Preview The ultimate test: Round 5 Adelaide @ Hawthorn - MCG

[Southerntakeover]

Win a game against a likely finalist and suddenly fans are affronted that people would favour the reigning triple premiers over us.

Not getting ahead of ourselves atleast.

 

[Swooping Crow]

And Pyke has the best answer for Rucci about games overseas. Also feenix67 Pyke agrees with you.

I love Pykey's dismissive response to Rooch. He can barely hide his contempt for such a petulant and vindictive campaigner.

 

[mistylake]

And Pyke has the best answer for Rucci about games overseas. Also feenix67 Pyke agrees with you.

I like that Pykey.
Fobbed it off as the non event it is.
Port power irrelevant.

 

[Cap]

How can we be a lock for top 4. That is another 13 wins away.

 

[little graham]

They are still a very, very, very good team. Anyone who thinks otherwise is downright delusional.


Write them off at your peril. I'm certainly not willing to do that.

Come the finals, I totally agree with you. I know that it only takes small variables to drastically alter games, but all things being equal. We are in a totally different place to Hawthorn ATM. Its very rich culturally when you get jobs like this done. This is a job that should get done. We have a hard draw and here is an opportunity to alleviate that. Their reputation should mean nothing to the club and its supporters.

 

[mistylake]

Form wise we are a realistic chance to take this one. Some things that worry me are -

Centre contests - our midfield not quite strongly there yet

Lapses in the final minutes of any quarter - particularly the final

Our ability to revert from pressing forward to anticipate and cover our defensive half quickly enough. I know we have to tradeoff some of these where long kicks over the top of a press will always be a problem, but surely we can cover our defensive side of contests particularly when structuring against the trajectory of the ball. We didn't do this so well against Sydney.

Sydney pressured our close-in game and Hawthorn will also. They kept us working our possessions inside. Hoping for outside workers (in motion) to provide more options.

Staying disciplined after Hawthorn 'get into us' if the game is really close.

Umpiring.

It's the last one always. Umpires. Really need to see them phased out ASAP.
Serious.
We need to burst out of the blocks and put plenty of distance between us and the vicocentric umpires/hawks combination.

 

[mistylake]

Slight risk of Rooch not shutting up.

The only interviewer he named so we could all know who asked the dumb question. Which was duly dismissed.

 

[mistylake]

Ohh
Yeah
I hate passwords where they want caps numbers hashtags and whatever !

I think it's ****ed when you buy a random item (say a phone battery) or some other online purchase then have to register and all that crap, another password, I just use the same one for everything.
I'm so screwed if I get hacked.

 

[tige19]

Love the enthusiasm here.. Good luck gents, we'll catch you at the G Friday.

 

[lethal03]

If the same thing repeats every year lets just award Hawthorn the cup and be done with it. Reality is statistically they are a shadow on last years first 4 rounds. T

2-2 2015, just saying...

 

[FR0GGY]

The only interviewer he named so we could all know who asked the dumb question. Which was duly dismissed.

Phil used to do that didn't he?

 

[big78sam]

Im starting to get excited. Ill be there Friday night. I'm trying to keep a lid on it as i know how good the the hawks have been over a long pesos of time. My head sayd we'll lose but i just have the feeling that this could be our "if it bleeds we can kill it" game.

Im subdued for the moment but if we win the lid will be well and truly off.

 

[Crowked]

This is a much harder task than Sydney at home IMO. We should be competitive but I think we're not quite there yet. God I hope I'm wrong though.

 

[chazwazza]

Love the enthusiasm here.. Good luck gents, we'll catch you at the G Friday.

Is there any idea of attendance for Friday?

 

[Hawkk]

Is there any idea of attendance for Friday?

MCC estimate is 42,000

http://www.mcc.org.au/whats-on/cale...2016/april/hawthorn-v-adelaide-crows-april-22

 

[Vince in Tassie]

Rohan Connolly has written a piece in The Age;

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ng-the-forwardline-shots-20160418-go9bhb.html

 

[Infra Ted]

Rohan Connolly has written a piece in The Age;

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ng-the-forwardline-shots-20160418-go9bhb.html

Good read.

 

[1990crow]

Good read.

Apart from the lack of research on Milera being unavailable this week and Cameron likely coming in.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Win a game against a likely finalist and suddenly fans are affronted that people would favour the reigning triple premiers over us.

Not getting ahead of ourselves atleast.

I think people get annoyed when people pick the reigning premier simply because they are the reigning premier and they don't even try and justify it. Statistically we are a 5 goal a game better outfit than them at present. However that means nothing come Friday night. We are a silly chance to win this one.

 

[Simmo28]

View attachment 237632 View attachment 237633

Date/Time: Friday, April 22, 7:20pm CST, 7:50pm EST
Weather: Partly cloudy, Min 13, Max 18. Slight (20%) chance of a shower in the morning. Winds southerly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light in the late evening.
Ladder: Adelaide (7th, 3-1, 124.23%), Hawthorn (8th, 3-1, 106.41%)
Odds (Sportsbet): Hawthorn $1.42, Adelaide $2.90, Line 16.5 points
Cheer squads: Hawthorn: M3 (Punt road end), Adelaide M33 (Ponsford Stand/City End).

