Adelaide hires Rosie Stanimirovic after losing five of six matches decided by a goal or less in 2023

The Crows’ inability to win the close ones in 2023 arguably cost them a finals place last season, but in 2024, that’s all set to change thanks to a secret new weapon.

Adelaide has hired a new performance psychologist in a bid to improve the club’s record in close games and end its seven-year finals drought.

The Crows appointed Rosie Stanimirovic to work with their football department after losing five of their six matches decided by a goal or less last season.

Adelaide, which finished 10th in 2023, had focused heavily on scenario training over summer, particularly around tight games and trying to stop opposition runs.

Stanimirovic, a former Australian Institute of Sport and GWS psychologist, is helping Crows players with things like mindset in matches, being more organised on the field and coping with pressure situations.

The Crows’ inability to finish close games arguably cost them finals. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Adelaide forward Darcy Fogarty said she would be massive for the club.

“We sort of hired her because we thought she’d be able to help us take the next step,” Fogarty told this masthead.

“The goal for us is to be able to coach ourselves in games so we don’t have to wait for a decision to be made.

“That’s something we’re all working on at the moment and something she’s really helping the group with.”

The Crows’ narrowest defeats last year were against Collingwood twice (one point, two), Sydney (one), Melbourne (four) and Brisbane (six).

Adelaide’s sole win in a match decided by six points or fewer was versus Hawthorn in Launceston by three.

Their goalkicking was an issue in some of those tight contests.

They kicked 4.8 in the last quarter of that infamous Sydney game (one of those behinds should have been a goal), 2.5 in the fourth term against Collingwood at the MCG and 2.5 after three-quarter time versus the Lions.

Darcy Fogarty says the Crows are addressing their inaccuracy issues. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

Fogarty said the club was addressing its inaccuracy but Stanimirovic’s work in that area had a broader focus than goalkicking.

“It’s about how we can be present and just be ready to accept the challenge and the noise that comes with being in pressure situations,” he said.

Crows captain Jordan Dawson said Stanimirovic had implemented different things to work through from the start of games that would help the team think clearly in close moments.

“We have been training this very hard over the past two months and time will ultimately tell,” Dawson told this masthead.

Stanimirovic was senior psychologist for the AIS from 2004-10, worked for the Giants from 2011-17 then returned to the national sports institute from 2018-23 as program manager of Gold Medal Ready, seeking to optimise athletes and coaches’ mental performance in readiness for podium success at the Olympics, Paralympics and Commonwealth Games.

Jordan Dawson is bullish on his side. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

She joined Adelaide in November.

On her LinkedIn, Stanimirovic describes her role at the Crows as to “lead the development and integration of a bespoke mental performance program for the football department that will contribute to premiership success (as well as) support players to optimise their mental performance and overall wellbeing”.

Dawson said the club, which had not reached the major round since 2017, was embracing being viewed as a genuine finals contender.

“Yes, there are expectations, but personally I have more expectations on myself and on the group than anyone outside could put on us,” he said.