Round 8 – Adelaide v Melbourne: Puzzling

 

Hey Rulebook and fellow Crows,

I’m intrigued, if not puzzled: can you shed some light on what happened to the Crows?

Cheers

JTH

About John Harms

JTH is a writer, publisher, speaker, historian. He is publisher and contributing editor of The Footy Almanac and footyalmanac.com.au. He has written columns and features for numerous publications. His books include Confessions of a Thirteenth Man, Memoirs of a Mug Punter, Loose Men Everywhere, Play On, The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story and Life As I Know It (with Michelle Payne). He appears (appeared?) on ABCTV's Offsiders. He can be contacted [email protected] He is married to The Handicapper and has three school-age kids - Theo, Anna, Evie. He might not be the worst putter in the world but he's in the worst four. His ambition was to lunch for Australia but it clashed with his other ambition - to shoot his age.

Comments

  1. Who?

  2. JTH- as always when sides are winning it’s simple, but once the losses begin it’s complicated.

    However- dreadful skill level, unable to cope with physical pressure on the ball carrier, Jenkins still one dimensional, Tex clearly frustrated and consequently not leading, Sloan a lone (alone) ranger, poor decision-making, Yoko Ono, light beer, El Nino, the demise of Gough.

  3. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    The rot set in when they delisted Scott Lee

  4. Ben Footner says

    They’ve gone from being the hunters to being the hunted, and some of the younger crew have struggled with that I think.

    Melbourne last week were clearly playing for Jess Hogan in retrospect – not that that is an excuse for such a putrid effort on your home deck.

    They are not the only team to have become victims to surprise upsets this year. Seeing how they respond will be very interesting. I’m glad the challenge has come this early in the season while they have plenty of time to work through it. I think they have the talent to turn it around.

  5. Rulebook says

    Ditto Mickey and got ahead of themselves huge error to pick,Jenkins not sold re Brad Crouch on ball either.The player who has totally bemused me is Menzel I rated him at Carlton and was rapt when we picked him up I reckon the game re structure wise is way to complicated for him as geez he has run to some dumb spots and just appears to have nfi

  6. Hey John, as a Crows’ supporter, I can offer you this startling insight in to what had happened to Adelaide: out worked, out hustled and out played in consecutive games.

    We’ve seen the return of the hard tag being used on Sloane, with plenty of unsociable football bring played. Sadly, none of it being played by Adelaide.

    North and the Demons both won plenty of centre clearances and put our defence under pressure, causing mistakes and rushed disposals when there was time and space.

    Both sides were more physically engaged in the contests, more prepared to get hurt while going for the ball than Adelaide (example being the Melbourne player who knocked himself out attacking Sam Jacobs while attempting to tackle.)

    Surprisingly there was no real plan to combat the Sloane tag which the coaching staff should have known was coming. It wasn’t until I think the 3rd quarter was half way through that they tried something different with Sloane but by then the horse had bolted and the fat lady was singing.

    (No support from his team mates when he was being physically harassed either. Needed to be done from the first bounce to send a clear message that if you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.)

    This week they have a chance at redemption against Brisbane, expect a couple of changes to be made at least, may even bring in a young fella from the SANFLfor his debut, Hugh Greenwood, u16 Tassie rep, college basketballer, 6’3″, mid/fwd. Goes like a Viking apparently.)

    Will be interesting to see how they go this week. Wouldn’t be surprised if Mitch Robinson goes to Sloane to try and work him over á la Bernie Vince. (Also interesting to see how Adelaide responds to that sort of action.)

    Cheers, Steve.

  7. Ben Footner says

    Some tough decision making around Jenkins required. I rate him highly when he’s up and about, but he has been a liability in his first couple of games back from his rib injury. I think he might need a couple of games in the SANFL to find his touch again.

  8. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Can’t disagree with any of the above analysis, was thinking the same thing about Jenkins.

    Players like Mackay, B Crouch, Menzel, Hampton, Milera and Cameron all playing like they were the first to be picked each week, not the last.

    Lever’s absence makes a difference.

    I remain disappointed with Tex’s last couple and dare I say it, Eddie’s gone missing too.

  9. Tony robb says

    Any coincidence that the Barossa Valley flower and friut cake show was on last weekend

  10. Like Geelong I suspect the Crows current mix has too many brilliant front runners and too few in and under grunt players.
    Can’t name names due to the Racial Discrimination Act.

  11. Earl O'Neill says

    Out-coached.
    Crows caught teams by surprise, they’ve been dissected now.
    http://www.footyalmanac.com.au/the-2017-alexander-bell-cup-round-eight/
    It’s in there somewhere…

  12. Peter_B is on the ball in my view. But he forgot the downhill skiers too. As some Wise Owl said elsewhere, been drinking their own bathwater. Evidence also in today’s missive from the CEO about visiting supporters not being allowed to cheer too loudly from their special seats in The Adelaide Club. Brisbane will get the band wagon back on the rails though.

  13. Mark Duffett says

    Astute observations, Steve, except that I’ll be *very* surprised if Mitch Robinson goes to Sloane to try and work him over. Unless he’s planning something dastardly involving a quick jab with one of his crutches.

  14. Ben Footner says

    Good changes at the selection table. Excited to see what Greenwood and Gallucci can bring, particularly Greenwood. I think he has a lot to offer, and is a mature ager who’s been a professional athlete for a long time so will potentially have immediate impact as a tall mid/extra tall up forward.

    I think Adelaide will get themselves back on track this week.

  15. Dave Brown says

    Probably played two of the three teams that will give them the most trouble in the last two weeks. Both teams applied outstanding pressure and won the hard ball (the recipe for beating all teams). Worthwhile noting, however, the Crows were probably only a couple of goals off blowing Melbourne away in the second quarter. Just as reports of their premiership were premature so are reports of their demise.

  16. Ben Footner says

    As the saying goes (and I think Pyke has used it over the last week) – nothing is ever as bad or good as it’s made out to be.

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