Adelaide Crows 2019

[Booney]

If Jenkins is kicking 3-4 goals a game I'm happy he stays. Offers the 2nd ruck role too.

He's gone from 2.5 goals per game 4 years ago to 2 per game this year after being dropped.

[mots02]

If Jenkins is kicking 3-4 goals a game I'm happy he stays. Offers the 2nd ruck role too.

He's gone from 2.5 goals per game 4 years ago to 2 per game this year after being dropped.

Christ, he'll be delivering Charlie Dixon numbers soon at that rate of decline!

[Booney]

Lee Gaskin :

Ageing Crows in need of fresh legs, but where are they?

ADELAIDE is running on old legs, but the Crows don't have young talent banging down the door for senior selection.

The Crows fielded the oldest team in the competition in last weekend's 21-point loss to Essendon at Adelaide Oval, even with over-30s Richard Douglas, Bryce Gibbs, Sam Jacobs and Andy Otten in the reserves.

The Crows had an average age of 26.23 years.

Only three players – ruckman Reilly O'Brien (23), midfielder/forward Wayne Milera (21) and small forward Lachlan Murphy (20) – were 23 or under.

The Crows have been creative in topping up their list in recent years, with the addition of mature-age Category B rookies Hugh Greenwood, 27 and Alex Keath, 27 at the end of 2015.

Moves like that, along with a settled line-up – 15 of the side that played the Bombers also played for coach Don Pyke in his first game in charge in round one, 2016 against North Melbourne – has meant there's been limited opportunities for newcomers.

The Crows have had only four NAB AFL Rising Star nominations since 2015 – Charlie Cameron (now at Brisbane), Jake Lever (now at Melbourne), Wayne Milera and Tom Doedee (out for the year with a torn ACL).

That's the equal-lowest alongside Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney.

The Crows have had six first-round selections in that time.

Milera (11th overall, 2015) and Doedee (17th overall, 2015) are hits.

Midfielder/forward Jordan Gallucci – the 15th overall pick in 2016 – has played 10 senior games this year and was axed after the round 16 Showdown loss to Port Adelaide.

Darcy Fogarty is the most intriguing.

After 10 senior games last year, Fogarty – the 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft – was tried as a defender in the SANFL before returning to the forward line, where he has averaged 13.7 disposals, 5.3 marks and a goal in his past three SANFL games.

Last year's No.9 overall pick Chayce Jones was a revelation during the JLT Community Series.

He played six games as a small forward, but has struggled in recent weeks, picking up just seven disposals against North Adelaide in the SANFL on the weekend.

Fellow first-round selection Ned McHenry (No. 16 overall) – who is sidelined with a back injury – has looked lively in the SANFL, but needs to add size before he makes the leap to the senior ranks.

Elliott Himmelberg (pick No.51, 2016 draft), Tyson Stengle (No.6, 2017 rookie draft by Richmond) and Ben Davis (No.75, 2016 draft) have had a taste of senior football.

First-year defenders Will Hamill (No.30 overall), Lachlan Sholl (No.64 overall) and Jordon Butts (No.39 in the rookie draft) have signed contract extensions, but the trio are long-term prospects.

The Crows won't – and shouldn't – experiment while they're in the finals mix, especially when the best players in their SANFL team were veterans Sam Jacobs and Andy Otten, along with mature-age midfielder Patrick Wilson, who is stuck behind the Crouch brothers and Rory Sloane.

Receiving Carlton's pick at this year's NAB AFL Draft, currently No.3, will be a major boost to a club in need of replenishing its young talent.

NAB AFL Rising Star nominees since 2015
2015: Charlie Cameron (round 13), Jake Lever (round 17)
2016: None
2017: Wayne Milera (round 10)
2018: Tom Doedee (round two)
2019: None

Rising Star nominees by club since 2015
9 - Carlton, Richmond
8 - Geelong, Sydney
7 - Western Bulldogs
6 - Melbourne, Port Adelaide
5 - Brisbane, Collingwood, Essendon, Fremantle, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, St Kilda, West Coast
4 - Adelaide, Gold Coast, GWS

[Brodlach]

Happy to be ‘stuck with’ Walker, JJ and Gibbs (if he finds his best form)

Would like to keep Keath and Jacobs but not too fussed on the others if a decent deal is available

Walker and Jenkins keep Himmelberg and Fogarty out the side though, don't they?

