Adelaide has to shore up playing group as issues turn into undercurrent of discontent
CRISIS? Maybe not, but Adelaide has some issues. JON RALPH writes minor gripes and quibbles have snowballed into a bigger problem — and their on-field fortunes this year are suddenly about more than regaining lost respect.
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ADELAIDE’S capacity to get its house in order and roar home as a finals contender is suddenly about more than regaining lost respect.
It is about shoring up a playing list that seems frustrated by myriad small issues that have combined to turn into a simmering undercurrent of discontent.
Months of industry chatter the club has done its best to ignore or discount as innuendo is clearly rooted in an element of truth.
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Mitch McGovern is not demanding a trade (yet), is not unhappy with his sizeable contract, won’t necessarily end up in Melbourne.
But that doesn’t mean he is happy at the club and won’t eventually consider his options.
Ditto Eddie Betts, who on Wednesday publicly stated he would serve out his contract at Adelaide but still has reservations about the nature of the club’s off-season camp.
Tom Lynch clearly feels undervalued at a three-year contract that by its value assesses him as a handy contributor rather than the star he is.
And with heart-and-soul midfielder Rory Sloane still out of contract and still out of the side injured, no one at Adelaide can be confident about his future.
All of which means a motivation-restoring surge home that restores pride, soothes egos and papers over some cracks might see them retain several players considering their options.
McGovern’s manager Colin Young denied that McGovern was unhappy on Tuesday, saying reports he wanted a trade were incorrect.
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They are certainly premature — he is paid around $600,000 per season and knows he cannot demand a trade given he signed last year after effusive statements about the club’s amazing culture. Yet he is clearly one of a handful of players who are unhappy or disgruntled to various degrees.
Putting your finger on exactly the root of the problem is more challenging.
Minor gripes and quibbles have snowballed into a bigger problem.
The nature of the camp and its issues have been well fleshed out.
Some players aren’t thrilled with the game plan, some believe coach Don Pyke is too controlling, some would prefer if Taylor Walker had backed their version of the camp rather than pushing the official line.
In isolation every one of those issues can be rectified but combine it with a losing streak and an injury crisis that has affected most of the club’s best players and it has morphed into a bigger issue.
Players would be forgiven if the media’s questioning of their injury crisis — and the club’s vague reporting of it — had some of them questioning the management of their program.
Adelaide feels like the Melbourne media is lobbing hand grenades at a stationary target, taking pot shots because of the nature of the Grand Final defeat.
You can see why they would feel frustrated that reports McGovern feels upset given the huge contract they gave him built mainly on potential.
As Adelaide board member Mark Ricciuto said on radio, Bryce Gibbs took a pay cut and is paid less than McGovern, so he can scarcely complain.
But Generation “Entitled” is much less accepting of an even pay scale to build a premiership.
In the era of crazy money everyone wants to get paid, fewer want to sacrifice.
Adelaide feel they are being taken advantage of by bottom-eight teams, vultures over the scraps of their Grand Final defeat.
Brisbane swooped on Charlie Cameron and offered a massive deal that was as much about financial security than homesickness, eventually getting their man.
The Jake Lever loss was more about a calculated risk from Adelaide that they had too much salary cap cash tied up in their defence.
They made the correct decision to let him go, played Rising Star defender Tom Doedee on $500,000 less a season, and instead paid key forward Mitch McGovern as a priority signing.
Their version of the camp is that mistakes were made but instantly rectified to the satisfaction of the players.
Richmond approached last year’s Grand Final as a sharing, caring, relaxed and connected club.
Adelaide’s side was so buttoned up they believed the finals power stance was a great idea.
Most of their injured stars return after next week’s bye but the Crows are running out of time to save this season from being more than just a Grand Final hangover quickly rectified in 2019.
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