Adelaide needs its senior players to take charge of a team swimming against the tide

RICHARD Douglas might be leading Adelaide’s best and fairest. Bryce Gibbs is one of the recruits of the year. Eddie Betts is kicking goals at will. But if the Crows are going to keep their season alive, the trio must do more.

IN THE final few minutes before the first bounce between Adelaide and GWS on Sunday the two teams gathered at either end of the ground as they would before any game but there was a distinct difference.

As they waited for the coin toss, at the northern end the Crows players stood in a big circle, at arm’s length away from each other and were either stretching, jumping on the spot, tying their shoelaces or casually chatting.

At the southern end the Giants formed a watertight huddle like you would see at three-quarter-time of a grand final and in the middle was 272-game veteran Heath Shaw absolutely laying down the law.

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We don’t know what was said but while waiting for captain Phil Davis to come back Shaw - with hands waving about in the air - was animated, aggressive, demanding and importantly his team looked ready.

The Crows by contrast looked like they were waiting. Not just for the game to start but for someone to talk, someone to rev them up and someone to lead.

They did eventually link arms after the coin toss but without Taylor Walker and Rory Sloane, something was missing.

Adelaide players link up at three-quarter time. Picture: Sarah Reed

For all his critics, Walker is a commanding presence. His pre-game finger pointing and icy cold stare is a fearsome sight even from the grandstand and it is clear he is the one voice the players listen to.

But right now he isn’t there, neither is the vice-captain and heartbeat of the team in Rory Sloane and at that crucial moment before a game neither is coach Don Pyke.

The Giants were playing for their season on Sunday and all they needed was half a sniff and it was game on.

They kicked three of the first four goals meaning Adelaide was chasing its tail thereafter, and the final margin was 16 points.

At 6-5 Adelaide’s season is far from over but going to Perth to play Fremantle and then the MCG to play Hawthorn, it is facing a critical junction.

Pyke admits his side is lacking some “spark” but they also appear to be lacking leadership as well.

There are only four players in the official leadership group this year and two of them are injured. The other two are Tom Lynch and Matt Crouch.

Crouch is a star of the competition, an All-Australian ball magnet whose form has not diminished one bit since being voted in as a leader, and Lynch is a 27-year-old with 114 games of experience and of equal importance to the team, but are they the ones to lift others around them?

Adelaide’s team was more experienced than GWS on Sunday. Its starting 22 had an average of 106 games per player and the Giants’ was 89.

Adelaide had eight 100-game players and three 200-gamers, the Giants had six and three.

They are the ones Adelaide needs to take charge of the team, impose themselves on the game and help others walk taller around them.

Heath Shaw set the stand for the Giants with his leadership. Picture: Getty Images

Richard Douglas (230 games) could well be leading the Crows’ best-and-fairest after Round 11, Bryce Gibbs (242 games) has vindicated the club’s decision to go after him and Eddie Betts (286 games) is kicking goals at important times, but the Crows need more from them in a way that’s not measured on the stats sheet.

You can add ruckman Sam Jacobs (184 games), David Mackay (194), Daniel Talia (152) and Josh Jenkins (124) to that list.

Adelaide has been swimming against the tide and while it waits for the cavalry to arrive in Walker and Sloane, needs its senior players to stand up or the season will be at risk of being swept away.

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