Adelaide Crows 2014 Report Card: what went right, wrong and how can the club improve

DO Patrick Dangerfield and Rory Sloane measure up as elite midfielders? Who will be the new coach? See our verdict, have your say.

Round 10: Carlton v Adelaide

WHAT did the Adelaide Crows get right and wrong in season 2014? And what — or who — do they need to take the next step? See our verdict and have your say.

SNAPSHOT

Wins: 11

Losses: 11

Draws: 0

%: 114.1

Ladder position: 10th

Last year: 11th

CHAMPION DATA SAYS

TICK: Made great inroads in the contested ball, ranking second in the competition for contested possession differentials (+5.7). Patrick Dangerfield ranked No. 1 in the competition in that category, averaging 15.5 per game.

CROSS: Was well out of its depth against the premier sides in the competition, managing only two wins against top 8 opposition, of which both were at Adelaide Oval (North Melbourne and Port Adelaide).

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Impressive wins against North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Collingwood twice were the highlights. The return of Taylor Walker was encouraging and Daniel Talia confirmed he is Adelaide’s key defender of the future with a brilliant season that delivered an All-Australian spot and club best and fairest. Brodie Smith’s rebound off half-back was superb and Sam Jacobs’ ruck work should have resulted in a spot next to Smith and Talia in the All Australian side.

WHAT WENT WRONG

Well, the reportedly player-led revolt that saw Brenton Sanderson sacked isn’t a positive way to end the season. The club was thrown into turmoil this week after the third-year coach was shown the door after failing to make the finals for two straight seasons.

Looking back at the season, the first three games — all losses — was virtually a knockout blow. Adelaide clearly missed the early impact of key forward Taylor Walker, who was recovering from a knee reconstruction and 12 months on the sidelines. But those three losses became a picket fence of win-loss-win-loss, and included defeats to non-finalists Melbourne, Carlton and West Coast. Six losses by two goals or less suggested a side lacking the class of the contenders.

BEST-AND-FAIREST PREDICTION

Daniel Talia (79 votes) — Malcolm Blight Medallist

Rory Sloane (77)

Patrick Dangerfield (76)

Brodie Smith (72)

Sam Jacobs (70)

Scott Thompson (68)

Matthew Jaensch (63)

Eddie Betts (60)

Josh Jenkins (50)

Richard Douglas (49)

SUPERCOACH STUD

If Sam Jacobs (average 115 points) was your back-up ruckman to Aaron Sandilands, you had an almost guaranteed 250-point combination every week. Brilliant season that delivered SuperCoach gold.

SUPERCOACH DUD

It’s tough to call out a guy who took a full-blooded knee to the groin and plugged on for the rest of the season wearing a box, but Richard Douglas (90 points) was well down on last year. Started 2014 valued at $550,000 but lost $112,000 over the season.

THE LIST

Elite: Sam Jacobs and Daniel Talia are the only genuinely elite players.

Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane, Brodie Smith, Eddie Betts, Taylor Walker are all very good players but remain knocking on the door of the exclusive “elite” status.

Big improvers: Daniel Talia, Brodie Smith, Eddie Betts

Gone: Ben Rutten (retired), Shaun McKernan (delisted), Angus Graham (delisted)

Going, Going: Brent Reilly, Jason Porplyzia

Trade bait: Would David Mackay (despite his new contract) or Matthew Jaensch flourish elsewhere? Luke Thompson, Lewis Johnston and Sam Shaw are probably also expendable.

WHAT THEY NEED

Umm, a new coach for starters. The Crows have admitted they sacked Sanderson with no immediate replacement and will undergo a nationwide search. Missing out on former captain Simon Goodwin hurt but there are plenty of decent candidates available.

On the field, No. 1 on the recruiting hit list must be another quality tall who can ruck and go forward. Sam Jacobs added another superb year to his collection but with Angus Graham and Shaun McKernan gone, he needs credible back-up. Otherwise, someone to step up in defence alongside Talia and a steep lift in disposal efficiency is essential.

PREMIERSHIP CLOCK

If the window to run at a flag opens at 11 o’clock, Adelaide is still slapping away the 7am alarm. The Crows were a huge disappointment last year after falling a goal short of a Grand Final in 2012. This year, they improved only one rung to 10th and won just one more game. The youth and exciting young talent suggests a minimum of three years, best case, to be a real threat. Reach the finals next year, hit a top four the next and challenge the best in 2017.

REPORT CARD: ADELAIDE | Create Infographics

Originally published as Adelaide Crows 2014 Report Card: what went right, wrong and how can the club improve