Crows are quickly finding out that fun and games just don’t go together in elite sport

Football at the elite level is not fun — and anyone who says it is doesn’t know the game, isn’t telling the truth or, quite simply, isn’t trying hard enough, says Chris McDermott.

It’s time for the Adelaide Football Club to drop the “F” word. Fun.

The Crows have based their entire 2019 season around the three-letter word — but on the field it’s playing out in all the wrong ways.

Football at this level is not fun — and anyone who says it is doesn’t know the game, isn’t telling the truth or, quite simply, isn’t trying hard enough.

The game is bloody hard work. The rewards are worth it and always have been, but the demands on individuals are even greater these days.

It is the reason we call it a professional sport. It is a field of expertise for a chosen few. It is not for everyone.

Those who play for fun operate in a different competition and at a different level, where the demands are not as great.

AFL is different. It is the playground for the elite.

Darcy Fogarty playing in the pool during the Crows pre-season camp on Fleurieu Peninsula. Picture: Tait Schmaal

An elite game with elite benefits demands elite effort from elite athletes.

You can dress the game up, you can add some colour, you can play some music but when you strip it back to its core, come game day, its pure hard yakka.

Demanding. Intimidating. Challenging. Confronting. Exhausting.

It challenges a player to face his fears and attempt to overcome them in front of hundreds of thousands of eyes — with fans watching, admiring but also waiting to criticise.

A player must accept the bad with the good; there can’t be one without the other. It’s what separates the greats of the game from the rest.

For every positive, there is a negative waiting, and you’ve simply got to deal with it the best way you can or choose another form of employment.

It isn’t fun!

We are only three rounds into a new AFL season but alarm bells must be ringing already at West Lakes.

The Crows play paintball on day one of their pre-season camp. Picture: Tait Schmaal

The Crows’ highly-rated forward line is misfiring.

Taylor Walker has kicked just two goals. Josh Jenkins, Eddie Betts and Tom Lynch each have three — that’s 11 between Adelaide’s four main scorers in three games.

This time a year ago, Walker had seven. Jenkins had eight. Betts had three and even with Lynch yet to trouble the scorers, the same quartet had combined for 18 goals.

In this year’s underwhelming start, the Crows have kicked a disappointing 29 goals, compared with 45 at the same time last season. It was 53 in 2017, on the back of Walker, Jenkins, Betts and Lynch kicking 22 goals in the first three games.

Those numbers are heading in the wrong direction and a correction must be made. If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.

Why Darcy Fogarty has not been played is a mystery to me, especially with Mitch McGovern gone.

But to point the finger of blame solely at the forward line is unfair. Adelaide’s problems are a sum of all parts, not just one.

The defence is sound but dour and lacking variety. Daniel Talia, Alex Keath, Jake Kelly and Kyle Hartigan are quality stoppers. They are negators, but none are rebounders, springboards
to attack.

Tom Doedee’s loss has hit hard and an alternative must be found. Andy Otten is the only answer.

Wayne Milera, Brodie Smith and Rory Laird are the prime movers back there but they, too, have been hit by the dour stick and must focus as much on their offence as they do on their defence.

It is a balance they must constantly juggle, but it the very essence of the Crows’ game plan. Rolling Bryce Gibbs back there as an impact player must be considered.

The midfield cannot escape the microscope, either.

Losing Sam Jacobs would hurt any team, but the law of averages says it was coming.

Even the most resilient players have a breaking point.

Unfortunately, the Crows have limited resources to fill the void he has left.

Reilly O’Brien is one option and deserves his chance, but he has been left in the cupboard for a long time and needs exposure to the game at the highest level. He may have failed first-up against Geelong and he will fail again — but he must either be seriously tried or cut loose.

Talk of Brodie Grundy coming to West Lakes must be considered talk only and a distraction this football club and its players do not need.

We are at Round 3, not Round 23. A flaw in Adelaide’s recruiting has been exposed and with a clash against North Melbourne and big man Todd Goldstein looming, a worthy combatant for the big Roo must be found.

It is too big an ask for O’Brien alone.

Josh Jenkins may need to take a lead role here and seize this opportunity to take his game to another level.

That won’t be fun, either.

The fun is over for the Crows, widely touted as a genuine flag threat in 2019, and it’s time to get serious before they become the butt of other teams’ jokes.

That’s definitely not fun.