Jason Dunstall says Adelaide Crows are in a bind over the club’s small forward, predicts difficult 2025
A Hall of Fame legend has cast doubt over Adelaide’s potential improvement next season, identifying two key areas where the Crows must lift to end their long finals drought.
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Hall of Fame Legend Jason Dunstall says he is finding it hard to see “where the improvement is going to come from” at Adelaide in 2025, saying “there is going to be a lot of pressure” on the Crows.
Hawthorn legend Dunstall, who was part of the external review at West Lakes in 2019, said key in any improvement for the Crows next year was keeping star Izak Rankine on the field – but his move into the midfield could create small forward issues for Adelaide.
After just missing out on finals in 2023, the Crows were tipped by many to crack the top eight for the first time since 2017 in 2024.
But instead it was a horror year which ended in a bottom-four finish.
That has heaped pressure on the club and key figures such as senior coach Matthew Nicks going into next season.
Dunstall told The Advertiser he was unsure where the improvement was going to come from.
“Pressure is on the Crows in 2025, because it was such a disappointing year the one that has just gone,” he said.
“I was bullish about them improving in 2024 and it didn’t happen, it went the other way
so there is going to be a lot of pressure on them. It’s hard to say where the improvement is going to come from.”
Some of the pressure from fans has been eased after a trade and free agency period that yielded Alex Neal-Bullen from Melbourne and GWS duo Isaac Cumming and James Peatling.
Dunstall said he would be interested to see where they fit into the Crows’ side.
“They have to fit in which will be interesting, they are all good players but is there someone there who is going to take them straight up the ladder it is hard to say,” he said.
One player he said could do this was Rankine, but after injury and suspension meant he only played 15 games in 2024 the star Crow needed to be kept on the ground.
“They do need to keep their best players on the park, that was an issue for them this year,” he said.
“If Rankine is missing, I feel like their winning chances deteriorate when he isn’t there so they need a full season for him and find ways to keep him on the park.
“I think that goes a long way for them being consistent in their ability to be dangerous because he is such a creative player but you don’t want to be relying on one player to do that for you that is the difficulty.”
Rankine was moved into the midfield more in 2024, and was damaging when in there.
Dunstall said this meant other small forwards, such as Josh Rachele who was controversially dropped for the Crows’ final game of the season, had to step up.
“Because you have these key position players that look like they are going to be able to fill the breach OK but if you don’t have multiple smalls capitalising on your opportunities you are going to be in trouble,” he said.
📺 Izak Rankine's Electrifying Season
— JΛDelaide (@JADelaideX) September 29, 2024
Rankine's highlights from 2024 - the goals, the skills, and the individual brilliance.
What was your favourite Rankine moment this year? pic.twitter.com/Xy87oojPi3
“Small forwards have become really important in the game and because they have Rankine spending more time in the midfield where are those crumbing goals?
“He (Rachele) had a really poor year and I don’t know what happened with him, and that is another puzzle they have to solve.”
Fox Footy will be the only place to watch AFL exclusively live on Saturdays in South Australia for the first eight rounds of the home and away season in 2025.
In this period, which ends with the Round 9 Showdown, Crows and Port Adelaide matches on Saturday’s will be shown on free-to-air on a delay.
From Round 9 onwards games involving the Crows and Power on Saturdays will be simulcast live on free-to-air in SA.
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Originally published as Jason Dunstall says Adelaide Crows are in a bind over the club’s small forward, predicts difficult 2025
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