and move Laird back into the midfield.

NO.

 

[Cromulant]

Could bring Nank in and move Laird back into the midfield.

Ban worthy

 

[WeeBlake]

Did he drop the M word

I hate listening to him usually but this was fine