Crows 2016

[Wedgie]

I've lowered my expectations now.

I think Claude "Curls" Crow needs more plumage. No insult intended.
And to prove I'm not biased Geelongs Half Cat needs a face lift and a better dentist.
Discuss.

[Dogwatcher]

Well, I'm planning a camping trip if the Crows make the GF this year.

Got a spare seat? Destination can not have phone signal at all.

Welcome to join us. Three of us interested, at this point.
Swags, slabs and fishing rods, head up the river and camp.

I'll bring the tinny out

We've had a shack near Mannum offered. Now we've got a tinny.
This is going to be a bonanza.

[MW]

I've lowered my expectations now.

I think Claude "Curls" Crow needs more plumage. No insult intended.
And to prove I'm not biased Geelongs Half Cat needs a face lift and a better dentist.
Discuss.

Don't get too upset people don't agree with your assessment of "bruise free" footy, it's always had a stigma to it when you talk about teams playing that way so don't expect Crows fans to accept it and agree.
I think most Crows people here have discussed it with you as to why they think you are coming up with that reasoning and how it works for the Crows.

[mighty hounds]

I've lowered my expectations now.

I think Claude "Curls" Crow needs more plumage. No insult intended.
And to prove I'm not biased Geelongs Half Cat needs a face lift and a better dentist.
Discuss.

Don't get too upset people don't agree with your assessment of "bruise free" footy, it's always had a stigma to it when you talk about teams playing that way so don't expect Crows fans to accept it and agree.
I think most Crows people here have discussed it with you as to why they think you are coming up with that reasoning and how it works for the Crows.

Hang on though. A couple of crows fan in the pub agreed so that accounts for the rest of the supporters base opinion.

[Wedgie]

I've lowered my expectations now.

I think Claude "Curls" Crow needs more plumage. No insult intended.
And to prove I'm not biased Geelongs Half Cat needs a face lift and a better dentist.
Discuss.

Don't get too upset people don't agree with your assessment of "bruise free" footy, it's always had a stigma to it when you talk about teams playing that way so don't expect Crows fans to accept it and agree.
I think most Crows people here have discussed it with you as to why they think you are coming up with that reasoning and how it works for the Crows.

Hang on though. A couple of crows fan in the pub agreed so that accounts for the rest of the supporter base as well.

Who said that?

[mighty hounds]

I've lowered my expectations now.

I think Claude "Curls" Crow needs more plumage. No insult intended.
And to prove I'm not biased Geelongs Half Cat needs a face lift and a better dentist.
Discuss.

Don't get too upset people don't agree with your assessment of "bruise free" footy, it's always had a stigma to it when you talk about teams playing that way so don't expect Crows fans to accept it and agree.
I think most Crows people here have discussed it with you as to why they think you are coming up with that reasoning and how it works for the Crows.

Hang on though. A couple of crows fan in the pub agreed so that accounts for the rest of the supporter base as well.

Who said that?

Stop trolling Wedgie

[Wedgie]

How does everyone feel about the use of lemon juice and/or macadamia nuts in apricot slice?

[Booney]

OK, I give up. It's like trying to talk about climate change with a Pauline Hanson senator. Just call me a troll and move on.
Everyone completely disregard the point and observation. I've had some good chats with Crows fans at pubs about this, that'll do.
Cheers.

You want to go to a different pub if that's the type of clientele there.

[stan]

Bruise free? Strange call really considering there bread and butter is contested ball. Only now have they worked on that outside run.

If a team is sitting 3rd after a tough draw and being accused of playing bruise free football, its probably because the slow as shit teams cant get near them.

Another who's completely misses the point.
Didn't Geelong get near them? We're slow as shit.

Nope your game plan was the key. You were better at the contested ball and played your ground perfectly. You didnt allow them to move the ball through the middle.

Again you were better in close and that meant you shut them down as well.

I dont think I missed the point I believe Geelong were able shut down them down.

[Wedgie]

OK, I give up. It's like trying to talk about climate change with a Pauline Hanson senator. Just call me a troll and move on.
Everyone completely disregard the point and observation. I've had some good chats with Crows fans at pubs about this, that'll do.
Cheers.

You want to go to a different pub if that's the type of clientele there.

Trust me, having to catch the Port Adelaide bus to get to the Hope Inn even the Crows supporters seem close to normal after putting up with some of then people on that bus!

[stan]

OK, I give up. It's like trying to talk about climate change with a Pauline Hanson senator. Just call me a troll and move on.
Everyone completely disregard the point and observation. I've had some good chats with Crows fans at pubs about this, that'll do.
Cheers.

