The Lowdown: Draft call Crows rue after letting Will Day go begging to Hawthorn in 2020 draft
Will Day tore the Crows up on Sunday, leaving fans ruing picking Fisher McAsey ahead of South Australian in 2020. But, SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON asks, could Day have become the player is in the Crows’ system? See his likes and dislikes in The Lowdown.
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Simeon Thomas-Wilson runs the ruler over South Australian football in The Lowdown.
DISLIKES
1. QUESTIONS RETURNING
If over the last couple of weeks after its bye Adelaide had showed some promising signs they all were evaporated by just how meekly the Crows surrendered against Hawthorn on Sunday. Matthew Nicks said his side didn’t wave the white flag but it looked pretty damn close to it as the Hawks pretty much did what they wanted in the second half at Adelaide Oval. Post game Nicks said it was “probably as bad as we have been for a number of years”. Forget that finals were still a tiny, tiny chance prior to the game, the Crows were looking to embrace the chance to rattle the finals race – according to Nicks prior to the win over Essendon.
Matthew Nicks had a message for Adelaide fans after a heavy defeat to Hawthorn on Sunday evening.
— SuperFooty (AFL) (@superfooty) July 29, 2024
Details: https://t.co/n3uaYGg3cEpic.twitter.com/5jbEU6DX2F
Well again this season they Crows failed to embrace the challenge and expectations in front of them. The decision to play four tall forwards worked for a quarter but then backfired as Nicks had another rough day in the coaches box, but to be fair he isn’t the first to get outfoxed by the brilliant Sam Mitchell. Are the Crows ruthless enough when they need to be? Yes the win over the Bombers was a good one and hindsight is always easy but with Taylor Walker coming back surely the move would have been to drop Elliott Himmelberg – who had the nine disposals and one mark against Essendon.
2. DAY-LIGHT IN DIFFERENCES
Naturally given how well he played a lot of the talk on social media was how from the 2019 draft the Crows ended up with Fischer McAsey – who was playing for St Kilda City on the weekend – from Pick No. 6 and the Hawks came away with Will Day at No. 13. But while that 2019 draft continues to hurt the Crows, those fans saying Adelaide made a massive mistake in not taking the West Adelaide product are having the wrong debate. Playing as a half-back, the lightly build Day was a big riser in his draft year and while it has been an inspired decision even the Hawks taking him at 13 was considered a bit of a reach. The real question is, if the Crows did draft Day just how would have his development compared to how it has gone at the Hawks?
How many years would he have had to spend in the SANFL, especially since he was lightly built when he was drafted? How many years would he not be on the ball, making the most of his 191cm frame? The Crows had their two best players in Jordan Dawson and Izak Rankine out, Matt Crouch and Brodie Smith were ill and Josh Worrell making his return from injury in the SANFL. But despite starting their rebuild earlier than the Hawks, the Crows side on Sunday had played a significantly less amount of games than Mitchell’s side. While the Crows have been able to get top talent from other clubs such as Dawson and Rankine, the Hawks have been able to get players such as Jack Ginnivan, Massimo D’Ambrosio, Mabior Chol – who spurned Adelaide – and Lloyd Meek in for cheap prices. Since 2020, the Crows have had the eight first round draft picks to the Hawks six. Yet right now the differences between the two look stark.
3. BIG DECISIONS
Last week it was what does Port Adelaide do with Esava Ratugolea, this week it will be what does the Power do with Todd Marshall? After just missing out on the win over Carlton, he could be available for this weekend. So does the Power return him to the AFL side straight away? Hinkley has unashamedly been a Marshall fan throughout his career, but prior to his bizarre injury against the Suns – caused by Charlie Dixon – he had looked short on confidence. Charlie Dixon had the eight disposals and one mark against the Blues but did provide a contest. Mitch Georgiades is humming along nicely, and Ratugolea has given the Power something to think about after his switch forward. So, with the stakes so high, what does the Power do with Marshall this week?
LIKES
1. ESAVA
Last week this column posed the question, what does Port Adelaide do with Esava Ratugolea after a not entirely convincing return to the Power side in the win against Richmond. Well, it ended up being as a key forward. And it helped the Power to a crucial win. Swung forward, he finished with two goals, three contested marks and three marks inside 50 in the Friday night win. Aside from Mitch Georgiades, it hasn’t been a good year for the Power’s key forward brigade. But while it might be an unlikely answer, and Ratugolea hasn’t screamed dominating key forward when he has played there for Geelong in the past, there was enough from him against the Blues to suggest that it could be an option that the Power look at for the run home. Especially since the two talls in defence seems to bring out the best in Aliir Aliir. It might be too little too late but he is in All-Australian form after the Power’s bye. Since Round 14 he is averaging 17.1 disposals (sixth for key defenders), 8.4 marks (third), 8.3 intercept marks (fifth) and 3.7 intercept possessions (second).
2. COMING BACK
It looked like the same Port Adelaide in big games. Down by 31-points at one stage to Carlton at Marvel Stadium on Friday night, most Power fans would have gotten that all too familiar sinking feeling. The loss to Gold Coast two weeks ago meant an already daunting run home became even harder. But the Power found a way and keeping in line with this crazy season we’ve had so much, some things are just going Port’s way. Would Ken Hinkley’s side have won if Carlton had Harry McKay, Tom De Koning, Blake Acres and Zac Williams? We will never know and now the Power hosts a Sydney side who have lost four out of its last five and are without Tom Papley and Dane Rampe. Timing can be everything in footy, as well as getting a bit of luck. The timing of the Power’s comeback win over the Blues could be a massive one.
3. HIGH PRAISE
Not a lot to be positive from a Crows perspective regarding Sunday afternoon, but Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell had some praise for some two young Adelaide players. Jake Soligo was the pick of the Crows midfielders, finishing with 30 disposals, four tackles and 15 ground ball gets. “Soligo in particular caused us some problems,” Mitchell said post match. Could he be firming as an increasingly sneaky chance for the Malcolm Blight Medal come the end of the season? Some of his rivals have either been down on form or missed too much footy so he might be a big chance. The other Crow to get some praise was three-gamer Hugh Bond. After the highs of the previous week, Hawks star Jack Ginnivan was extremely quiet in the first half – but did cash in when the Crows folded. A big part of the quiet first half was the job Bond did on him. “He’s always had attention but defensive intent, that’s as tight a player as there is in the competition with what they did and I thought he worked really hard for everything he got today,” Mitchell said of the job Bond did on Ginnivan.
AND THE LOWDOWN ON …
This week could be a big one for what happens regarding two out of contract players at the Crows and Power. The respective managers of Adelaide midfielder Sam Berry and Port hard nut Lachie Jones are set to meet with their clients or the club regarding their status this week. Jones is expected to re-sign before the end of the campaign, with the Power considering him as an important part of its future. Berry hasn’t been the sub or subbed out of the game for the Crows for the last five matches and while he had a quiet game against the Hawks the prospect of Victorian clubs hoping to pounce has been raised in recent weeks. He hasn’t spoken to any potential suitors, but clubs have been monitoring his situation.
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