SA Footy

The Blackbirds have been served up a tasty old draw and with a good pre-season behind them with a flock of new Crows hitting the ground running they are sitting pretty in fourth spot with a bit of a break over North and Sydney.

Moving Simon up forward has proven to be a Goodwin and the Birdman is fit and flying. Jonathon Griffin is doing it well in the ruck and once again the Blackbirds have made AAMI a formidable venue after slipping up at home a few times last season.

But my friends what happens when Griffin hits the wall in the second half of the season like he did last year or when Tippett, Mackay, Jacky and other youngsters start to feel the pinch? I reckon all this stuff will start to happen when the Blackbirds start having to play those sides that will be keen to knock them out of the top four.

I reckon they can hang on though, but what happens come September when they play the Dogs, Cats or Hawks? The Professor's experiments have a history of exploding come September and I can see some pain coming the Cows way in that first final which means an away Prelim in Victoria once again.

Question time in the Senate: Are the Adelaide Crows of 2008 merely the North of 2007?

regards,

REB

Its a nice draw at this end of the season, but come Round 12 it comes thick and fast for the Crows, although they would be hoping to be 10-2, after playing WCE, Ess and Richmond.

Round 12 - Hawthorn (h)
Round 13 - Brisbane (a)
Round 14 - Geelong (h)
Round 15 - Collingwood (a)
Round 16 - Port
Round 17 - Sydney (a)

10-2 then quite possibly 11-7..or are they good enough (personally dont think so)

brod wrote:Its a nice draw at this end of the season, but come Round 12 it comes thick and fast for the Crows, although they would be hoping to be 10-2, after playing WCE, Ess and Richmond.

Round 12 - Hawthorn (h)
Round 13 - Brisbane (a)
Round 14 - Geelong (h)
Round 15 - Collingwood (a)
Round 16 - Port
Round 17 - Sydney (a)

10-2 then quite possibly 11-7..or are they good enough (personally dont think so)

11-7 with 5 games to go is a very healthy spot.If that is a worst case scenario they are cruising

I personally think Adelaide are better than what North Melbourne were last year but the competition is much harder this year than last year.

I think Adelaide will finish around 4th-5th...........

You cant compare Adelaide to the Kangas. Last year North lost their first 3 games, won their next six (including beating Geelong) to set their season up. I think you'll agree the Crows have a softer draw this year than North had last year.

Crows are going well, I agree with you REB they will struggle later in the season.

Im still a bit suspect on the Bulldogs, don't think they are the quality of Cats & Hawks.
-Bock kicks straight they lose in round 1
-Escaped with a draw against the Tigers
-Again escaped with a win against Fraudmantle.

But then again Geelong also escaped with a win against Fremantle..................

Not wanting to take this off topic (although Im going to lol), most people seem comfortable with the Crows being around the 4th best performing team in the comp to this point in time, yet most of us also believe they're not in the same class as the Cats, Hawks or even Dogs.

Does anyone think that any teams outside of the current top 3 are a chance of making it to the final weekend of the year? Collingwood, Sydney, Brisbane, Port, Kangaroos or Adelaide any chance?

Constance_Perm wrote:Not wanting to take this off topic (although Im going to lol), most people seem comfortable with the Crows being around the 4th best performing team in the comp to this point in time, yet most of us also believe they're not in the same class as the Cats, Hawks or even Dogs.

Does anyone think that any teams outside of the current top 3 are a chance of making it to the final weekend of the year? Collingwood, Sydney, Brisbane, Port, Kangaroos or Adelaide any chance?

It's a good call again CP - I was about to type the same thing

Personally I feel the Crows are behind the current top 3 and so if we finish 4th I wouldn't say that was a failure or some reason to criticise NC. The opposite in fact! Who thought they were potentially the 4th best team this season?

Besides, there's still 14 rounds to go I have my sites only on the 8 at this stage. And there's still Sydney, Port, Brisbane, Pies, Roos and Saints (in that order IMO) to contend with. The top 8 will be easier because once again we seem to have 4-5 sides right off the pace.

