Ben Hart says Adelaide’s struggling attack is not working but can turn around 2019 scoring woes

Adelaide won’t rule out changes to its misfiring forward line as assistant coach Ben Hart concedes a combination of skill error, poor decision making and running patterns are making goals very hard to come by.

Adelaide’s Sam Jacobs tests his injured knee at training Adelaide. Picture: AAP/David Mariuz.

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Adelaide concedes its forward set-up is malfunctioning and that replicating the club’s potent 2017 blueprint is misguided.

Crows assistant coach Ben Hart won’t rule out changes as Adelaide’s declining forward pressure and poor inside 50 work have contributed to kicking 29.44 over three games this season.

“It is not working at the moment, we are trying a lot. The interesting thing is we are getting looks at what we are wanting to see,” Hart said, with Adelaide’s goal tally led by midfielder Brad Crouch on four.

The dejected Crows trudge off Adelaide Oval after their kicking let them down against Geelong. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

“Mixture of skill error, decision making, patterns the forwards are running. It is not all gelling that is for sure.

“It is all in the mix, we are thinking what as a team is going to give us the best look and reward for the inside 50s we are getting. It may be the same guys roll around and maybe there are some changes. We have to find that mix, we had it during the pre-season.”

Champion Data stats reveal the disintegration of Adelaide’s No.1-ranked dominance across all key attacking categories from 2017 to 2019.

Adelaide’s forward pressure has slipped from No.3 in 2017 when Charlie Cameron and Mitch McGovern were in the nest, to No.14 this season.

Adelaide has fallen from No.1 in 2017 across goals per inside 50 and shot at goal accuracy to last this season. Adelaide is ranked No.12/13 for kick/mark inside 50 retention, No.16 points for and No.17 for marks inside 50.

The game-plan that delivered a minor premiership two seasons ago has been superseded while its 2019 incarnation has promise but “is not flowing” says Hart.

“The game has changed completely from 2017. If we are expecting to kick goals out the back and get people on fast breaks every time we win the footy then we are wrong,” said dual Crows premiership defender Hart.

“The game has changed, teams now defend their back 50 a lot heavier than they did two years ago, may zone up down the backline, get people in their back half really quickly.”

Crows captain Taylor Walker battles against two Geelong defenders on Thursday. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Brad Crouch is the unlikely leading goalkicker for the Crows after three rounds. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Adelaide, notes Hart, isn’t ‘putting its head in the sand’, identifying areas for improvement in losses to Hawthorn and Geelong spliced by an encouraging away win against Sydney.

“We have done a lot of work on it. We just have to take advantage of the inside 50s we are getting,” said Hart.

“We are getting some good looks but not scoring easy goals. All our goals are really hard to come by.”

The pressure is now to perform at West Lakes with Tyson Stengle, Hugh Greenwood, Cam Ellis-Yolmen and utility Darcy Fogarty pushing for promotion

Adelaide’s quest to provide silver service to its forwards has received a setback with ruckman Sam Jacobs hobbled by a knee injury sustained in Round 2 against Sydney and unlikely to take on North Melbourne.

“It might be another one to two (games). We don’t know to be honest, it is just the knock to the knee which is a real pain for him,” said Hart.

Three-game ruckman Reilly O’Brien will almost certainly carry the ruck burden against North Melbourne and possibly Gold Coast.

Adelaide expects star wingman Paul Seedsman could recover from knee/ligament bruising to face Port Adelaide in the Round 7 Showdown.