Adelaide Crows braced for five year rebuild after worst start in the club’s history

Adelaide football director Mark Ricciuto has brutally acknowledged the long-term pain facing the Crows after their worst ever start.

A dejected looking bunch in Adelaide.

The Adelaide Crows have sunk to a new low, despite a better performance against St Kilda on Monday night.

The Crows are the only team without a win in 2020 and are cruising towards the wooden spoon but the loss to St Kilda added a new depth to their horror run.

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The loss was Adelaide’s 10th straight — August 3 last season against St Kilda was the last victory — while the side went 0-7 for the first time in the club’s 29-year history in the AFL, one worse than the six straight losses to start the 2010 season.

It was also the first time the Crows had lost to the Saints since 2011 and St Kilda’s first ever win at Adelaide Oval.

As the unwanted records tumbled, the Crows actually stayed in the game, and were able to lift their heads high, even cutting the deficit in the final quarter to nine before St Kilda kicked away for a 23-point win to move into the top eight.

While Crows fans are obviously frustrated, before the match, Crows football director Mark Ricciuto said it would be some time for the club to rebuild.

It was a better from the Crows, but couldn’t stop a historically bad tidal wave of records.

In commentary for Fox Footy before the game began, Ricciuto was asked about the feeling around the town.

“The supporters are frustrated, there‘s no doubt about that and it’s unusual for Adelaide to be underperforming at the start of the year like they are at the moment, but they also know they’ve got to have a rebuild,” he said.

“We’re going to get some games into some kids, we’re going to recruit some young talent and we’re going to give them some time, so it’s going to take two, three or maybe five years to get back up to being a really good team in the competition.”

Before the game, Jon Ralph broke down the Crows’ draft hand with a grab bag of draft picks coming up.

The Crows will likely get the number one pick for finishing last, second pick if they can offload Brad Crouch for a first-round compensation pick, the Giants’ first round selection which is currently pick six, pick 20 as their first pick in the second round and the Western Bulldogs second round pick.

He also suggested the Crows list manager Justin Reid has been telling player managers “it is a five year plan”.

The Crows players huddle up in the middle of Adelaide Oval.

Crows coach Matthew Nicks said it was tough to lose again with his side yet to claim a win under his coaching tenure.

“We were in it, gave ourselves the chance but unfortunately didn’t have the polish at the end,” Nicks said.

“We came here to win tonight and we are really disappointed we didn’t win tonight. But what we are getting is some positive signs, we’re seeing some development through our younger group, we’re working on some areas that aren’t quite clicking with some of our older group, we’re not hiding from any of that.

“The outside noise is there because we want to win. Ultimately we aim to win so there’s disappointment so I understand the frustration, we’re frustrated as well.”

But speaking on Channel 9’s Footy Classified, former Power 300-gamer Kane Cornes said the Crows can’t get too far ahead of themselves.

“I just hope for Adelaide‘s sake that they’re not patting themselves on the back after a better effort,” he said. “This is 0-7, this is the worst start in 29 years of Adelaide’s history, they’ve lost to St Kilda, who are no world beaters, who have never won at Adelaide Oval – they were 0-10 – so I hope Matthew Nicks and the players aren’t patting themselves on the back for an improved performance because it should be unacceptable for the Adelaide footy club tonight.”

"I just hope they're not patting themselves on the back."@kanecornes believes the Crows can't get complacent after a better performance tonight against St Kilda.#9FootyClassified | Watch @channel9 pic.twitter.com/ZpNbSmz4pU

— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) July 20, 2020