Crows forward Josh Jenkins deserves some answers on his future at the Adelaide Football club

Out-of-favour forward Josh Jenkins was top three in Adelaide’s 2018 best and fairest count, so why was this highly-paid Crow stuck in the SANFL for so long? Plus this week’s winners and losers.

Adelaide Crows Josh Jenkins, Bryce Gibbs and Darcy Fogarty run laps of the Adelaide Oval. Picture SARAH REED

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Adelaide forward Josh Jenkins has every right to walk out on the Adelaide Football Club at season’s end.

Jenkins still has two years remaining on the lucrative five-year contract he signed in 2016.

Despite kicking 40-plus goals in the last five seasons and booting six goals in the SANFL against Port Adelaide a fortnight ago, he wasn’t recalled to the Adelaide line-up to face West Coast in round 10.

Most thought his stint in the SANFL would be over very quickly. Finally, after six weeks on the outer, he makes his return for Adelaide on Saturday night, but that doesn’t change the fact that’s he’s been badly mismanaged by the Adelaide match committee this year.

Josh Jenkins, Bryce Gibbs and Darcy Fogarty run laps of the Adelaide Oval. Picture: Sarah Reed

Jenkins slotted 46 goals last year and finished third in Adelaide’s club champion award, he was clearly the best key forward on the list. Publicly he has handled his exile with class, but his frustration must be mounting. Something just doesn’t add up.

Even when Adelaide veteran Tom Lynch withdraw from the selected team on Saturday morning, coach Don Pyke opted for wingman Paul Seedsman as his replacement.

Elliot Himmelberg has been Adelaide’s preferred option over Jenkins in attack since round five, and he has had the odd nice moment. But in the last three weeks, Himmelberg is averaging a miserable eight disposals, just over one mark per game and has only kicked two goals.

On the weekend he teamed up with skipper Taylor Walker as the critical targets in attack and the two combined could only manage eight kicks, three marks and one point. Meanwhile, Jenkins was sitting in the stands.

There are several Victorian clubs currently inquiring about the services of Jenkins, and at 30 years of age, he still has two or three good years of football left in him.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge admitted after his side’s loss to North Melbourne on Saturday that they desperately need a key forward to replace the recently retired Tom Boyd. Jenkins is the perfect fit, he can support young star Aaron Naughton in attack and also provide back-up to impressive third-year ruckman Tim English in the middle.

Essendon, North Melbourne, Hawthorn and Melbourne are also lacking a key forward of Jenkins calibre and could inquire about his services.

Adelaide’s Josh Jenkins during Crows training at Football Park on Thursday. Picture: Sarah Reed

Adelaide would be open to trading Jenkins as it will free up significant salary cap space to help them in the pursuit of Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy who’s asking price is well north of a million dollars per season. Jenkins is reportedly earning 750 thousand dollars in 2019.

It will also free up a forward line spot for Adelaide to develop it’s 2017 first round draft pick Darcy Fogarty who hasn’t been able to break into the side so far this year.

As a contracted player it will be up to Jenkins and his manager Paul Conner’s to approach the club and request a trade at seasons end. Adelaide cannot trade him against his will.

He is well established and happy in Adelaide with wife Hannah and daughter Lottie but has family roots in Victoria having grown up in Swan Hill.

Jenkins found himself as the scapegoat for Adelaide’s early season troubles as the Adelaide match committee and some fans questioned his competitiveness and consistency of effort.

However, he’s not the only Adelaide forward who should be queried in this area with captain Taylor Walker having multiple questionable efforts since the failed 2017 Grand Final.

I’ll be surprised if Josh Jenkins is wearing an Adelaide jumper next season.

WINNERS

1. LAST QUARTER CLINIC

In Round 9 it was Brisbane’s Lachie Neale who destroyed Adelaide in the midfield, this week it was West Coast’s Luke Shuey. He collected 11 disposals (six contested) five clearances and three tackles in a match-winning display.

2. COURAGEOUS GIANT

GWS defender Nick Haynes has always been an underrated player. He thrusts himself into dangerous aerial positions that most players wouldn’t dare but also possesses elite skill to match the courage.

3. RAW INTERVIEW

A vulnerable Paddy McCartin spoke to Triple M on the weekend about the emotional toll his long term concussion issues have had on his life. The St. Kilda forward said he had lost his identity as a player and a person and admitted finding even the most mundane daily tasks a challenge. It was the interview of the year from a very impressive young man.

4. POWERFUL FORWARDS

How good were the power forwards in round 10. Sydney’s Sam Reid had his best game at AFL level on Friday night with six contested marks and 6 goals. Harrison Himmelberg’s remarkable season continued with five goals for GWS against Melbourne, Jack Gunston matched Port Adelaide’s team goal tally with six and Tom Hawkins shot to second on the Coleman Medal tally with four against Gold Coast.

5. TACKLING MACHINE

West Coast midfielder Elliot Yeo has laid 57 tackles in the last five weeks, this ferocious hunger shows there is no premiership hangover over in the west.

LOSERS

1. SELECTION MYSTERY

Adelaide lost to West Coast before a ball was even bounced. The non-selection of Josh Jenkins and midfielder Bryce Gibbs was baffling especially considering neither were given a reprieve despite the late withdrawals of Tom Lynch (hamstring) and David Mackay (virus). Mackay’s replacement Riley Knight could only manage nine kicks at 33% efficiency while Gibbs sat with Jenkins in the stands.

2. SELECTION MYSTERY 2

By his own admission Port Adelaide skipper Tom Jonas had run only twice in five weeks before been recalled to the senior side against Hawthorn. Ken Hinkley complained to him that he has never looked so unfit and his direct opponent Jack Gunston was he match winner with six goals for Hawthorn. The risk of selecting underdone players rarely pays off.

3. BAD HABIT

Prolific Port Adelaide midfielder Tom Rockliff has developed an unfortunate habit of quickly slamming the ball on to his boot which often results in an ineffective kick. He’s had big statistics this year but often his kicks go straight up and down and are largely ineffective.

4. WESTY IS DUE

The recent form of 2018 best and fairest winner Justin Westhoff would now be of concern for Ken Hinkley, he needs a big game in Shanghai plain and simple.

5. GRASS NOT GREENER

Former Adelaide forward Mitch McGovern was slammed for being lazy by AFL legend Wayne Carey during the week. McGovern was held to only five disposals against St. Kilda on Sunday and looks a shell of the player he was at Adelaide. You wonder whether he is regretting jumping over to a sinking ship at Carlton.