What to do

[adelaidecrows]

Well what should the Adelaide Football Club do for the remaining part of the year. When fully fit and firing I think we have a squad that could push any of the best teams in the comp all the way but logically we could only make 8th spot at best. History says teams traditionally dont go far into the finals from that spot.

Should the crows play there best 22 which could mean some experienced heads comming in for some youngsters or should they take the foot of the peddle and continue down the youngsters path which could mean some losses that could be avoided and we finish about this spot.

We have Bock, Knights, Burton, McLoed, Hentschel and MacKay all missing from possible our best 22, some may argue that a couple of those players are no longer in that equation. However Bock, McLoed, Knights and MacKay are all must inclusions if we want to make a play for 8th spot.

Those inclusions above would come at the expense of players like Armstrong, Sloan, Henderson and Jaensch.

I am almost of the persuasion that we pack it in and keep the kids who deserve there spots and doing no wrong in the side which means all senior players who are carrying injuries get rested or fixed up in order to hit pre season. Before the years out I would like to see Martin bought back in as well as McKernan given a crack.

with geelong, st kilda, the bullies and collingwood all on our schedule in the next 8 weeks the experience those kids will get against the best would be more then valuable.

 

[Geoffa32]

We play to win every game.

No point in tanking this year and our kids will tire as the season goes on and will need resting.

In any case all those you listed, apart from Macca, need game time just as important as our kids. Bock has not has a decent run of games since mid last year. McKay and Knights are still young.

You could argue Stevo and Dogga could make way for kids, but they are part of our best 22, and will be next year so need to have game time with our younger guys as well. Our biggest strength is our team attitude.

The games they are earning this year are invaluable. As is seeing the strength of the club in able to to turn things around. Those are things that keep guys at clubs and build culture.

 

[Glenno23]

We do what we are doing now

Get some valuable game time for the likes of Sloane, Davis, Armstrong, Hendo, Walker and even give Gunner a couple of more

If we win, thats great, if not, well not so good, but make sure we learn from every game played

It wlil hold us in better stead for next year

An away win would be great too. This week especially. I want to see the boys win live dammit!

 

[Sir Vlado]

Simply, take it one match at a time. More wins, more confidence, more to crow about.

 

[relapse]

We'll just play it by ear, Burton and Hentschel IMO are no longer in our best 22.

Knights wont play again this year with his injury, Bock, McLeod and McKay will come straight back into the side most probably Armstrong, Jaensch and Henderson or Davis could be the ones in the gun but that is relying on no further injuries.

 

[Alex99]

Normally I’m not one to encourage the manufacturing of history and culture in any forms of life but on this instance, I’m all for it. Due to the fact that the AFC is only 20 years old and we don’t have a very long list of past player memories we should be doing everything in our power to create life long memories.

Andrew McLeod and Simon Goodwin are premiership players, Brett Burton was our second human highlight show and Trent Hentschel was an unlucky SOB who gave his all for the club.

If by round 22 we are not in the finals race and Andrew McLeod has joined Brett Burton and Simon Goodwin in retiring – we should make that game a special occasion to remember. I also believe the club should be actively encouraging Trent Hentschel to hang his AFL boots up as it appears as if his body cannot stand up to the rigour any longer.

I would like round 22 to be a changing of the guard and to be honest, at that stage and one game to go, i wouldn’t care who was in our best 22 or not – it’s about saying goodbye and thanking them for their contribution to the club. I would give Goodwin, Burton, McLeod and Hentschel one last game.

It’s cool to say ‘don’t give me a farewell game’ and this club ‘doesn’t gift game’ but in 5 – 10 years time when the next generation of players are getting ready to go, fans will look back and - yeah, that was the right thing to do. This needs to happen.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

What I hope is that we recognise that our improved form in the middle-part of the season has involved a lot of involvement from the young players. Playing kids DOESN'T equal losing matches.

Neil believes it does, hence his "can you imagine what we'd look like with them?" comments.