It’s fair to say I’m absolutely pumped for Friday Night. I’m here in Melbourne for a week of tennis training while the states best juniors play an ITF tournament at the National Tennis Centre. I haven’t seen the Crows play in Melbourne since 2005, and my only other away game was last years clash v Sydney which was arguably our worst game for the year. I figure if I’m going to see the Crows play the Hawks at the G I may as well have the full experience. Pre game at the pub, game day amongst the cheer squad, post game function and the train trip the following day.

Our recent history vs Hawthorn has been depressingly ruthless to say the least. Last years 74-point semi final crushing was preceded by another 5 losses dating back to 2012, with the last win all the way back in Round 1, 2011. That being said, we held a lead at Adelaide Oval last year and suffered 3 other losses by under 2 goals in 2012, 2013 and 2014 so we’ve been reasonably competitive without being able to clear the final hurdle.

Our form has seen the lid well and truly blown off at the moment, with some flashy brilliance against Port and Richmond followed up by a brutal display v the Swans. Our run and carry and ball movement has been a feature of our play, but it was very encouraging to see the team can adapt depending on the level of pressure and intensity from the opposition.

Hawthorn have done what every champion team does when they’re not playing their best football and that is execute when it counts and just finding a way to win, even if that includes hiring a Hawks supporting umpire from last week. They could potentially welcome back Josh Gibson, Ryan Schoenmakers and Brad Hill back this week which would give them 18 of their 22 2015 premiership side on the park. Considering Lake and Hale were retired and Suckling moved to the Dogs, this could be their full line up minus Jarryd Roughead.

I reckon we have the firepower and diversity to cause some trouble in our forward 50 so this is an area we could exploit, all be it against a premiership winning defence. Our back 6 have been able to stand up despite having to defend a significant number of forward 50 entries. Despite this, I can see Breust, Puopolo, Rioli and the increasingly dangerous Sicily getting on top especially if they jump us in the first quarter.

Crouch, Thompson, Sloane, Douglas and Atkins stood up massively against the all conquering Swans midfield last week, but they’re going to have to go to another gear if they’re to match Mitchell, Hodge, Lewis, Smith, Burgoyne and Shiels. This is a midfield that comprehensively crushed us on the outside in the 2015 Semi Final (287 uncontested possessions to 211, 131 marks to 69), so it’ll be a huge ask to turn this around in 6 games.

Likely match ups (2015 Premiership players bolded):

FB: Burgoyne, Frawley, Gibson
FF: Betts, Walker, Douglas

HB: Shiels, Stratton, Birchall
HF: McGovern, Jenkins, Lynch

C: Rioli, Lewis, Smith,
C: Smith, Thompson, Atkins

HF: Breust, Schoenmakers, Puopolo
HB: Laird, Hartigan, Brown

FF: Sicily, Gunston, Ceglar
FB: Cheney, Talia, Seedsman

R: McEvoy, Mitchell, Hodge
R: Jacobs, Sloane, M. Crouch

IC: Hartung, Hill, Langford, Duryea
IC: Lever, Mackay, Cameron, Lyons


Last weeks win gave us legitimacy, a win vs the Hawks and premiership discussion may well begin. The playing group would have got a huge amount of confidence after the win v Sydney, and I’m sure they will head to the MCG believing they can take home the chocolates.

I’d love to see the boys get up but I reckon Hawthorn just have too much class and experience at this stage of our development. We’re clearly an improved team, and Pyke has us playing both electric and brual football, but I think this is too much to ask. Hawks by 20.

Prove me wrong Crows! Win and the lid will have fallen 40,000 feet below sea level.

I predict a draw

 

[ams4crows]

As much as im praying for a Crows win, its Burgoyne's 300th the Hawks will be ruthless and we'll cop a significant beating unfortunately. Over 30 points.

I can't even watch this game because I'll be at the United v City Semi final so I'll have to tape it.... hopefully I won't have to delete it immediately upon hearing the result.....

 

[Cap]

As much as im praying for a Crows win, its Burgoyne's 300th the Hawks will be ruthless and we'll cop a significant beating unfortunately. Over 30 points.

I can't even watch this game because I'll be at the United v City Semi final so I'll have to tape it.... hopefully I won't have to delete it immediately upon hearing the result.....

What a strange post

 

[baldandbroke]

What a strange post

Just reflects the past years of under-performing on the big stage. So much lowering of expectations ... it's nearly in our blood now. How often when we are 5 or 6 goals up and the opposition kick a couple of quick ones do you think ... Oh no, here we go.

We keep playing like we are, and we win a few games that we probably don't expect to by playing the way we want ... supporters will come around and have some belief.

I'm well past that now, I can see roots and all change in my club.

Time for other teams to start worrying about us. Carn the CROWS !!

 

[Southerntakeover]

I think people get annoyed when people pick the reigning premier simply because they are the reigning premier and they don't even try and justify it. Statistically we are a 5 goal a game better outfit than them at present. However that means nothing come Friday night. We are a silly chance to win this one.

You get annoyed when people consider a longer history than the (short) start to this season?

Do you also get annoyed when people try to suggest that there will be a summer next year because it's not hot today?

 

[NikkiNoo]

Apart from the lack of research on Milera being unavailable this week and Cameron likely coming in.

It was written on the Sunday and released on the Monday so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt about that in that we hadn't ruled Milera out at the time of writing.