This was supposed to be the season Adelaide turned things around but the numbers show more than half the players went backwards in 2019
With the help of Champion Data, The Phantom breaks down Adelaide’s playing list and how it performed in 2019. Who improved? And, more notably, who went backwards? HAVE YOUR SAY
This was the season Adelaide was supposed to put the grand final loss, pre-season camp and 2018’s horror injury run behind it and get back on track.
But, while Adelaide finished the season with only Tom Doedee and Cam Ellis-Yolmen on its injury list, the numbers say more than half of the players who played more than five games this year failed to improve.
We analyse Port Adelaide’s 2019 list from midday on Friday
Of the six Crows rated elite by Champion Data at the start of the year, only two remain.
Brodie Smith is still classified as an elite general defender and Tom Lynch an elite general forward.
Rory Sloane, Rory Laird, Eddie Betts and Paul Seedsman are now considered above average in their respective positions.
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The heavily-criticised Taylor Walker has made the jump into the elite bracket, after booting 43 goals and ranking second for inside-50s, fifth for score involvements and sixth for goal assists of all key forwards.
At the top of the Champion Data ranking points differential list sits strong-bodied midfielder Cam Ellis-Yolmen, who was in career-best form before a shin injury wiped out his season following the Round 12 victory over the Tigers.
Ellis-Yolmen averaged 23 disposals, 12 contested possessions and 93.6 ranking points per game in his 10 appearances in 2019, an increase of 10.7 on last year.
With the 26-year-old in the side, Adelaide’s win-loss count was 7-3.
Ellis-Yolmen didn’t play a game after the Round 14 bye and Adelaide won just two of his final nine home-and-away matches, as its contested-ball numbers declined.
Dashing defender Brodie Smith was another big positive from a disappointing season.
Smith, who spent time further up the ground in the back half of the year, averaged 23 disposals, 508 metres gained, five score involvements, four inside 50s and 88.6 ranking points.
The 27-year-old only played one game last year after recovering from an ACL injury but his 88.9 ranking points per game was 8.6 higher than his last full season in 2017.
Defender Jake Kelly, who played every game this year, increased his ranking-point average from 67.3 to 74 after rating elite for spoils and above-average for intercept marks, contested marks, intercept possessions and kicking efficiency.
Kelly has been linked to a move away from West Lakes but with growth stagnating in other areas of its list, can Adelaide afford to let him go?
While co-captain Rory Sloane improved on his 2018 numbers, that was a year ravaged by injury.
The star midfielder’s 103-point average in 2019 was still lower than the level he set in the six seasons between 2012 and 2017.
Add small-forward Lachie Murphy (+5.3) and that’s five players who improved by five points or more.
Ruckman Reilly O’Brien’s improvement has been the most dramatic of the entire group with the 24-year-old averaging 95.1 ranking points per game — the sixth-ranked player at the club.
But he had only made two senior appearances, both back in 2016, at the start of the year.
Elite = Top 10% of position.
Above Average = Top 35% of position.
Minimum 5 games in 2019.
At the other end of the list, seven Crows recorded negative differentials of -5 or worse.
Bryce Gibbs’ struggles were obvious but his final ranking-point tally of 69 was 27 less than his 97-point average in 2018.
For the first time since his debut season of 2007, Gibbs averaged less than 20 disposals per game and his 5.5 contested possessions was the second-lowest of his career.
Retiring midfielder-forward Richard Douglas year-on-year ranking-point differential of -19 was the second-worst at the club, with the 246-game veteran averaging 54 points per game, his lowest average since 2007.
Douglas has definitely played his last game at the Crows but can the same be said for key-forward Josh Jenkins?
He’s averaged two goals or more in every season since 2013 but the 30-year-old, who only played 11 games in 2019, was down in a number of other key areas, resulting in Jenkins tallying 13 less ranking points per game this year.
Ball-magnet Rory Laird, who was All-Australian in 2018, failed to maintain his high standard with his average falling by 11.5.
But it’s the 2019 seasons of top draft picks Wayne Milera and Jordan Gallucci that would concern the Crows.
After playing 16 games in his second season, Gallucci, who was selected at pick No. 15 in the 2016 draft, made just 10 senior appearances in 2019, averaging just 49.6 ranking points per game.
Sure a concussion against the Power in Round 16, resulting in an 18-point tally, affects this average but there was no third-year spike many were expecting.
But, while he, again, showed enough of his enormous talent — more through the midfield this year — to give the club and fans hope, the inconsistent season of Milera might have been even more of letdown.
*Minimum 5 games in both seasons
The skilful right-footer improved in each of his first three seasons, taking his ranking-point average to 79.8 in 2018.
And from Round 17 onwards last year, Milera’s average was 95.
Adelaide coach Don Pyke admitted in the wake of the Round 22 loss to the Magpies that they are yet to decide where to best use the 21-year-old but his 18 disposals and 74.6 ranking points per game was a step backwards.
Adelaide’s draft class of 2018 played just eight matches in 2019 — the sixth least in the competition.
And all were to exciting midfielder-forward Chayce Jones, who was a shining light in the Round 23 loss to the Bulldogs.
Darcy Fogarty, again, showed enormous upside in four matches but he had to wait until Round 20 for a senior game.
Both must — and will — be given the opportunity to grow in 2020.
As do a number of other talented kids on the list, along with the potential top-end talent which might land at West Lakes through this year’s draft.