Adelaide Crows need to target five players in the 2020 trade period

Adelaide Crows need to recruit hard this off-season and should look at these five players if the club want to rebound quickly. CHECK OUT KANE’S FIVE CROWS TARGETS HERE.

Adelaide’s Ned McHenry with team mates after the loss during to Collingwood. Picture: Matt Turner/Getty

Adelaide are the worst team the competition has seen in 56 years and the catastrophic situation the club finds itself in need to be addressed immediately.

Each week, Adelaide players are gifted a guernsey, there is no pride in representing the club knowing you were selected based on your draft pick and not on form or merit.

Chayce Jones, Ned McHenry, Fisher McAsey, Darcy Fogarty and Harry Schoenberg have been exposed at AFL level which is shunting their development and ravaging their confidence.

Adelaide football director Mark Ricciuto revealed the club’s strategy is to only go to the draft this year to welcome a host of young talent.

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That sounds nice in theory but what confidence does the club and its supporters have that head recruiter Hamish Ogilvie will call the right names out? And how will them help become competitive next year?

Ogilvie’s record in the past four years is questionable and it becomes even more problematic this year due to the lack of football the elite junior prospects have been exposed to.

The drafting strategy is sound providing Ogilvie picks the correct players but it needs to be complimented by an aggressive trading approach to add depth and experience to the uncompetitive side.

Andrew McPherson Tom Doedee and Kyle Hartigan after another loss Picture: Sarah Reed

Adelaide’s supporter base is hurting badly and they won’t stomach a repeat performance next year and in coming years.

Considering the current economic climate, the Crows could see a gigantic drop-off in memberships if these performances continue.

The upcoming draft and trade period are the most critical few weeks Adelaide has had in its proud history.

The club must strategically raid their rivals for mature players that have fallen out of favour but would walk into the Adelaide side and take them from rock bottom in 2020 to a side that’s capable of winning eight to 10 games next year.

Elliott Himmelberg after the final siren against Collingwood. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty

It’s going to be the busiest trade period we’ve ever seen as players look to secure their future and search for opportunities, Adelaide must exploit this.

These players wouldn’t make much of a dent in the club’s salary cap and importantly wouldn’t require significant compensation to pry them out. They would, however, make Adelaide instantly competitive again.

MY FIVE RECRUITING TARGETS

Bulldog Toby McLean tackled by Jarrod Berry and Lachie Neale. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty

Toby McLean

McLean starred in the Western Bulldogs premiership in 2016 but has fallen out of favour with coach Luke Beveridge this season and being dropped multiple times. McLean would bring a hardness that Adelaide have lacked and he also addresses the significant hole in the forward line since the departures of smalls Eddie Betts and Charlie Cameron.

Richomnd’s Jack Graham is tackled by Geelong’s Jack Henry. Picture: Michael Willson/Getty

Jack Graham

Graham captained South Australia at under 18 level before being drafted to Richmond with pick 53 in 2016.

The 22-year-old played in Richmond’s historic 2017 premiership but has been repeatedly overlooked at selection this year playing only six games.

Graham would be desperate for more opportunities at AFL level and would instantly slot in to Adelaide’s under siege midfield.

Luke Dunstan tries to evade Collingwood’s Taylor Adams. Picture: Dylan Burns/Getty

Luke Dunstan

Dunstan has fallen victim to the improvement of St Kilda’s impressive group of young midfielders that have now gone past him which has limited him to just one senior appearance this season.

The South Australian is only 25 years old and his contested style of midfield play would be the perfect foil for the young Adelaide midfield.

Gold Coast’s Brayden Fiorini during the draw against Essendon. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty

Brayden Fiorini

Fiorini was taken by Gold Coast with selection number 20 in the 2015 national draft. Fiorini averaged 21 disposals and five tackles and finished fifth in Gold Coast’s best and fairest last year.

However, he has only appeared in four games this season and opportunities may remain scarce due to the midfield additions of young stars Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell. He would provide speed and versatility to Adelaide’s midfield and backline.

Port’s Peter Ladhams battles against Bulldogs’ Tim English. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty

Peter Ladhams

Ladhams is quickly emerging as Port Adelaide’s number one ruckman and considering he is contracted the Power would be unlikely to release him.

Adelaide’s list management team have privately discussed Ladhams and they should try and entice him with a five-year, multimillion-dollar offer and the promise of carrying the Crows ruck division for the long term.

Adelaide’s midfield and ruck division are on life support and Ladhams would improve it significantly.

Regardless of whether a team is rebuilding or not, Adelaide’s embarrassing performances this season have been completely unacceptable.

The club needs to restore some pride in the guernsey and give its large supporter group some hope, that can only happen by addressing the gaping holes in the playing list during the trade period.

Originally published as Adelaide Crows need to target five players in the 2020 trade period