Prediction Top 4 - When will the Crows return?

When will Crows make the top 4 again?

  • 2020

    Votes: 5 8.6%
  • 2021

    Votes: 13 22.4%
  • 2022

    Votes: 12 20.7%
  • 2023

    Votes: 9 15.5%
  • 2024

    Votes: 9 15.5%
  • 2025

    Votes: 3 5.2%
  • 2026+

    Votes: 7 12.1%

  • Total voters
    58
As we undertake our "List transition", most people think we'll be near the bottom of the ladder in 2020, but I want to know how long we expect to be there, when will make finals again, and more importantly when will we make the top 4 again?

I've seen people suggest we could turn it around as early as next year, others think we're doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. So I've added a poll to see if we can get a general consensus in this thread.

I'll make a slightly optimistic guess, I think we'll finish 12-14 next year, then finals in 2021, and top 4 in 2022.
 

John Who

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 16, 2017
8,722
7,093
AFL Club
Adelaide
It’s hard to predict without knowing how the new regulars would perform and how quickly the new draftees would assimilate at senior level. My prediction is we’re roughly going to remain around 9th to 12th next year. Then progressing up from there in these next 3 years. I chucked in a guess top 4 in 2022.
 

kulak

Premiership Player
May 16, 2006
4,023
5,376
Sydney!!!
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Other Teams
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I think we could be alright in the next ~2 years with Tex Sloane Talia still going around.

Once they are properly cooked then so are we, because none of our current bunch of kids look capable of being as good as those three.

I guess people can point to promising signs from the current kids. But I also recall how seriously good Tex Talia Sloane were at AFL level early on, and I haven’t seen that from the current batch.

I think we are currently about where we were in 2008. We fluked top 4 in 2012 and then became a top 4 chance from 2015-17. So it took about 7 years from 2008.

We probably fluke top 4 at some point and it could be the next couple of years. We might even make finals a few times without really being competitive with the more talented teams.

I think we could be a consistent top 4 chance from 2026+ depending on how our drafting goes.
 

crows dude

Norm Smith Medallist
Jan 20, 2005
8,305
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adelaide
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Na cmon everyone. Next year will be a 1997 repeat. New coach. Favorite sons gone. Trust put on kids to perform. Yep sounds like 1996 to me. Except in 1996 we did have 21 Year Olds - Mcleod and Edwards into their third season of playing seniors. A gun Full Forward. A Magician in the middle.

Im still hoping our kids can really show something this year. They should have been playing already but this year is now the year for the kids.
 

40porpoise

Club Legend
Aug 29, 2013
2,087
4,244
AFL Club
Adelaide
Reality is it’s too hard to predict. I don’t think our list is that bad to be honest but I don’t think it’s as good as it was in 2015, we had stars all over the ground.

A new coach and new environment can do wonders
 
Feb 4, 2009
8,793
23,676
Adelaide
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Other Teams
Port Magpies - SNAFL
Top 4? Years! based on the last few and Forgetting both optimism or pessimism for the moment. We are probably 4 years away to being a credible top 8 team gain . Maybe a couple of years after that. So 2026ish

but...

history has shown us teams can rebound quickly so no doubt I will eat my words. I hope I do
 

Mr Alldayeveryday

Senior List
Aug 22, 2019
276
205
AFL Club
Adelaide
i Voted 2024, that's the best case for when the Younger players, hopefully a bunch of them are Stars take over and all the players in there late 20's are all gone.

The Crows will have to nail the 2020-22 drafts, keep the Guns and kill it in FA. Nicks will need to be in the mold of Blight/Walsh and nothing like Craig/Pyke. They will need to priorities the bigger picture things like giving the rookies a fair go, don't just pick the same team if they get a win when Mackay has 5 touches but keep his spot lol.

Fagan/Chappy and probably even Roo would want to be playing finals every season finishing 8th to 5th but never having a chance to compete for 5+ years and tell the Sheep fans that that is success.
 
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