AFL 2024: Adelaide Crows’ big issues ahead of Gather Round fight to remain relevant
Adelaide announced itself in last year’s Gather Round opener. On Thursday, the Crows will fight to remain relevant. So, why is this side so unrecognisable? SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON takes a closer look.
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Adelaide opened Gather Round last year with a win over Carlton that key people at the Crows believed announced themselves to the rest of the competition as they blitzed the Blues away.
The Crows will open next week’s Gather Round against Melbourne trying to not only regain their relevance when it comes to the finals race, but to now placate fans who are again questioning the direction of Matthew Nicks’ side.
Being 0-3 is enough of a concern for the Crows, with everyone at West Lakes saying it was now time for them to return to September action for the first time since 2017.
But everything that was good about the Crows in 2023, as they came close to a top-eight finish, wasn’t sighted on a not-good-at-all Friday as they went down to Fremantle at Optus Stadium.
The Crows’ finals chances aren’t dead at 0-3.
But it is an extremely hard road from here, and Adelaide looks miles away from a side that can challenge for the top eight.
The highest scoring side of 2023, the Crows look like they are lost when they go forward in 2024.
There is no speed on the ball and, for the second week in a row, an opposing defender had a field day with Dockers captain Alex Pearce a purple wall in defence.
Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy said the Crows were unrecognisable going forward so far this season.
“Last year, they were the most effective … always going inside forward 50,” he said on Fox Footy.
“They’ve got some work to do forward of the centre.
“You can’t recognise Adelaide’s forward connection this year from what we saw last year.
“They’ve just hit this wall… the wall of (Alex) Pearce and he has been incredible.”
Yes, the conditions against Gold Coast in round 1 were shocking and Friday was a slog for much of the evening, but the Crows just haven’t looked like the side in 2023 that could go on high-scoring runs – save for the fourth quarter against the Suns.
Even in the loss to Geelong at Adelaide Oval, there wasn’t the feeling that a Crows home surge was coming like it has in the past.
Despite the 44 inside 50 entries against Fremantle, the Crows are averaging the same amount as they did in 2023 so far in 2024 – 54.7.
But while their efficiency was 53.7 per cent last year, so far it is 34.8 per cent.
The Crows had a big focus on their defence over pre-season, understandable given that was the area that let them down in 2023.
But did this, along with the departure of forwards coach James Rahilly back to Geelong, blunt the Crows big weapon?
After being labelled as “vanilla” by North Melbourne premiership player David King last week, the Crows midfield is set to again come under the microscope ahead of Thursday night’s clash against the Demons.
King doubled down on Saturday, calling it a “no-damage midfield”.
Crows fans would struggle to argue with that right now.
Matt Crouch, who would be miles in front of the Crows best and fairest after three games, had 28 disposals, but just three score involvements and 200m gained.
Captain Jordan Dawson had 27 disposals, five score involvements and 402m gained, but had nine turnovers.
Dawson’s kicking efficiency is down to 49.1 per cent so far this season, after two years of 65.1 and 75.5 per cent.
Rory Laird had 25 disposals, three score involvements and 284m gained.
Compare that to the Dockers trio of Caleb Serong, Hayden Young and Andrew Brayshaw.
Young had 32 disposals, seven score involvements and 661m gained, Serong 28, two and 567m and Brayshaw 21, four and 312m.
Nicks said post game the club was “frustrated”.
Most fans are furious and are again questioning the direction of the Crows.
The timing of Nicks’ contract extension after round 1, whether players are being played in their best position, the chances being given, or not, to some of the young players and recruitment – with the pick of Fischer McAsey before Young and Serong in 2019 coming up plenty of times – are all being questioned.
Adelaide needs to rediscover its mojo and quickly.
The Crows have faced questions about their direction in the past, but have been able to, at least, win more games than the previous season in Nicks’ time at the club.
To do this in 2024, they need to win 12 of their next 20.
It’s achievable, but not with the way they are playing right now.
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