Preview Semi Final: Changes vs. Hawthorn

[brucetiki]

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Welcome to the Adelaide Board's Finals Hub. All you need to know about our upcoming Finals matches can be found here! Semi Final: Adelaide v TBA, Friday 12 September, 7:10pm Adelaide Oval Ticketing Info: https://www.afc.com.au/club/finalshub2025 Ticket info will be updated via the above link...

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[maxlilly]

If we’re struggling to win the ball (like last week), Laird would be a better option in a do or die final (as much as he shouldn’t be a usual option)

If we need footskills around the ball, Curtin’s the better option

We had Laird as our #1 mid for years and we got no where.
Last week when we were getting thrashed in the midfield, Peatling, Soligo and Berry struggled.

I would have liked to see, Curtin, Pedlar and Taylor given a run through the middle
Get some smarts in there

 

[Greenfinger]

I'm not against Curtin going in there and if they put him in and it goes well all the better.

But is Curtin going in there and giving us first hands?

And what do we lose around the ground when we put him central? I'd argue less than what we lose if Laird goes through the middle.

What do you gain with laird? Definitely not metres. He’s busy not effective. Actually been good down back. Is not a midfielder

 

[CrowToon]

What do you gain with laird? Definitely not metres. He’s busy not effective. Actually been good down back. Is not a midfielder

Simple - hands to the ball. You need someone to get that ball to the outside and noone was getting it done last week.

 

[Danger in Texas]

We had Laird as our #1 mid for years and we got no where.
Last week when we were getting thrashed in the midfield, Peatling, Soligo and Berry struggled.

I would have liked to see, Curtin, Pedlar and Taylor given a run through the middle
Get some smarts in there

Laird was literally our best mid last week

Finals is not the time to experiment. “Yeah but Shane Ellen kicked 5 in a granny” how often do those out of the box moves pay off, Nicks tried it last week with Max up forward and it completely failed

 

[George CantStandYa]

Laird was literally our best mid last week

Finals is not the time to experiment. “Yeah but Shane Ellen kicked 5 in a granny” how often do those out of the box moves pay off, Nicks tried it last week with Max up forward and it completely failed

Well Blighty suggested Fog in the middle

 

[Danger in Texas]

Well Blighty suggested Fog in the middle

I fear 2025 Blight is not on the same level as 97-98 Blight

 

[cleanhands]

I fear 2025 Blight is not on the same level as 97-98 Blight

I don’t mind it

 

[Moonwatcher]

I don’t mind it

How long would he last?

 

[daniel_4tw]

Laird was literally our best mid last week

Finals is not the time to experiment. “Yeah but Shane Ellen kicked 5 in a granny” how often do those out of the box moves pay off, Nicks tried it last week with Max up forward and it completely failed

I get we don’t have a lot of other known options, but why didn’t we play Laird more in the middle throughout the year? Seems strange to say he’s no longer part of the midfield group for 23 rounds, only to be thrown back in there come finals.

It’s really a shame we wasted so many games on Cook/Jones/Murphy in the back end of the year, when we should have been playing Dowling and Edwards. We didn’t and we know the former players aren’t up for it, so now we’re one injury and out of options.

 

[VKCrow]

Well Blighty suggested Fog in the middle

I don’t mind this. What a bull

 

[adelaidecrows]

I get we don’t have a lot of other known options, but why didn’t we play Laird more in the middle throughout the year? Seems strange to say he’s no longer part of the midfield group for 23 rounds, only to be thrown back in there come finals.

It’s really a shame we wasted so many games on Cook/Jones/Murphy in the back end of the year, when we should have been playing Dowling and Edwards. We didn’t and we know the former players aren’t up for it, so now we’re one injury and out of options.

Nicks was always going to pick the most senior players he could get his hands on all year. He needed finals that he was unprepared to risk losses. Just be thankful Curtin and Draper got games. They both lasted longer in the side than I thought they would after the first few rounds.

 

[MRB37]

Well Blighty suggested Fog in the middle

Curtin is the one we need to move.

 

[cleanhands]

How long would he last?

It would only be for centre bounces

 

[cleanhands]

I fear 2025 Blight is not on the same level as 97-98 Blight

And Nicks is not on the same level as Blight

 

[adelaidecrows]

Well Blighty suggested Fog in the middle

He is a midfielder and has had to learn deep forward. He has good skills and an ability to read the ball when he has had his chances in traffic close to the middle of the ground.

The reluctance by the Crows and Nicks to put some extra miles into his legs in preseasons to increase his endurance is probably a bit short sighted considering his junior days as a good midfielder. Perhaps another bit of evidence to suggest perhaps too much emphasis is placed on height when determining positions over actual ability.

 

[adelaidecrows]

It would only be for centre bounces

Well the view is Curtin will turn into that kind of bullocking big bodied mid in the long term but why not try Fogarty as an option. Can fogarty compete with seasoned AFL mids though?

 

[BRL121]

Well the view is Curtin will turn into that kind of bullocking big bodied mid in the long term but why not try Fogarty as an option. Can fogarty compete with seasoned AFL mids though?

We went through all this Fog as a mid stuff years ago, with no success. Is there any reason to think it would be any different now?

 

[adelaidecrows]

We went through all this Fog as a mid stuff years ago, with no success. s there any reason to think it would be any different now?

Better players around him. The club didnt play him as a mid. May have moved him around the half forward line but dont recall seeing him in the center.

 

[BRL121]

Better players around him. The club didnt play him as a mid. May have moved him around the half forward line but dont recall seeing him in the center.

SANFL

 

[CrowBloke]

Late change? Murphy to tag Impey?

Good reply thanks. Only thing I disagree with is the above.

I don't want Murphy back in the AFL side unless he undergoes a Thilthorpe-like transition (on a smaller scale of course) and can run as well and as long as Keays, neither of which will be happening.

 

[CrowBloke]

We can seriously be playing laird as a midfielder. We will get torched

Can't?

 

[Go the Guts]

Simple - hands to the ball. You need someone to get that ball to the outside and noone was getting it done last week.

Yep. This. This is what we are atrocious at. Since Crouch and Laird have left the midfield we have lost a stack of in and under grunt. Dawson and Peatling are great outside players, but we are one of the worst clearance teams in the comp and need Laird in and under. As long as he's only hand balling. Hate his kicking straight up in the air.

 

[Go the Guts]

Well the view is Curtin will turn into that kind of bullocking big bodied mid in the long term but why not try Fogarty as an option. Can fogarty compete with seasoned AFL mids though?

Curtin is a great outside player, but doesn't seem to have a high footy IQ. Not convinced he'll be a midfielder yet.

 

[Southerntakeover]

Yep. This. This is what we are atrocious at. Since Crouch and Laird have left the midfield we have lost a stack of in and under grunt. Dawson and Peatling are great outside players, but we are one of the worst clearance teams in the comp and need Laird in and under. As long as he's only hand balling. Hate his kicking straight up in the air.

Our team significantly improved once we got the glacial air ball kickers out of the mid.

Nicks panicking and going back to old faithful is another sign he's not up to the job.

 

[Ciao Giacomo]

Good reply thanks. Only thing I disagree with is the above.

I don't want Murphy back in the AFL side unless he undergoes a Thilthorpe-like transition (on a smaller scale of course) and can run as well and as long as Keays, neither of which will be happening.

Murphy late change?

It was a joke but often things (injuries, suspensions) seem to fall Smurphs way.
Hopefully the Flu is not a factor this week.