Adelaide’s much-maligned list-management team seems to have done a pretty good job and ‘Big Kev’ is expecting big things from the Crows next year | Cornes

With a woeful 2024 season in the rear-view mirror, a Port fanatic who knows his footy has called Adelaide’s number to bounce back in 2025, and for Crows’ fans, he just has to be right, writes Graham Cornes.

“If the Crows don’t make the top four next season, they will definitely make the eight. One hundred per cent!”

“Big Kev” Monteleone, the genial host at La Vita loves to chat and he knows his football. A Port fanatic, he’s been watching them since he was a kid. He rattles off the names: Tim Evans, Russell, Bucky Cunningham, Maxie James.

But it’s Adelaide that has caught his attention. At the start of last season, when everyone was predicting the Crows were a certainty to make the eight, he was a voice of reason. “Tex was another year older, they lost Riley Thilthorpe and Nick Murray in the pre-season, Darcy Fogarty lacks consistency”, he rattled off his reasons.

With the inclusion of star draft pick and homegrown talent, Sid Draper, the Crows will look to return to winning ways in 2025. Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

He even reluctantly took a $100 wager from an insistent customer who bet that the Crows would finish above Port in the premiership race. The disenchanted Crows fan paid up after round 17, his season’s expectations shattered.

The Adelaide faithful were perplexed and disappointed, but Big Kev knew. But next year it will be different. “There’s always a team from the bottom half of the ladder that spikes”, he says. “One hundred percent, next year it will be the Crows.” Long-suffering Crows fans will be hoping he is right.

There is no doubt the Crows will improve. They simply have to.

They have emerged triumphant from the trade and draft period. Being able to draft South Adelaide’s Sid Draper was a coup, for two reasons. One, he is an elite midfielder. And two, he is a homegrown talent, who won’t defect back to his home state.

He may play a role in season 2025 (he says he is ready to play in round 1) but the club will not rush him into AFL action.

We saw that last year with the way they held back Dan Curtin. Nevertheless, he will be pushing for selection. Nicksy would want that. He would want his first-round draft pick to be desperate to play.

Jack Whitlock of the AFL Academy in action during the 2024 AFL Academy match. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Tyler Welsh was the only other draft pick the Crows had. A rare father/son pick for Adelaide, I really like the look of him. He’s big, strong, talented and has a big kick.

With Taylor Walker ageing there will be a spot in that Crows forward line before too long.

When you combine the two draft picks, Draper and Welsh, with the players they have traded in, the Crows looks to be well equipped to launch next year’s assault on the finals.

Big Kev knows. He’s a rap for the players Adelaide has traded in. The leadership and experience that Alex Neale-Bullen brings to the team will be invaluable. Isaac Cummins will slot nicely into defence, although I wouldn’t mind seeing him have a run through the midfield.

James Peatling is the wildcard. Adelaide fans don’t really know what to expect from him but Big Kev likes what he will bring to the Crows midfield.

The talent is yet to be realised but the much-maligned Crows list-management team seems to have done a pretty good job.

As was written in this column five weeks ago, the Crows GM of List Management and Strategy, Justin Reid, asked the fans to “judge us from 2020 onwards”. As well as this year’s crop, consider names like Michalanney, Rankine, Rachelle, Thilthorpe, Dawson, Soligo, Hinge and Berry and he does make a fair point.

However, there is still a big gaping hole in the Crows list. Who is Adelaide’s next ruckman? Reilly O’Brien, lion-hearted and spirited as he is, will be 30 next season and can’t be considered elite: honest but not elite.

Kieran Strachan, his stand-in who has had his chances, is the same. Given that big men do take more time to develop there doesn’t seem to be any thought given to the ruck position.

The Adelaide fans cannot have the scenario again where they are forced to watch Chris Burgess or James Borlase compete in the ruck. Norwood’s Harry Boyd is the most impressive big man in the SANFL. It’s astonishing that he has not been picked up by an AFL team, particularly Adelaide.

Ruckman aside, the Crows do seem to have the list to make it back into finals contention. Just ask Big Kev.

Unlike a lot of Port Adelaide fans, Big Kev is not calling for Ken Hinkley’s head. He will say that given the injuries the club had to deal with Port “overachieved” in 2024 by finishing the minor round in second position on the ladder.

He’s right. They were never without a full complement of forwards. They had lost their most desperate forward in Sam Powell-Pepper before the season had started and they went into the finals without all-Australian Dan Houston and the team’s best kick, Kane Farrell. “They were cooked going into the finals”.

Throughout the year it was the forward-line talent that concerned Port the most.

Going into this draft they understandably targeted a couple of forwards and seem to have done well with a modest draft hand of picks 15, 33 and 38. They used their first pick (15) to select Joe Berry from Wangaratta, a small forward with a left foot and an innate goal sense. He still looks like a kid but will have plenty of time to develop.

Their second pick was a 200cm key forward, Jack Whitlock, from Shepparton. They stayed true to the mantra: if you are going to draft a Victorian, make sure he’s from the country. They are less likely to clear out after a couple of seasons.

But, apart from Sid Draper (obviously), of the players drafted by the Crows and Port Adelaide, Jack Whitlock interests me most.

He moves well for someone that tall, takes a good mark and kicks well. He may take a little time to develop but Port will be waiting for any opportunity to fast-track him into a forward line that desperately needs someone of that size and talent.

Port rounded out their draft hand with Christian Moraes at pick 38. He still has some muscle to put on but he is a hardworking, strong-running midfielder.

Every year, immediately after the draft the clubs are buoyant and positive. Expectations are high and the positives of every draftee are extolled. Unfortunately, reality will eventually kick in.

The numbers tell us that so few will have significant careers. A survey done, albeit in 2017, found that of all players to have played one AFL game, only 31.5 percent go on to play 50 games. Only 18 percent play 100 games. And those figures don’t include players who fail to play a single game.

The euphoria of draft night will slowly evaporate. But the Crows don’t need to worry. Big Kev has them a certainty for the finals.