The Crows have building blocks for future success
Adelaide is about to undergo a significant rebuild and, armed with draft picks and plenty of emerging and established talent, there is reason for optimism, writes Mark Bickley.
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While there is little doubt a wrecking ball is poised to crash through the Adelaide list, the regeneration process is not one size fits all.
Brisbane’s spectacular rise this year has been preceded by nine unspectacular years of finals inaction.
Carlton and Melbourne have had similar periods of ineptitude in recent times and the Saints, since the departure of Ross Lyon, have spent seven years in the wilderness and are still no guarantee to return to finals anytime soon.
Compare that to Sydney, which after 10 years of continuous finals, have slipped out of contention this year but in a very short space of time have become one of the youngest teams in the competition and still managed eight wins for the season.
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Hawthorn and Geelong use their “destination club” status to attract mature-age recruits while still introducing young talent into the group. Both clubs have won multiple premierships in the last two decades and very rarely slip from finals contention.
It shows that the notion of bottoming out can be challenged.
When you look at the Crows’ age profile it tells a tale of inaction over the past two seasons: Decisions deferred as they backed the playing list for a final tilt at the flag.
The Crows have seven players today over the age of 30. Eddie Betts, Sam Jacobs, David Mackay, Josh Jenkins, Bryce Gibbs as well as the retiring Andy Otten and Richard Douglas.
Even if none of these players play for the Crows at AFL level next year, Adelaide would still have 11 players with 100+ games (along with Brad Crouch on 83) — Taylor Walker, Rory Sloane, Daniel Talia, Tom Lynch, Brodie Smith, Rory Laird and the Crouch brothers — ensures Adelaide has a strong nucleus to build on.
The progress of the football club, however, will lie with the half a dozen first round draft picks Adelaide has selected over the past four years.
Wayne Milera, Tom Doedee, Jordan Gallucci, Darcy Fogarty, Chayce Jones and Ned McHenry. All bar McHenry have played senior footy and all need to progress significantly over the coming pre-season.
Milera is about to turn 22 and with four seasons and 60 games under his belt, his fifth year needs to be a big one. He has the running capacity and the skill set to become an A-grade midfielder and provide the class and composure that is in short supply in that area of the ground.
Gallucci is in a similar boat, having played only 10 games in his third year. He hasn’t been able to recapture the form of 2018 which saw him cement his spot in the team. The Crows need for pace and outside run means they are desperate for him to be a success.
Darcy Fogarty’s five goal haul was a glimpse into the future for Crows fans.
He now has to recognise what is on offer and what he is capable of if he can continue to build his physical capacity, which will feed into workrate and output. Fogarty combined with Walker would provide Adelaide with two elite long range scoring threats in their front half.
Tom Doedee was a shining light in 2018 with his intercept marking and desperate defence. Everyone is hoping he can pick up where he left off before his season ending knee injury in Round 1.
That leaves this years two first rounders in Jones and McHenry. Jones impressed on the weekend with his forward craft, before being pitted against one of the game’s best midfields and holding his own.
Eight games in year one is serviceable considering his body size and with running as one of his strong suits, will be given every opportunity to flourish next year.
McHenry has had an injury interrupted SANFL season but has shown glimpses of what he is capable of and clearly has a bright future.
This is just a list of the first-round talent in the pipeline and doesn’t take into account the upside of Reilly O’Brien and Elliott Himmelberg or the other youngsters who have debuted over the last two years in Lachie Murphy, Tyson Stengle, Myles Poholke and Ben Davis.
The Crows will also go to the National Draft with pick three (priority picks notwithstanding) gained from Carlton, along with picks 21 and 26 to add to the talent pool.
The trade period also presents the Crows with an opportunity. With players becoming more comfortable with changing clubs each year, deficiencies within the team can be filled instantly instead of through the draft.
The Crows will also be testing the value on some of their mature aged players like Alex Keath and Hugh Greenwood who may field a specific need at a club closer to a flag than Adelaide and prepared to give up the appropriate pick or player to Adelaide’s liking.
With great change comes great opportunity and there is no doubt change is coming to the Adelaide Crows.
The question will be how many of the Crows youngsters can grab that opportunity and also whether the change in personnel provides Don Pyke with the tools to construct a more contemporary free scoring game style.
It may not be all doom and gloom.
Mark Bickley will be part of The Advertiser Foundation AFL Grand Final Lunch on Wednesday, September 25 at Adelaide Oval. For tickets contact Angela Condous on 8206 2344 or angela.condous@news.com.au