Pretenders

[RoosterMarty]

I'm sure there is one thing we can all agree on, and that is that we have at least had an entertaining afternoon on this thread.

Go Cows!!!!!!!!!!!!! (You big bunch of pretenders).

It certainly made the last hour or so at work fly by!

[the big bang]

Not until last week did i consider us a decent chance of winning the flag. This was due to a combination of Geelong and St Kilda dropping away in form and our forward line really starting to look very potent. Winning this week will prove nothing but the semi final against St Kilda or Collingwood will be a different story.

I wouldn't get too carried away with your forward line, it was, after all, against one of the poorer defensive units going around and wont cut it against any of the top 4

exactly what i was thinking. would love to see someone kick 27 goals against collingwoods backline of Presti, O'Brien, Maxwell and Co.

and dont even get me started on geelong or st kildas defence!

[Psyber]

I'll just stand on the sidelines, cautiously optimistic, but not counting on being able to knock over Geelong or the Saints....

[Rik E Boy]

Then there is Neil Craig, a man with an impeccable minor round record with a diabolical major round record not just for the Crows but for my beloved Redlegs as well.

You keep dining out on that one don't you REB? So Neil Craig hasn't learnt anything in 15 years? He is yet to prove you wrong I guess, but I'm confident that one day soon he will. Whether that's in three weeks time or in a year or two we'll wait and see I guess. In his time at the Crows I think the squad at his disposal has been very one dimensional until now which has contributed to that record.

In the end whether others class Adelaide as pretenders or not is of no consequence to me, and I'm sure the club couldn't give 'rat's tossbag' either. All I know is this year they have been a joy to watch for the most part, and the potential of this list (including the coach) has me confident of silverware in the very near future.

Of course you are going to dine out if the same shit keeps appearing on the menu but another disgustingly sensible post from Mr Tintin (Reporter).

regards,

REB

[Choccies]

Once you dissect and remove all of Booney and Bum Crack's useless input, the original discussion point still stands and in my opinion I think that the Crows aren't 'pretenders' but by at least being involved in the finals they have more chance than 8 others. Their potential is untapped and you never know what can happen in a final so without being so one-eyed and stupidly optimistic and saying "They will win the flag", I'd prefer to say "They are playing well" and err on the side of pessimism.

But I don't think they can be taken lightly, nor can they be written off.

[Dissident]

Just a point.

The record of a team ranked 5th on a ladder against teams above them is almost ALWAYS a losing one. If it wasn't, they wouldn't be 5th.

If they were fifth, and had a winning record against those teams - they would have lost games they shouldn't have against lower teams.

IMHO, the stat is worthless.

[Gingernuts]

Something I'm finding very interesting this week is that members of the playing squad are actually talking up their chances. Both Maric & Vince have been openly quoted as saying they believe they can win the flag this year. It's very un-Craig like to stray from the 'one week at a time' mantra and display so much confidence and bravado.

A calculated shift in 'policy' by Craigy in order to capitalise on concerns about the Crows over the border perhaps?

[Bum Crack]

Something I'm finding very interesting this week is that members of the playing squad are actually talking up their chances. Both Maric & Vince have been openly quoted as saying they believe they can win the flag this year. It's very un-Craig like to stray from the 'one week at a time' mantra and display so much confidence and bravado.

A calculated shift in 'policy' by Craigy in order to capitalise on concerns about the Crows over the border perhaps?

Reminds me of 2007 when the Power were talking up their chances in the GF

[Booney]

Would you expect a team to go into a GF saying "Geez, were done here, I dont see us being any chance"...?

[dedja]

Would you expect a team to go into a GF saying "Geez, were done here, I dont see us being any chance"...?

Why, what's wrong with that???

[Bum Crack]

Would you expect a team to go into a GF saying "Geez, were done here, I dont see us being any chance"...?

They should have. At least they would have been correct

[Booney]

Hindsight, a wonderful thing.

[JK]

Would you expect a team to go into a GF saying "Geez, were done here, I dont see us being any chance"...?

Why, what's wrong with that???

It has served the Bays well

[dedja]

Would you expect a team to go into a GF saying "Geez, were done here, I dont see us being any chance"...?

Why, what's wrong with that???

It has served the Bays well

No-one does it better ...

[Mr Beefy]

Not until last week did i consider us a decent chance of winning the flag. This was due to a combination of Geelong and St Kilda dropping away in form and our forward line really starting to look very potent. Winning this week will prove nothing but the semi final against St Kilda or Collingwood will be a different story.

I wouldn't get too carried away with your forward line, it was, after all, against one of the poorer defensive units going around and wont cut it against any of the top 4

exactly what i was thinking. would love to see someone kick 27 goals against collingwoods backline of Presti, O'Brien, Maxwell and Co.

and dont even get me started on geelong or st kildas defence!

Crow fans not touching this one....in denial?

[Choccies]

Would you expect a team to go into a GF saying "Geez, were done here, I dont see us being any chance"...?

Why, what's wrong with that???

It has served the Bays well

No-one does it better ...

Incorrect. South are the best at one thing at least !!!!

[Dutchy]

Wow nice thread REB

IMO its mainly the media talking up the Crows, most sensible Crows fans know where they sit and have common sense

Its in the medias best interests to pump up the crows, and they do it unbelievabley well, makes non crows fans (and probably some crows fans also) throw up...

Cornesy even admitted tha tone of the 3 reasons he wanted the crows to do well was cause its good for their show...

[Gingernuts]

Wow nice thread REB

IMO its mainly the media talking up the Crows, most sensible Crows fans know where they sit and have common sense

Its in the medias best interests to pump up the crows, and they do it unbelievabley well, makes non crows fans (and probably some crows fans also) throw up...

Cornesy even admitted tha tone of the 3 reasons he wanted the crows to do well was cause its good for their show...

The other side of that too is by pumping them up they can also go to town with sensationalist bullsh1t if Adelaide falls in a heap, the best of both worlds.

[saintal]

Some media people are saying that the crows' effort last week was as good as any team has played this year.

Will lose next week

[Rik E Boy]

To be fair, the Crows played brilliantly after a slow start this week. Media pundits always tend to overstate the more recent performances and there is a lot to be said for timing as Hawthorn showed last year.

I tend to think of last's week rout like this. Carlton appeared to be in 'satisfied' mode for me. Satisfied that had qualified for the finals. Satisfied that it had the courage to suspend the three miscreants. The Blues come out like shot from a gun but weren't prepared to put in the hard yards when the Crows put the foot down at a time when everything is finally falling into place for them offensively. Carlton went in with it's 2008 model of plan A Fev plan B pass and this really played into Adelaide's hands.

This week the Crows play a side that will be prepared to run at the lines. Remember that the Bombers defeated St Kilda so it won't be a walk in the Football Park tonight. I don't believe the Crows will lose but those selecting a ten goal margin might be a fair way off. The big out for the Bombers is of course Ryder. Lloyd is nowhere near the factor he used to be for Essendon and the Bombers have Lonergans galore in their list. The key to Essendon these days is Jobe Watson, restrict him and it's job done. On paper the Bomber backline looks fairly well set up to take the Crows forwards. Tippett is the real gun you have and Pears if he stands him will have his hands full.

regards,

REB