Crows pre-season: Who needs to dominate on the track this off-season?
After a chaotic start to the off-season, the Adelaide Crows are heading back to the training track. Who needs to hit the ground running in 2020?
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Adelaide returns to pre-season training on Wednesday, and after two tough seasons, the Crows need some players to stand up and take the off-season by the scruff of the neck.
With a new coach at the helm in Matthew Nicks, players who have not grasped their opportunities in the past could find themselves in the best 22 come round one.
Bryce Gibbs
To say Gibbs’ time at the Crows so far has been underwhelming would be an understatement.
After arriving after Adelaide’s 2017 grand final defeat, it was believed Gibbs would add another dimension to a terrific midfield.
Unfortunately, it has been a horror two seasons for the former Blue, however, under Nicks it could be a fresh opportunity.
Gibbs will be 31 in March, so he’ll need to tear up the track throughout the pre-season.
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Jordan Gallucci
Young, but inconsistent can only get you so far at AFL level.
A former first round draft pick, Gallucci has been in and out of the Crows’ side across the past two seasons and has yet to put a firm stamp on a first team spot.
A massive pre-season will be necessary if he is to live up to his obvious potential, and there’s plenty of positions up for grabs following the trade clean out.
Riley Knight
In a similar position to Gallucci, except Knight shopped around a bit in the off-season, and was linked with Sydney.
The midfielder/forward was out of contract at the end of this season, before re-signing on a one-year contract extension.
At his best, Knight can be damaging, but he needs to come into 2020 in red-hot form if he is to earn another deal or a more lucrative offer elsewhere for 2021.
Elliott Himmelberg
Despite Josh Jenkins’ departure to Geelong, Himmelberg’s case remains interesting as there’s another youngster vying for his spot.
Billy Frampton’s move across the town from Port Adelaide will put pressure on the 21-year-old as they both aim to be the ruck/forward up forward.
At SANFL level, they’ve both shown they’re capable, but who will grasp the spot in the first-team throughout the pre-season?
Tyson Stengle
A massive hole has been left in the Crows’ forward line with Eddie Betts’ departure to Carlton.
That position should belong to the former Richmond youngster, who impressed when he made his first appearance in a 95-point win over Gold Coast.
Now, Stengle has been given Betts’ old No. 18 guernsey, which is sure to add a little bit of pressure.
Whether he can thrive on it and get his own pocket remains to be seen, but he needs to make that spot his own.