Mick McGuane’s mid-season report card: Adelaide’s hits and misses

Pressure is mounting on Adelaide and coach Matthew Nicks — only months after he signed a contract extension. In his mid-season report card, MICK MCGUANE says the Crows should be on the phone to Nathan Buckley.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 01: Brayden Cook and his Crows' teammates look dejected after losing the round 12 AFL match between Hawthorn Hawks and Adelaide Crows at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on June 01, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Tipped by many as likely finalists in 2024, Adelaide is in danger of a bottom-four finish after a disastrous first half of its campaign.

With pressure mounting on Crows powerbrokers after Matthew Nicks was handed a contract extension early in the year, MICK MCGUANE examines where it’s gone wrong and how Adelaide rebounds.

MICK MCGUANE’S MID-SEASON RATING: D

You have to wonder if the Adelaide hierarchy regret going the early Crow.

Coach Matthew Nicks still had a season to run on his contract when the club handed him a two-year extension in March.

Since that premature signing, the side has gone backwards at a rate of knots.

Many outsiders — including myself — expected Adelaide to feature in finals this year after a promising 11-12 campaign in 2023.

Internally, expectations at the club surely would have been the same.

A good list and another pre season to bed down their game style that would surely hold them in good stead for season 2024.

Mick McGuane says Adelaide should be on the phone to Nathan Buckley. Picture James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

But at the bye, the Crows sit 15th on the ladder with four wins and a draw from 14 games.

Is it time to put in a call to Nathan Buckley?

The former Collingwood coach appears gettable and is originally a South Australian after all.

Irrespective of Nick’s contract situation, sometimes you have to pose the question at least.

Nicks can say he has felt great support from the club, but the jungle drums can quickly start beating with repeat poor performances like we are seeing from the Crows.

The fact is, Adelaide is struggling on both sides of the ball and that responsibility ultimately lies with the coach.

The Crows have fallen away badly since handing Matthew Nicks a contract extension. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

What was the No. 1 scoring side in the competition last year has dropped to No. 12 this year in a huge fall from grace.

Defensively the Crows are holding up a little better overall, but they still rank 14th for opposition scoring shots per inside 50 and 13th for opposition scores from stoppages.

The pedestrian midfield is at the centre of all the problems.

Adelaide ranks 15th for clearance differential, 14th for inside-50 differential and 13th for contested possession differential.

Matt Crouch, Jordan Dawson, Jake Soligo and Rory Laird have been the onball regulars this season, along with a little bit of Izak Rankine and Sam Berry.

Mick McGuane says it’s time the Crows midfield moves past Rory Laird. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

That group needs an overhaul, with the exception of Rankine.

As much as Laird is the side’s leading accumulator of the footy and is averaging 27.6 disposals, he might need to play a different role because he is not the speedy, penetrating midfielder that they need in there.

He has been a superb player for a long time, but has the time come to evolve him and the team. Could he play small forward?

While they might be robbing the forward line to do so, the Crows must give Rankine and Josh Rachele more minutes onball, given the boldness, vitality and scoreboard impact that they offer.

Rachele is bereft of confidence at the moment, so freeing him up might be the solution so he can return to the player he can be.

The Crows were tipped to be finals contenders but look a long way off. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Ruckman Reilly O’Brien’s drop-off has also been concerning.

I thought he would make inroads in the competition this year but he is out of the team at the moment and needs to rediscover his best footy if this group is to turn around its stoppage woes.

Given the strong profile the Crows had last year, I expected that to be enhanced with another strong summer of training and the younger players being taught how the side wants to play.

That hasn’t been the case.

I’d love to sit in on a review and see how strongly Nicks is challenging the group, because the issues they have got are not being fixed.

If we don’t see the Crows roll up their sleeves in the second half of the season, could Buckley or someone else be in the chair next year?

DEVELOPMENT LACKING

You have to ask yourself: Has Adelaide got the right group of coaches to develop the next generation of players coming through?

Because at the moment, there’s not many younger players pushing the older personnel out of the side.

Take Sam Berry for example.

In 2022 he was a 20-year-old midfielder who looked to have a bright future, averaging 17.6 disposals and 4.6 clearances across 18 games.

This year he has been picked for just nine senior matches, starting as the substitute in five of those and being subbed out of two other games.

In the back half of last year, Luke Pedlar was the talk of the town as a rising half-forward who could also have a run through the midfield and be destructive with his left leg.

Are we ever going to see the best from Pedlar, after just four AFL appearances this year?

The list goes on.

Sam Berry has stalled since a promising 2022 season. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Where is Elliott Himmelberg at?

A 26-year-old key forward who has shown some promise, he has played just four senior games since round 11 last year.

Forwards Lachlan Murphy (eight games), Harry Schoenberg (four games) and Lachlan Gollant (three games) are other players who can’t bed down their spots in the side, while defender Will Hamill (six games) is having the same problem at the other end.

The lack of development is a big issue for the Crows.

There would have to be a close watch on last year’s No. 8 draft pick Daniel Curtin if these problems aren’t addressed.

Given the way the Crows are both performing and developing players, you couldn’t blame the talented West Australian if he was to question whether his long-term future is at Adelaide.

RUN HOME

The Crows simply have to salvage something from the second half of the year, in the face of a difficult draw ahead.

They have got to get desperate.

A strong contest and pressure game must return, which will help them improve their territory game and generate turnovers as they look to rediscover their offensive mojo.

At the end of the day, careers are on the line — not only for players but also the coach.

Originally published as Mick McGuane’s mid-season report card: Adelaide’s hits and misses