Adelaide Crows back out-of-favour Bryce Gibbs after ‘selfless’ SANFL performance
His SANFL coach praised his solid, selfless game, but did Bryce Gibbs do enough to knock down the selection door after Adelaide’s Showdown failure? See how all the AFL-listed Crows fared.
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Adelaide SANFL coach Heath Younie has backed struggling veteran Bryce Gibbs to rediscover his AFL mojo after what he described as a “selfless’’ performance against Norwood on Sunday.
While 2006 No. 1 draft pick Gibbs has been dropped to the local league four times this season and was left out of the Crows’ horror Showdown 47 loss to Port Adelaide, Younie praised his attitude and performance against the Redlegs at The Parade, despite the 30-year-old failing to knock down the AFL selection door.
“He was selfless with what he did for us around the ball and he contributed to the win,’’ Younie said after Adelaide won by 37 points to consolidate top spot on the SANFL ladder.
“He had 10 clearances, which help you go forward, and his attitude and effort never wavers and he’ll get his just reward in the end if he keeps turning up and putting the effort and attitude in.
“I’m really confident Bryce will turn his form around very quickly.’’
Former Blues midfielder Gibbs, who some pundits have questioned whether he will play AFL again after a tough season, had a modest 22 disposals against Norwood as he dealt with the tag of 20-year-old fifth-gamer Josh Richards.
But he worked extremely hard to influence the contest — only fellow onballer Patrick Wilson, with 27, had more disposals for the Crows — and impressed Younie with his demeanour.
Gibbs’ hard-working effort was watched by AFL coach Don Pyke and his assistant coaches, along with chief executive Andrew Fagan and chairman Rob Chapman, as Adelaide looks for answers to its two-game losing skid and disastrous 57-point loss to the Power, which Pyke described as “embarrassing’’.
While Younie indicated Gibbs did his chances of an AFL recall for Saturday night’s away clash against bottom-placed Gold Coast no harm, veteran ruckman Sam Jacobs will probably be consigned to the SANFL for another week after only breaking even with Norwood premiership ruckman Sam Baulderstone.
Jacobs, 31, hasn’t played an AFL game since round two against Sydney after undergoing knee surgery and then being left out of the senior side for his promising understudy Reilly O’Brien.
He had 17 disposals and took six marks against the Redlegs while having two more hit-outs (24 to 22) than Baulderstone.
Like Gibbs, he was solid rather than spectacular.
“I thought it was a good battle between the two of them,’’ said Younie.
“Sam (Baulderstone) has been a terrific ruckman in the SANFL and I thought ‘Sauce’ (Jacobs), without being huge with numbers, was solid and competed strongly.
“His presence around the ground doesn’t always equate to possessions but I thought it was a strong hit out.’’
Adelaide, which hopes to regain important forward Tom Lynch (calf) and midfielder Cam Ellis-Yolmen (shin) from injury against the Suns, received strong performances from Wilson, Riley Knight (22 disposals, two goals), veteran defender Andy Otten and key forward Elliott Himmelberg (3.4) against Norwood while last year’s first-round draft pick Darcy Fogarty showed some promising signs.