Where do you expect the Crows to finish in 09?

[hearts on fire]

There hasn't been much talk on here lately, so i thought i would ask all you Crow guru's to stand up......

I personally think the Crows will play Finals footy, but i don't think they will have a huge impact on the Finals.

Where do you think the Crows will be at the end of the 2009 home and away season?

[Rik E Boy]

The kids look all right but in the end it's the same old same old for the Blackbirds. The Professor's experiments stop working in August and it will be 5-8 again. I'm tipping a home final against their bitches North at home so maybe week two of the finals but that's it tops.

regards,

REB

[JK]

I reckon it's a big ask for the kid's (whom the club will need to be saviours pretty quickly) ... Also think a tough draw may well mean a bad start, and a bad start for an average (read: not a clear standout) team in this comp, generally means you fall further and further behind the 8, so I think they miss out on the finals this year.

No shame in that, they've made the Top 8 regularly and nearly every club experiences a drop before becoming resurgent.

[Psyber]

I'm still expecting about 4th or 5th if the recovering players come up OK, and there are no other unexpected losses of man-power.
[I had a quick chat with Brian Sando by phone over Christmas.]

[Footy Smart]

I expect the crows to make the finals only due to Neil Craigs coaching and mentoring of the young players to maximise their ability. OUr squad is not strong enough to win the comp but competative to make a solid showing. In the coming year and next season i expect to see the young forwards develop and along with the younger mmidfield coming through see us have a fair dinkum chance of matching the top 4.

[Rik E Boy]

This is the first year in many in which I haven't said pre-season that the Crows are a complete joke. That means you're utterly rooted.

regards,

REB

[NFC]

6th/7th after H&A season.

[Pidge]

I believe that they will finish somewhere in the bottom half of the eight. I think 7th

[Booney]

10th

[Tassie Blues]

in the top 4

[Footy Smart]

Well i just made a bet that the crows will finish higher than the ferrals(Port not Collingwood ) so hopefully 50 bucks will end up in my pocket and not my mates haha

[wycbloods]

6-8

[Nearly Was]

I guess alot depends on the younger guys coming through and McLeods knee as well as Henchell's fitness but I believe with Taylor Walker, James Sellar (I am not a fan yet but Craigy is), Young McKernan, and our three talls from last year being more experienced I would say 5th -6th is not out of the question. Look for great improvement from Bernie Vince.

[brod]

Well i just made a bet that the crows will finish higher than the ferrals(Port not Collingwood ) so hopefully 50 bucks will end up in my pocket and not my mates haha

Dont like your chances, Crows will miss the eight, while Port will still be going in Sept (just)

[stan]

Well it really depends on a few things. Of course injuries and there forward line. Who will stand up for them?
If its the same old same old then I would say they will continue to struggle up forward. Although they look to have some good younger types around the place im thinking they will be looking at 6th - 10th. A big range I know but there are a touch unpredicatable.

[JK]

With the age and injury history of Edwards, McLeod, Goodwin, Burton and Hentschel you would expect to get less from them than last year (perhaps not Hentschel) and that makes it a long slog of a season for the kids.

I really can't see how they could make the 8 this year (although Ive said that before and been wrong) and Im certain they wont ... All that said, I think it will be a more fascinating year to watch them than the last couple, purely to see the new kids on the block and the progress the existing ones can make.

[SCD]

The Crows have a very tough first 8 rounds and could be anything from 4-4 to 1-7......
They have 23 of the 40 listed players are aged 23 or under and only 4 over 30 (plus Doughty who is 30 at season end) - which says clearly they are a developing squad.

I think the development of Vince / Douglas / Mackay through the midfield will continue.
They will also develop Walker and Tippet up forward along with Moran as a central defender and all of a sudden the Crows will have a very young team on the park.

Overall I think they will be in the 9th - 12th range.
But it will be a very solid platform for the 2010 season and that's where I expect us to start dominating.

Solid players like Shirley, Doughty and Gill will struggle for spots if the kids are to be developed.

[Footy Smart]

My round 1 crows team

johncock Rutten Symes

Bock Moran Mcleod

Mckay Edwards Vince

Porplyzia Hentchsel Reilly

Douglas Walker Dangerfield

1st ruckGriffin
Vanberlo
Thompson

bench
Tippet
Petrenko
Stevens
Doughty/Shirley

[Nearly Was]

Footy smart that is a pretty good side.

[Footy Smart]

Footy smart that is a pretty good side.

Thank you i put 10 mins into it hahaha

obviously they may change around postions but i think name wise its about right.

It looks ok and all the doomsday theorists will once again be very quiet come the end of the season once the crows have once again been competetaive. Young squad with some experience and continued development should see us be about the mark in a 2 seasons time.... i hope