Hugh Greenwood says he understands why youngsters may be frustrated at having to bide their time but Crows aren’t hitting reboot on their season
The Crows have been labelled everything from too old and too slow, to too soft and too predictable. Hugh Greenwood says he understands why some young guns could be frustrated but Adelaide isn’t giving up on its season. Listen to the podcast here.
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Adelaide’s Hugh Greenwood says he understands why some young players at the club could be frustrated at having to bide their time in the SANFL while rival clubs unearth a string of draftees and fresh faces this season.
The Crows have had only had six games from last year’s draft crop compared to 49 at Port Adelaide and even 35 at ladder-leader Geelong, and they’ve had two AFL debutants compared to Geelong’s five and Richmond’s six.
Youngsters Ben Davis, Tyson Stengle, Elliott Himmelberg and Chayce Jones have all had tastes of senior footy this year while Darcy Fogarty is still waiting for a call-up as the Crows took the oldest team in the competition into the Round 18 loss to Essendon.
“I’m sure they’re frustrated because they’re competitive,” Greenwood told The Lowdown Podcast.
“The team success always comes first but there are guys who want to play AFL footy and they wouldn’t be getting out of bed every day if that’s wasn’t their motivation.
“They wouldn’t be rocking up on a weekend in the SANFL just going through the motions if there wasn’t some incentive.
“These are guys that want to play AFL footy and the ones that have played have certainly shown they’re capable, Chayce has had some really good games earlier in the year, Elliott Himmelberg played some good footy, Benny and Tyson only got to play the one game but showed glimpses.
“So these are guys who if they are carrying the right form at SANFL level can come in and impact at AFL level.
“As Benny Hart said (on Monday), no one is safe at selection, there are no automatic selections, but these guys aren’t going to be picked just because they are young.
“We are still a legitimate finals hope and chance if (the club) feels these guys are ready to go and impact then absolutely they’ll play.”
Adelaide was run off its feet by Essendon on Friday night when the Bombers turned a 30-point deficit into a 21-point win in the second half.
Figures released by the AFL and Telstra two weeks ago showed the Crows ranked last in the competition for total distance covered and total sprints, and second last for total distance at high speed this season.
“It’s not that we’re slow or too old, we are showing that we’re able to do it, but our inability to do it the whole game is a huge area of concern and we are addressing it and hopefully we can get on top,” Greenwood said.
“The Bombers are a prime example of a team that goes super quick, you look down their list and it’s run, run run, and as you showed no pressure and our inability to stick tackles those teams are going to punish you and they did.
“For a team that prides itself on contest and pressure that’s (lack of pressure) pretty damning.
“I doubt it’s an energy thing, we are very fit, the guys are a group that’s played a lot of footy and been in this situation where we’ve played a full season of footy and been up and about (before).
“Brodie’s (Smith) performance on the weekend shows that it’s been a fantastic move, and that’s always been the plan for Wayne (Milera), he’s only 21 and we saw glimpses of what he’s capable of with the ball in his hand off half-back last year.
“So it was always going to be a process for him to get into the midfield and with the way our season is going and a need for speed we had to get him in there.”
Greenwood said despite the shock loss on Friday night, so far it had been a normal week at West Lakes.
“We had an extended meeting about a couple of things but for most part fairly normal, knowing we have five games to go and can control our destiny,” he said.
“We are still in the eight so it’s not all doom and gloom.”
reece.homfray@news.com.au