No regrets over Bernie Vince trade says Crows coach Brenton Sanderson
BRENTON Sanderson hails the debut of Matt Crouch, saying the Crows made the right decision to trade Bernie Vince.
BRENTON Sanderson has hailed the NAB Challenge debut of teenager Matt Crouch and declared Adelaide has “without doubt’’ made the right decision to trade Bernie Vince to Melbourne.
While Crows fans again questioned the move after Vince racked up 32 disposals in the Demons’ upset win against Richmond on Friday night, Sanderson said Crouch’s first-up performance highlighted why the club was so desperate to draft him.
Adelaide secured the 18-year-old brother of its AFL Rising Star runner-up Brad Crouch with pick 23 — the selection it gained from Melbourne for Vince — at last year’s national draft.
While Crouch is considered a long-term prospect, he starred in the 10-goal win against Port Adelaide on Sunday in a performance which suggested he could jump straight into AFL ranks.
Sanderson said it was unfair to compare the two players at this stage of their careers, noting the 10-year age difference between them.
But he is no doubt the Crows have pulled off a successful trade, despite letting a club champion leave.
“At 28, Bernie still has some great football ahead of him and I was really happy to see him play well (on Friday) but it was a football decision that was made,’’ the Crows coach said of Adelaide’s need to get back into the early rounds of the draft after being stripped of picks as part of the Kurt Tippett salary cap penalties.
“We’ve got Matt Crouch on our list now and we’re really happy to see him develop. Ten, 12 years of Brad and Matt playing together is going to be really exciting for our footy club.’’
Ball magnet Crouch racked up 23 disposals and 97 SuperCoach points in limited game time against the Power and with injuries hitting the Crows he has emerged as a genuine chance to debut against Geelong in the club’s premiership season opener against Geelong at Simonds Stadium on March 20.
The midfield ball extractor won nine of his possessions in traffic, had five clearances and laid a team-high six tackles.
Sanderson was high on the polished left-footer even before the draft, saying he would “throw a party’’ if he was still available at pick 23.
Now he describes Crouch as “my boy’’.
“You know that I liked him before the draft and for him just to slot in (against Port) and just get into the rhythm of the game really quickly was really pleasing for me,” Sanderson said.
“We get his brother back soon and it’s going to be really exciting for our fans to see Brad and Matt Crouch play a lot of footy together.’’
Dashing Crows defender/wingman David Mackay said Crouch had done everything right to push for AFL selection and forecast he could “play a lot of AFL footy this year’’.
“He’s stepped in from day one and just looks like he belongs in the AFL,’’ Mackay said. “He’s got time and he just manages to find the ball. To have him and Brad in our squad is really exciting for everyone.’’