Thought we were all having a debate about game styles and we have different opinions but ok you damn troll. Back under your bridge...

[Wedgie]

OK, I give up. It's like trying to talk about climate change with a Pauline Hanson senator. Just call me a troll and move on.
Everyone completely disregard the point and observation. I've had some good chats with Crows fans at pubs about this, that'll do.
Cheers.

Thought we were all having a debate about game styles and we have different opinions but ok you damn troll. Back under your bridge...

Noone even discussed the point made mate (with the exception to a degree of mw and helicopter), move on across the bridge mate before I come out and bite you.

[Wedgie]

Ive said for a while the Crows play a brand of "sexy funtime footy" in both their As and Bs occasionally prone to awful turnovers in the backlines trying to avoid contests down the ground and keep possession at all costs.
It is also high scoring and exciting footy and when it comes off it's great to watch and they're the best in the world, I love them.
This will work one of two ways, it will either mean they fail miserably in the finals when it becomes more physical and more pressure or they'll lift their physicality and at least maintain current skill levels to compliment their current gameplay.
Hawks are similar Geelong a few years ago, winning lots of games by small margins means you're usually found out in finals.
Geelong are too inconsistent and GWS are too young.
You need a gameplan to compete with an end of season finals hardened Sydney to win the flag and IMHO they don't (yet?).

PS No offence intended, the Crows are wonderful, I love apricot slice, unwooded chardonnay and think crocheting should be an Olympic sport.

[JK]

Don't think the Crows, or any club for that matter, plays bruise free footy especially when it comes to contested ball, but I do think the Crows play "Sociable" Footy. Thats not a detraction, it's just their style, and it's working very well for them.

I think the biggest question mark over them, is how their back half holds up in September. Defence wins premierships the vast majority of times (imho anyway) so how they hold up under the heat of finals footy will likely be the key.

Their defensive unit has grown well this season, and might still have more to come, so if I were a Crows supporter I'd be pretty optimistic .. But supporters of 5 or 6 other clubs should be too. Can't wait for the finals series, its obviously always great, but this year even more fascinating due to the evenness of the top 8.

[Wedgie]

Don't think the Crows, or any club for that matter, plays bruise free footy especially when it comes to contested ball, but I do think the Crows play "Sociable" Footy. Thats not a detraction, it's just their style, and it's working very well for them.

I think the biggest question mark over them, is how their back half holds up in September. Defence wins premierships the vast majority of times (imho anyway) so how they hold up under the heat of finals footy will likely be the key.

Their defensive unit has grown well this season, and might still have more to come, so if I were a Crows supporter I'd be pretty optimistic .. But supporters of 5 or 6 other clubs should be too. Can't wait for the finals series, its obviously always great, but this year even more fascinating due to the evenness of the top 8.

It's sexy funtime footy.

[JK]

Just got an email from Adelaide Oval, offering Members Guest passes for this weekend's Showdown. I can't recall them ever offering Guesties for these games before??

[Wedgie]

Just got an email from Adelaide Oval, offering Members Guest passes for this weekend's Showdown. I can't recall them ever offering Guesties for these games before??

Trying to do everything possible to boost crowd numbers with the novelty wearing off, I heard last week Port members could get friends in for free.

[Dogwatcher]

I heard last week Port members could get friends in for free.

Really poor marketing, that. I couldn't see it boosting the crowd at all.

[Wedgie]

I heard last week Port members could get friends in for free.

Really poor marketing, that. I couldn't see it boosting the crowd at all.

Agreed, and looking at last weeks figure you're spot on, it didn't.

[bennymacca]

Crows are 2nd for contested possessions, 4th for clearances, and just 15th for turnovers, so I don't agree with your assessment wedgie.

Our "bruise free" fast moving footy is generated by forcing the opposition to turn the ball over. We are also second for intercept possessions.

The first 2 months of the season I would agree with wedgies assessment but our defensive work is so much better than it has been. And no I'm not just talking about the last couple of weeks when we have had easy games.

The key to beating the crows is to slow their ball movement down. Our efficiency inside 50 is by far the best in the Comp. the gap from first to second is almost as big as the gap from 2nd to 18th

That's what Geelong did, and the narrow ground and windy conditions helped that considerably.

I think wedgie was just trying to say we like it when the game is open and free flowing. Bruise free probably not the best choice of words.

I do worry a bit about a hard contested finals game, as this stifles our best attributes, betts and Jenkins.

Having said that though, the crouch boys, Thompson and Sloane are more than equipped to handle the contest.

The big one they would need to lift is tex, because when the ball movement is slower, he would need to take more contested marks across half forward.