Bryce Gibbs says the Crows won’t give up on the Holy Grail he left Carlton for

HIGH-PROFILE Adelaide recruit Bryce Gibbs says the Crows are battered but not broken in pursuit of the premiership dream he left Carlton to pursue this season.

Adelaide’s Bryce Gibbs, Hawthorn’s Liam Shiels and fellow Crow Tom Doedee compete for the ball during the round 13 match at the MCG. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images.

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BRYCE Gibbs says Adelaide is battered but not broken in pursuit of the Holy Grail he left Carlton to pursue this season.

Gibbs backed Don Pyke to “absolutely” pull Adelaide through its first trough on his watch despite challenging the output of senior players and character shown in four straight losses.

The Advertiser columnists, AFL premiership duo Kane Cornes and Mark Bickley say 11th ranked Adelaide is “broken” and its season over but 244-game on-baller Gibbs disagrees.

“There will probably be a lot of noise outside the footy club that we are done and dusted but we certainly think the year is still alive and we have to think like that,” said Gibbs, rating

Pyke “a star” coach since switching from Carlton.

New Crow Bryce Gibbs marks over Hawk Liam Shiels and Crow Tom Doedee. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images

Bryce Gibbs wraps up Hawthorn’s Luke Breust. Picture: Michael Klein

A 56-point loss to Hawthorn last Saturday means there is no way back for Adelaide without post-bye wins against premiership favourites West Coast, Richmond and Geelong.

“We will stay in the hunt and won’t just let the season slip away,” Gibbs told The Advertiser.

Leaning, exhausted against a wall in the bowels of the MCG after Saturday night’s loss - Gibbs felt every blow of a demoralizing defeat and thankless job on Tom Mitchell.

Gibbs doesn’t regret his move from Carlton despite Adelaide’s premiership window appearing to close.

“I understand this competition is as even as it has ever been and extremely hard to win week to week let alone thinking about the end result too early,” said Gibbs who has tasted just five finals across 12 AFL seasons.

“I am happy here playing a role and that is what I have come here to do, try and fast track some of these younger kids as well.”

Gibbs dismisses talk of a Crows crisis, noting the fish bowl environment of AFL in Adelaide after 11 years in Melbourne. However, Gibbs accepts Adelaide’s lowly standing means the time for talk is over.

“We are disappointed with the way we are playing, we are only guys who can get ourselves out of it,” said Gibbs.

“We expect better of ourselves and our fans do as well.

“Unfortunately in Adelaide with the two teams it can get blown out a bit more than it is but internally there is no crisis. Our confidence has been affected and ball movement. We need to lick our wounds.”

Bryce Gibbs with his Crows teammates after the Hawthorn thumping. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Pre-season favourite Adelaide has been reduced to a mathematical chance of making the eight by winning at least six of its final nine games. It will only start favourite against Brisbane and Carlton.

The leadership of returning mainstays Rory Sloane, Tom Lynch, Rory Laird and Luke Brown bring from injury after the bye will be as valuable as the class Pyke believes can rescue Adelaide’s campaign.

“The guys have been training really hard in the rehab group. It will be good to have some leadership back. Hopefully we can bolster the line-up a bit,” Gibbs said.

“It definitely hurts having quality out. We still expect guys to come in and play a role, get the job done.”