How the loss of Jake Lever and Tom Doedee has robbed Adelaide of vital defensive intercept marking power
No Tom Doedee, no Jake Lever, no Crows. The statistics make for damning reading for Don Pyke’s side as its two best intercept marking players of 2017 and 2018 are missing this season.
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No Tom Doedee, no Jake Lever, no Crows.
It might not be quite that simple but Adelaide — one of this year’s pre-season flag favourites — is paying a big price for being without two trump defensive cards who were so critical to its style of play.
Two seasons after being the AFL’s number one team in scores from intercepts, the struggling 1-2 Crows — who face a crunch game against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night — rank rock bottom in the key statistic this season.
In its grand final year of 2017, Adelaide scored 70.4 points a game from intercept possessions, often halting the opposition’s attacking thrusts in its defensive half (largely through Lever in the air) and then racing the ball back down the other end for a score.
Lever, who controversially quit the Crows at age 21 to join Melbourne after the grand final loss, was the AFL’s intercept king that season, averaging 9.5 a game — 0.1 more than five-times Richmond All-Australian backman Alex Rance
Last season, with Lever gone, third-year defender Doedee picked up much of the defensive slack, averaging 7.5 intercept possessions in a breakout campaign that culminated in him finishing runner-up in the AFL Rising Star award.
Adelaide — in an injury-ravaged year — wasn’t as effective in slingshotting from the back half but it finished a credible seventh in scores from intercepts, averaging 53.6.
But when Doedee shredded his left knee in this year’s premiership season opener against Hawthorn and was ruled out for the rest of the season, the Crows were left with a massive defensive hole.
The statistics paint a damning picture.
Adelaide is this season averaging only 28.3 points from intercepts — 11 fewer than any other side and 36 behind No. 1 ranked Greater Western Sydney.
Champion Data had ranked Doedee and Lever as Adelaide’s only “elite’’ intercept defenders, illustrating how badly the pair has been missed.
With Lever moving on at the end of 2017, Crows forward Tom Lynch said this season’s injury-enforced absence of the exciting Doedee had made things tough for the club, describing him as “irreplaceable’’.
“He’s such an important player for us and we would love to have him out there, you are never going to be able to replace Tommy,’’ Lynch said.
“But those guys in the back six or seven are working really hard on playing their style of footy.
“We’ve got a number of guys who can mark the ball down there, the talls with ‘Harto’ (Kyle Hartigan), ‘Tales’’ (Daniel Talia) and ‘Keathy’ (Alex Keath), who aerially are really good.
“You can never replace Tommy but you can work your way around it, there are other ways to get those intercept possessions.
“We’ve got a different mix down there now but one we feel is really capable.’’
Tall key defender Keath has performed well, averaging 7.7 intercept possessions, ranked above average.
But most of his defensive teammates rank average or below, illustrating an issue Adelaide must quickly address.
This could lead to the promotion of strong-marking forward Darcy Fogarty, who has been trialled in defence in the SANFL.
CROWS’ WINGS CLIPPED
Adelaide has crashed from the No. 1 ranked scores from intercept team in 2016 and 2017 to last this season.
ADELAIDE INTERCEPTING
Year; Scores from intercepts; AFL rank
2019; 28.3; 18
2018; 53.6; 7
2017; 70.4; 1
2016; 71.5; 1
NO TIME TO CROW
Club; Points from intercepts in 2019
GWS 64.0
Hawthorn 59.3
Geelong 58.0
Collingwood 53.0
Richmond 52.3
West Coast 51.0
Brisbane 50.0
Fremantle 49.7
Melbourne 48.7
Bulldogs 47.7
Port 47.7
Gold Coast 43.3
Sydney 42.0
Carlton 40.3
Essendon 40.3
St Kilda 40.0
North Melb 39.7
Adelaide 28.3
ADELAIDE DEFENDERS
Player: Intercept possessions; Position; Rating
Jake Lever: (2017) 9.5; Key def; Elite
Alex Keath: 7.7; Key def; Above Ave
Tom Doedee: (2018) 7.5; Gen def; Elite
Jake Kelly: 6.3; Gen def; Above Ave
Rory Laird: 6.0; Gen def; Average
Wayne Milera: 5.7; Gen def; Average
Daniel Talia: 5.0; Key def; Below Ave
Brodie Smith: 5.0; Gen def; Average
Kyle Hartigan: 3.0; Key def; Poor
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