The Lowdown: All the likes and dislikes from SA footy from round 13
When the going has gotten tough, the leaders at the Crows have been hard to find. So where are the other members of Jordan Dawson’s leadership group, asks SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON.
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The Power may not have played, but the Crows certainly gave us enough to talk about from the weekend in SA footy.
Simeon Thomas-Wilson gives his likes and dislikes, plus The Lowdown.
LIKES
1. BILLY DOWLING
Crows fans, and this column, called for it for weeks give Billy Dowling a chance at AFL level. His performance against Richmond was one of few areas of hope Adelaide can take from the loss. The pre-match disclosing from coaches that he would play as a half-forward, and provide some relief on the wings, did have Crows fans raging, but Dowling looked more than at home at AFL level finishing with 17 disposals, nine marks and a goal. In fact after the game Crows captain Jordan Dawson said “he is one of those guys who is going to adapt to AFL level quicker than most”. So the Crows now need to give him a run in the side and the experience at the top level that he needs and maybe give him some looks at what will be his long-term position - around the ball.
2. SOME CROW(EATER) HOPE
South Australia went down to Vic Country by eight-points but for Crows fans there were some good signs. Father-son prospect Tyler Welsh kicked four goals as he continues to be an interesting prospect for the Crows. Given permission to play with the Crows SANFL side, he has not kicked a goal at state league level in his three games so far this year. But when he went back to Under 18 level for Woodville-West Torrens he kicked 8.1 from 17 disposals and 10 marks against Norwood. So there’s some talent there. So far in the national championships he hasn’t been able to get a lot of the ball, but importantly he is kicking goals with seven goals in SA’s first two matches. Another player Crows fans should now be watching closely - with their pick at the moment No. 4 if they don’t trade it out - is Sid Draper. He was electric against Vic Country with his speed and ability to get the ball. At 180cm he isn’t a tall midfielder but Sydney are showing us that dynamism is just as important in an engine room and Draper could give the Crows that.
DISLIKES
1. THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CROWS LEADERSHIP GROUP
Adelaide has a captain in Dawson that the Crows fans need to have no worries about at all, even though he had a slower start to the year by his lofty standards. But when you look at the rest of the leadership group Adelaide unveiled for 2024 it isn’t one that wouldn’t inspire Crows fans. The three vice-captains are Brodie Smith, Reilly O’Brien and Ben Keays. Smith has had a poor season - although he showed some better moments against the Tigers - and should have no complaints if he is dropped. O’Brien was dropped for the Tigers clash and Keays was poor on Thursday night. Below them Darcy Fogarty, Mitch Hinge, Wayne Milera and Lachie Murphy, who were added to the extended group. Fogarty has improved over the past month but will he be the player Crows fans want him to be? Milera’s season is over after another long-term injury, Murphy played three games in the SANFL as he recovered from a knee issue. Hinge has been solid in defence for the Crows. But too many of the Crows appointed leaders aren’t getting it done on the field.
2. ADELAIDE’S ATTACKING GAME
On Monday Crows assistant coach Nathan van Berlo was asked if Adelaide tinkered too much with its game plan for 2024, with its emphasis on tightening up its defence. He said; “we haven’t made too much of a change at all, we did have a focus on defence because that was an area of our game we could improve and we sit here in a pretty healthy position defensively and statistically over the years gone by the most successful teams come from a strong defensive background”.
“So we are comfortable where that sits and we knew we may have to move a little with our offence, it is hard to sustain being number one in the comp but we know that our best can produce that”.
The Crows backline does look solid, and there is the making of a good defence there. But going forward they have rarely looked like the thrilling team they were in 2023. Against the Tigers they had 46 inside 50s. Sam Berry as full forward late on in the game with it still on the line was a strange move.
3. THIS COULD GET UGLY
The Crows have been in this situation where they and the direction of the club gets questioned and smashed after a bad loss or some bad form and they come out and respond against a big opponent as they seem to play better as underdogs. But after watching Sydney on Sunday you get a sense that the Crows could play the best they could against the Swans at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night and still not get close to them - so good are the ladder-leaders looking. Of particular concern will be the midfield. In Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Errol Gulden the Swans have a dynamic that the Crows just don’t have. The return of Izak Rankine will help but it is going to be an extremely tough task. And after getting “punched in the face” by Hawthorn and Richmond over the last two weeks, the Crows could be on the end of a knockout blow from the Swans.
AND THE LOWDOWN ON...
The mid-season bye came at the perfect time for Port Adelaide this year. It meant the Power were able to give captain Connor Rozee and small forward Willie Rioli an extra week of recovery from their injuries. But it also gave the Power a big opportunity to look at where it needs to improve if it is to make any sort of impact come the pointy end of the season. A big watch is going to be on Charlie Dixon after he was subbed out of the loss to Carlton after just the one disposal. This came after he was managed the week before, as part of a plan to keep him as fit and fresh as possible during the season, but there is a thought now that Dixon is a player that might just need to keep playing rather than being managed. Ollie Lord is probably one more SANFL game away from his returning and this will help the Power with its Dixon dilemma. But Dixon still looms as an important player for the Power’s aspirations this year.
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Originally published as The Lowdown: All the likes and dislikes from SA footy from round 13
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