The numbers show Adelaide’s improvement theme is working as young stars rise up, says Andrew Capel
THE “organic growth’’ Adelaide predicted from its young players has lessened the blow of missing out on Carlton’s Bryce Gibbs and been instrumental in the club being on the verge of its first minor premiership since 2005.
Andrew Capel
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ORGANIC Growth.
They were the words that first sprouted from the Crows hierarchy when they failed to bring Carlton star Bryce Gibbs home to Adelaide at the end of last season.
With the big trade fish slipping through their fingers after the Crows — renowned for astute drafting — refused to give up prime draft picks and players for the 2006 No. 1 selection, their attention turned to building from within after consecutive sixth-placed finishes.
“We think we’ve got some organic growth (in the list),’’ list manager Justin Reid said.
The less-than-spectacular theme quickly was mocked, with critics of the club’s failure to land ace midfielder Gibbs describing it as a poor excuse for missing out on its key recruiting target.
Coach Don Pyke publicly backed Reid’s sentiments, saying the asking price for Gibbs was too high and throwing out the organic growth line.
“We would have loved to have had Bryce here but the gap between where we were sitting and Carlton was sitting was too great,’’ Pyke said .
“So at the end of it the decision was we will back in our development team, back in our recruiting and bring in talent.’’
Fast-forward 10 months and the club’s much-mocked organic growth line has borne fruit. It is illustrated in Adelaide sitting top and in pole position to win just its second minor premiership with two rounds to play and in the individual numbers.
While experienced quartet Richard Douglas (+7), Brodie Smith (+6.8), Sam Jacobs (+6.7) and Taylor Walker (+4.2) have spiked significantly in Champion Data player ratings since last year, it is the improvement – or organic growth as Reid and Pyke like to call it — in younger players that has transformed the Crows from middle-of-the-road finals side to flag favourites.
Brothers-in-arms midfield pair Matt and Brad Crouch have been arguably the most instrumental improvers for Adelaide.
Matt’s ranking points have risen by a whopping 18.1 from last year to a team-best 109.4 that has him in strong contention for the All-Australian team and skyrocket to equal-fifth favourite for the Brownlow Medal.
He ranks No. 2 in the league for disposals behind Hawthorn’s Tom Mitchell with 647 at an average of 32.4.
Older brother Brad, finally enjoying an injury-free run, has jumped +10.3 in ranking points while Riley Knight (+22.2) is excelling in his new role as a midfield run-with player.
Key defender Jake Lever (+10.2) and key forward Mitch McGovern (+9.9) – the subject of big-money offers from rival clubs – have taken big next steps forward in their development while midfielders Rory Atkins (+6.3) and Wayne Milera (+6.2) have improved from last year.
Defender Jake Kelly, who spent the entire 2016 season in the SANFL, has consolidated his spot in the AFL side and improved his rankings by +9 from his last AFL campaign in 2015.
New boys Hugh Greenwood and Alex Keath, recruited under the Category B rookie list rule, have proved revelations in their first year of AFL footy, averaging 84 and 58 SuperCoach points respectively.
Pyke said the improvement in the less-experienced players had justified the Crows’ organic growth call, been a key reason for the team owning the league’s best win-loss record (15-1-4) and is a tick for the club’s development program.
“Our improvement has been reflected is the progress that all those guys have made,’’ Pyke said.
“Matt and Brad Crouch, Greenwood’s come in and been able to play a role and Kelly is a good example of a guy who has been really diligent, had a great pre-season and now has been able to play regular and consistent AFL footy.
“Our program should always be about helping our guys to continue to improve, which is what we’ve seen this year.’’
The critics have, temporarily at least, been silenced.
Originally published as The numbers show Adelaide’s improvement theme is working as young stars rise up, says Andrew Capel
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