Adelaide have a solid 6 weeks coming up which could see them go 2-4 or 4-2 in that time.
Lose 4 of 6 mid season and it makes it hard (confidence wise) to bounce back and be a real contender.
I agree Hondo.Sydney are at times still the beast that made there way to the pinnacle just a few years ago.I dont think Port,Collingwood,North Melbourne(there ya go Dutchy ) or Brisbane are a genuine chance to play Geelong or Hawthorn at years end.
On any given day the Crows could/will match the Bulldogs so for mine,a good 2 months for Adelaide in the near future could secure them 3rd or even 4th.

If the Crows do make the top 4 then we won't get battered by almost 200 pts in the Finals like the Roos last year!

I'd rate us a very good chance of knocking the Dogs off again but at this stage, the Cats and Hawks are a class above the Crowies. Very happy with the way the boys are progressing though!

Ridiculous comparison as unlike the Roos, we actually have good players.

Crows 08 >>>>>>>>>>>> Roos 07.

Well peoples for the Crows to do better than than the Roos in 2007 they have to make the Grand Final....that perhaps should be the question...can they make the GF?

People seem to forget the final the Roos played against the Hawks, the last time they lost...

FWIW I dont believe the Roos will make the 8 from here...and thats a very tough draw the Crows have got late in the year...

The side most likely to hit a brick wall in the 2nd half of the season
WESTERN BULLDOGS

brod wrote:Its a nice draw at this end of the season, but come Round 12 it comes thick and fast for the Crows, although they would be hoping to be 10-2, after playing WCE, Ess and Richmond.

Round 12 - Hawthorn (h)
Round 13 - Brisbane (a)
Round 14 - Geelong (h)
Round 15 - Collingwood (a)
Round 16 - Port
Round 17 - Sydney (a)

10-2 then quite possibly 11-7..or are they good enough (personally dont think so)

You'd think that Adelaide would win 3 of those 6 games, however I think it's important that they win at least one against the Hawks, Bris, or Geelong and to narrow that down Hawks and Geelong being played at FP one of those is a must win for confidence.

I think if the crows can avoid Hawthorn in the finals series they have a genuine crack at the flag.
I also think the Crows are playing better footy than Geelong and the Western Bulldogs ATM.
It's been second tier players Porplyzia, Bock and Burton who have really lifted this year, and those guys are so fit they'll run right through the fkin "wall."

CUTTERMAN wrote:

brod wrote:Its a nice draw at this end of the season, but come Round 12 it comes thick and fast for the Crows, although they would be hoping to be 10-2, after playing WCE, Ess and Richmond.

Round 12 - Hawthorn (h)
Round 13 - Brisbane (a)
Round 14 - Geelong (h)
Round 15 - Collingwood (a)
Round 16 - Port
Round 17 - Sydney (a)

10-2 then quite possibly 11-7..or are they good enough (personally dont think so)

You'd think that Adelaide would win 3 of those 6 games, however I think it's important that they win at least one against the Hawks, Bris, or Geelong and to narrow that down Hawks and Geelong being played at FP one of those is a must win for confidence.

if they win 3 from 6 thats good 4 or 5 is better but just three
still gives them 12/5 record with 5 to play
and after that we play carlton,essendon,richmond,saints and bulldogs at aami where they struggle so it could well be a 17/5 season and that will be top 4

NFC wrote:Ridiculous comparison as unlike the Roos, we actually have good players.

Crows 08 >>>>>>>>>>>> Roos 07.

******* ridiculous statement...

I dont think North Hit the wall towards the end of last season. They finished fourth, so the crash wasnt that bad. I know they got bundled out but to say that the crows this year are much better than north of last year might be a bit much

NFC wrote:Ridiculous comparison as unlike the Roos, we actually have good players.

Crows 08 >>>>>>>>>>>> Roos 07.

maybe THE MAGNIFICENT 7 that were on the tv during the week apparently for example.