Analysis: Heads must roll with Adelaide Crows at epic low point after Richmond debacle | Paul Starick

It’s high time for heads to roll at my beloved Adelaide Crows – but there’s no messiah on the horizon to ruthlessly sweep out the dead wood, writes Paul Starick.

Love them or loathe them, the Adelaide Crows are the biggest show in this state – and they’re at an epic low point in their 33-year history.

The Crows slumped to a wooden spoon in 2020 and were collectively heartbroken in mid-2015 by the tragedy of first-year coach Phil Walsh’s killing.

But Thursday night’s capitulation to Richmond was a watershed moment in club history. Seething Crows fans are frustrated at being a poverty franchise.

This is lingo for a team that racks up losing records, habitually performs poorly, squanders draft picks, wastes young talent and smacks of a closed-shop boys’ club.

Crows captain Jordan Dawson is tackled by Tim Taranto at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Adelaide has not played finals since the 2017 grand final loss to Richmond, which also won premierships in 2019 and 2020.

The latter was Matthew Nicks’ first year as coach, when the Crows started a rebuild and were handed a wooden spoon.

Back then, at least there was hope of better times ahead, coupled with the joy of being able to attend live sport during a global pandemic.

That hope finally evaporated on Thursday night when Richmond, also a rebuilding side, embarrassed the Crows in the third quarter by piling on six goals to two.

There were the usual excuses of injuries, concentration lapses, on-field leadership and basic talent.

The embattled Nicks cast a dismal tone at the post-match press conference.

“We felt confident at the start of the game. We played some footy throughout this game where it looked like we had it and then … Right now, though, we, post-siren, we sit here in a pretty dark spot, as do a lot of our supporters and our members who came out,” he said.

“They have the right to feel that way, really disappointed in what we’re putting out there.

“ … My way of working through this is to dig in even harder and continue to work as hard as I do. I’ve mentioned it before that I’m actually in the job because I enjoy pressure – right now it’s at its highest.”

Crows players, led by Jordan Dawson, walk off Adelaide Oval after Thursday night’s loss. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

The rot started with the incredible political bungle by the board of reappointing Nicks in late March – days after a historically dismal first half against Gold Coast condemned the club to a first-round loss.

Many fans, including me, argued Nicks had been reappointed too early, arguing he had neither proved himself capable of steering the club to a long-awaited premiership nor eradicating the in-game fade-outs that thwarted Adelaide’s quest for finals last year.

Crows chairman and former Liberal premier John Olsen knows from his own political history that one poor decision can spiral fatally out of control and wreck a team.

He resigned as premier in 2001 after succumbing to controversy over whether telco Motorola was promised a contract side deal.

Reappointing Nicks must be one of the worst political decisions ever made by Mr Olsen and fellow board members, who include former Labor federal sports minister Kate Ellis, club captain Mark Ricciuto, assistant police commissioner Linda Fellows and member-elected director and journalist Graeme Goodings.

At the start of the season, there was an expectation, embraced by the club, that the rebuild was over and finals were finally on the horizon.

Now the Crows are condemned to continuing the rebuild, having been humiliated again by rebuilding Richmond.

Everyone must be accountable – players, coaches, recruiters and board directors. It’s time to shatter the boys club mentality and make some hard, ruthless decisions. It’s high time for heads to roll.

Sadly, there is no Malcolm Blight-like messiah on the horizon to come and clinically sweep out the dead wood from a club that has become timid and reactionary.

The club is effectively rudderless and homeless – although there has been some recent good news on the planned Thebarton headquarters.

It’s one of the lowest points I can remember in the years since I joined up, on the very first day Crows memberships were available for the inaugural 1991 season.

Sadly, it looks like there are more nightmares ahead before realising the ever-more-distant dream of returning to finals, let alone winning a third premiership.

Paul Starick is an Adelaide Football Club foundation member.

Originally published as Analysis: Heads must roll with Adelaide Crows at epic low point after Richmond debacle | Paul Starick