 

[jenny61_99]

This is the run home for all teams:
Round 15:

Port v Coll
Geel v Haw
WCE v Ade
BL v StK
Rich v Freo
Syd v NM
Melb v Ess
Carl v WB

Round 16:

Adel v Geel
Coll v StK
Haw v BL
Ess v WCE
WB v Port
Carl v Syd
Rich v NM
Freo v Melb

Round 17:

StK v Haw
Coll v Rich
Geel v BL
NM v Ess
WCE v Carl
WB v Freo
Melb v Syd
Port v Adel

Round 18:

Ess v StK
Coll v Carl
Port v Haw
Syd v Geel
BL v Melb
Rich v Adel
WB v NM
Freo v WC

Round 19:

Ess v Carl
Syd v Haw
NM v Freo
Geel v Coll
WCE v BL
Stk v Port
Melb v Rich
Adel v WB

Round 20:

Ess v Coll
Carl v Rich
Freo v Syd
WB v Geel
Port v WC
BL v Adel
Haw v Melb
NM v St K

Round 21:

Geel v Carl
StK v Rich
Haw v Freo
Coll v Adel
Syd v WB
Port v Melb
Ess v BL
WCE v NM

Round 22:

Adel v StK
Haw v Coll
Geel v WCE
Rich v Port
Fre v Carl
Melb v NM
BL v Syd
WB v Ess


Based on the speculated W/L this is how it could pan out.


Collingwood 6-2 66
Port 1-7 24
Geel 8-0 68
Hawthorn 5-3 52
WC 0-8 12
Adel 3-5 32
BL 4-4 36
St K 8-0 72
Rich 1-7 20
Freo 5-3 60
Syd 1-7 32
NM 6-2 52
Melb 2-6 24
Ess 3-5 32
Carl 4-4 48
WB 7-1 60

LADDER at Round 22:

St Kilda 72
Geelong 68
Collingwood 66
WB 60
Freo 60
Haw 52
NM 52
Carl 48
BL 36
Adel 32
Syd 32
Ess 32
Melb 24
Port 24
Rich 20
WC 12


As far as our games go, I have picked us to win against WC, Richmond and Port and lose to Brisbane in Brisbane which we could win (all 50/50 games) . I have also put us losing to the big 4 (St Kilda, Geelong, Collingwood and WB) - with an ounce of luck we could win one or two - we play Geelong and WB in Adelaide and have a fair record against Collingwood in Melbourne.

 

[Allbetsroff]

That is pretty awful there Jenny.

 

[pjcrows]

Keep playing the game style and pick the type of team like we are now.

 

[jenny61_99]

That is pretty awful there Jenny.

Geez, NOW what have I done wrong????

 

[JohnK]

That''s pretty good, Jenny although I think you have overestimated North Melbourne and slightly underestimated Melbourne. But you've probably got the final eight sorted out.

Back to the theme of this thread.

No gifted games. I'm with Craig on that. Adelaide needs to get back to a winning culture as soon as it can. Every game is important to get that feeling back into the playing group.

If Adelaide plays McLeod, Burton, Hentschel for one last set of happy memories, as Crows 98 suggests...

If by round 22 we are not in the finals race and Andrew McLeod has joined Brett Burton and Simon Goodwin in retiring – we should make that game a special occasion to remember. I also believe the club should be actively encouraging Trent Hentschel to hang his AFL boots up as it appears as if his body cannot stand up to the rigour any longer.

I would like round 22 to be a changing of the guard and to be honest, at that stage and one game to go, i wouldn’t care who was in our best 22 or not – it’s about saying goodbye and thanking them for their contribution to the club. I would give Goodwin, Burton, McLeod and Hentschel one last game.

... what sort of happy memories will these be if Adelaide is flogged by ten goals by St Kilda at AAMI Stadium in Round 22? And especially if the veterans play dog games?

I think the changing of the guard happened last night in Round 14 at AAMI against Essendon.

We saw a new look Adelaide without McLeod, Edwards, Burton and Hentschel and a team that played lovely fluid run-on footy, full of confidence and dare in the Adelaide way, without Simon Goodwin as its architect.

And we are hoping to see more of this in the next couple of weeks.

We already have our happy memories of these great players.
Let's be mature enough to move on.

In Round 22, if McLeod is not fit enough to make the final team, he can toss the coin.

They can ride all the veterans around the ground on the backs of cars before the game and, after the match, win or lose, have them back on the ground for a final farewell, with big music on the PA, a spectacular set of fireworks, and a huge Thank You speech by Neil Craig or somebody in the middle.

On a lit stage with the lights off.

Get a rock band in there, too, or a symphony orchestra for another added thirty minutes postmatch entertainment. Let the players speak between songs. Let the players thank the fans. Or something like that.

And Tyson can be invited to that one, too. That would show some grace to a player who should not have retired until his service to this club was completed.

Let's not confuse the footy with the memory.

