As the Adelaide Crows prepare for their Marsh Series opener, we’re about to learn a lot about what their Round 1 team will look like
The Adelaide Crows coaching staff admit they’re not sure on what their best 22 is ahead of the first club’s first hitout under new coach Matthew Nicks, meaning there’s plenty to learn across the next three weeks.
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Adelaide’s coaching staff admit they don’t know what their best 22 is as the Crows step out for the first time under Matthew Nicks in Saturday’s pre-season game against Melbourne.
A squad of 26 flew to Melbourne on Friday to play the Demons with Round 1 spots up for grabs.
Of the big names who aren’t playing, Paul Seedsman and Taylor Walker are attending a wedding while Brodie Smith – who had his right elbow strapped and left the track midway through Thursday’s training session – will play in next week’s state-of-origin game instead.
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Tom Doedee has been given one more week as he nears a return from a knee reconstruction while young key position prospects and first-round draftees Darcy Fogarty and Fischer McAsey are having their workloads managed and are expected to suit up in the under-23 trial game next weekend.
“We don’t know our best side at the moment,” assistant coach Ben Hart said.
“You have some idea but at the same time people are putting their hand up for places come Round 1.
“It’s not do-or-die but for us it’s about gaining trust with one another as players and coaches and building on that.”
Here’s what we want to learn about the Crows’ team during the Marsh Community Series.
What is their plan with the ruck?
Reilly O’Brien will clearly take the No. 1 role but who and how they support him remains up for discussion.
Last year it was Josh Jenkins or Elliott Himmelberg pinch-hitting. This weekend they will look at both Himmelberg and Billy Frampton in the hybrid role with Kieran Strachan not selected to play the Demons.
“Billy has shown some great things in the centre bounce especially, he’s very athletic, and Elliott can continue to build that craft,” Hart said.
“Potentially (there is room for both in the same side) if they play well enough to get in but we still haven’t worked out our mix there.
“There’s a school of thought you go with one ruckman and pinch hit with someone else, do you go with two ruckmen or if their form warrants it can you use all three?”
Which small forward is a Round 1 lock?
The internal raps on Tyson Stengle are growing every week. Fitter, faster and leaner than last season, he dominated periods of last week’s internal trial game and has his nose in front at this stage.
Lachlan Murphy will play on Saturday as will Shane McAdam for the first time in the side while Jordan Gallucci is on the outer.
“He’s (Stengle) been fantastic, he’s done everything we’ve asked of him in all areas,” Hart said.
“He knew he had a few things to work on and hasn’t put a foot wrong over the pre-season.
“It’s OK to do it against ourselves but we haven’t kicked a footy in anger yet so hopefully for Tyson’s sake, he can take that form and do it against other opposition.”
Is Walker really playing on a wing?
Some interpreted it as a joke when Walker first floated the idea on radio but Nicks said he’d consider anything over summer and Tex may get a look at it against Gold Coast in their second Marsh Series game on March 6.
The Crows posted a tweet last week which said:
“Over the past five years, 55.2 per cent of Tex’s inside 50s have resulted in a Crows score, generating 116 goals. Could that translate to a damaging wingman in 2020?”
Myles Poholke and Ben Keays – who has impressed with his endurance running in pre-season – have been named on the wing to play Melbourne, but David Mackay, Paul Seedsman, Rory Atkins and Ned McHenry could also put their hand up for those spots.
Can Fisher McAsey or Jordan Butts debut in Round 1?
Daniel Talia, Luke Brown and Jake Kelly are mainstays of the backline and are all playing this weekend but there is no Kyle Hartigan moved well, running hard and changing direction at training on Thursday after ankle surgery five weeks ago.
The door is open for Fischer McAsey or Jordon Butts to debut in Round 1, despite McAsey being rested this weekend.
“He’s (McAsey) done everything, first pre-season, looking really good, we potentially think he can play at the level straight away so it’s a management thing,” Hart said.
“Jordan (Butts) deserves a crack, he’s been really strong, probably went under the radar a bit last year and has worked on his craft and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do.
“He’s a solid defender but he can mark the footy and uses it quite well.”
Where are the goals coming from?
Eddie Betts and Josh Jenkins were second and third on Adelaide’s goalkicking tally last year with 59 between them, behind only Walker who kicked 43.
Both are now gone and the man most expect to explode is Darcy Fogarty who is being rested this weekend.
Fogarty is an optical illusion this summer. He looks bigger and stronger but he’s actually lighter. After five goals against West Coast and three against Collingwood late last season, there is little doubt he’s ready to play every week.
“To be quite honest if you look at that forwards group you’ve got Taylor Walker and Tom Lynch who have played a lot of footy, then underneath that Lachy Murphy is the next most with 32 games, so there are spots up for grabs,” Hart said.
Originally published as As the Adelaide Crows prepare for their Marsh Series opener, we’re about to learn a lot about what their Round 1 team will look like