Or, rather, on that last night, let's create new happy memories for these great players, rather than expose ourselves to the souring of our existing ones.

 

[jenny61_99]

Thanks John. I wasn't sure with North or Melbourne to be honest. One minute playing good footy, the next not. Hmmm sounds like us! I meant my post to be an addition to this thread - showing the possible reality (or not) of us making the 8, which may or may not sway opinions one way or the other. Whilst I'd love it to be so (making the 8) - and everyone knows I'm normally the supreme optimist - I just don't think we can pull it off. Still, stranger things have happened this season!

 

[Godallblighty]

Sydney lost today, which means Adelaide are, miraculously, only two games out of the eight. Ridiculous, but the season is still alive...so you've got to play it that way.

Selection on merit. Which, on recent form, means quite a few of the youngsters at the expense of more experienced players. Unless they tire towards the end of the year of course.

And, fit or otherwise, Bock currently doesn't deserve a spot.

 

[Allefgib]

I'd also like to see Bock show some good form at SANFL level before bringing him in. More to show some fitness than anything else.

Stevens did enough last night to hold his spot and we need to bring in one of Sellar/Mckernan to cover the loss of Griffin.

Was cheering the Tiges on loud this afternoon so I'm obviously holding out hopes of a finals berth

 

[relapse]

What I hope is that we recognise that our improved form in the middle-part of the season has involved a lot of involvement from the young players. Playing kids DOESN'T equal losing matches.

Neil believes it does, hence his "can you imagine what we'd look like with them?" comments.

There were other posters here trying to argue the same thing. Those players were like a security blanket that many people including Craig didnt want to let go of. Personally I am really enjoying out season now, our current structure is pretty much what I have been pushing for before the season started. It was frustrating early, but it's now great to see the development "in the Sloanes, the Walkers, the Davis', the Hendos, the Jaensches, the Armstrongs etc.".

 

[Vader]

It's probably not unfair to say that our resurgence coincided with the decision to tear up some of the golden tickets. First to go was Burton, then Edwards. Vince was given a kick up the backside and his time out of the team lasted longer than expected due to injury. Then Porps got sent back to the SANFL to find some form - once again he disappeared after half time, but at least he had an impact in the first half before running out of puff.

Selection has always been and will always be based on form. What has changed is the weighting given to brownie points and experience, with the youngsters being given greater opportunities as a result. Many of them have seized those opportunities with both hands.

Forget about dropping players "because they won't be there when we're challenging for our next flag". It's not going to happen. That's not the way our selectors think - and I'm extremely glad that they don't think that way. That way lies defeatism and tanking. If a player has form which justifies their ongoing selection in the AFL team, then that player will continue to be selected - whether they're 19 or 31.

Bock's selection is a bit of a conundrum. When fit, he's an AA standard CHB. Sure, he's not the reigning AA CHB, but when fit he's a better player than the person who does hold that title. The problem is that Bock is NOT fit and his body has proven to be incredibly fragile this year, largely the result of missing the better part of 12 months due to his foot injury. Bock has probably reached the point now where he needs to return via the SANFL, to prove that he has finally got his body back into AFL standard conditioning.

 

[Allefgib]

conquer Vader. Bocky back through the SANFL for mine.. more to prove his ability to play aka fitness, than any form specific concerns.

Especially if he can play through a SANFL game this week, prove his fitness and come back hard for the Geelong game.

 

[jenny61_99]

conquer Vader. Bocky back through the SANFL for mine.. more to prove his ability to play aka fitness, than any form specific concerns.

Especially if he can play through a SANFL game this week, prove his fitness and come back hard for the Geelong game.

Concur perhaps?

 

[Allefgib]

Concur perhaps?

Deliberate, tad silly, habit of mine.

As is grassy-ass for thank you.

 

[Damp Squarie]

We play to win every game.

No point in tanking this year and our kids will tire as the season goes on and will need resting.

In any case all those you listed, apart from Macca, need game time just as important as our kids. Bock has not has a decent run of games since mid last year. McKay and Knights are still young.

You could argue Stevo and Dogga could make way for kids, but they are part of our best 22, and will be next year so need to have game time with our younger guys as well. Our biggest strength is our team attitude.

The games they are earning this year are invaluable. As is seeing the strength of the club in able to to turn things around. Those are things that keep guys at clubs and build culture.

Good post G32
Lets not hurry Bock back unless he's fitted with blinkers and earns his spot.
Sure he is in our bext 22; but I cant help thinking we're playing corridor football while he has been out.