Always thought Fog was meant to be a midfielder not a key forward

[JK]

Eddie’s a champion and one of my favourite players but is it time for him to move aside for young Stengle?
Surely he doesn’t play on next year despite being contracted?

I said this 6 weeks ago and Crows fans jumped down my throat

Not sure Stengle will ever be up to it (although I thought that about O'Brien )

[Corona Man]

Happy to be ‘stuck with’ Walker, JJ and Gibbs (if he finds his best form)

Would like to keep Keath and Jacobs but not too fussed on the others if a decent deal is available

Walker and Jenkins keep Himmelberg and Fogarty out the side though, don't they?

Always thought Fog was meant to be a midfielder not a key forward

I think you mis-spelt his name...... sorry half volley outside off stump. Play on!

[Booney]

Happy to be ‘stuck with’ Walker, JJ and Gibbs (if he finds his best form)

Would like to keep Keath and Jacobs but not too fussed on the others if a decent deal is available

Walker and Jenkins keep Himmelberg and Fogarty out the side though, don't they?

Always thought Fog was meant to be a midfielder not a key forward

193cm, 94kg, basically the same as Cripps, does he move like Cripps though?

[Dutchy]

So out at the end of the year :

Douglas ( Out of contract ) , Otten ( Out of contract ) , Betts ( 1 year on his contract ), Mackay ( Out of contract ), Hunter ( 4th season, 0 AFL games ).

Stuck with :

Walker 30, with 2 years to run, Jenkins, 31, with 2 years to run, Gibbs, 31, with 2 years to run.

Out of contract :

Keath, Ellis-Yolemen, Greenwood, Kelly, Knight, Jacobs.

All on the top line should be gone at the end of the year (how the hell did Otten stay on the list?) Hunter may remain as he goes ok in SANFL and ROB doing so well may help him stay on if Sauce moves on.

More than anything the Crows need to rejuvenate their forward line somehow, and with Walker and Jenkins having 2 more years (plus Lynch) its going to be tough

[mighty hounds]

Eddie’s a champion and one of my favourite players but is it time for him to move aside for young Stengle?
Surely he doesn’t play on next year despite being contracted?

I said this 6 weeks ago and Crows fans jumped down my throat

Not sure Stengle will ever be up to it (although I thought that about O'Brien )

Only one way to find out

[David Brent]

Happy to be ‘stuck with’ Walker, JJ and Gibbs (if he finds his best form)

Would like to keep Keath and Jacobs but not too fussed on the others if a decent deal is available

Walker and Jenkins keep Himmelberg and Fogarty out the side though, don't they?

Always thought Fog was meant to be a midfielder not a key forward

193cm, 94kg, basically the same as Cripps, does he move like Cripps though?

This ^

Everyone's unsure & its why he slipped so much further than expected on draft night.

Ideally you would want him playing a De Goey type role up fwd then pinch hit in the middle but once again he doesn't move like him also.

[JK]

Eddie’s a champion and one of my favourite players but is it time for him to move aside for young Stengle?
Surely he doesn’t play on next year despite being contracted?

I said this 6 weeks ago and Crows fans jumped down my throat

Not sure Stengle will ever be up to it (although I thought that about O'Brien )

Only one way to find out

Yep, very true mate

[Yangebup]

Crows have a good % but only because they've played Gold Coast twice & beaten them by 90+ points each time.

The draw is too lopsided, teams should play each other once only to make it fair for them all?

[Armchair expert]

Crows have a good % but only because they've played Gold Coast twice & beaten them by 90+ points each time.

The draw is too lopsided, teams should play each other once only to make it fair for them all?

Its not a draw its FIXEDture

[MW]

Crows have a good % but only because they've played Gold Coast twice & beaten them by 90+ points each time.

The draw is too lopsided, teams should play each other once only to make it fair for them all?

first win was 70 something margin but yes it has skewed our %

[Booney]

Crows have a good % but only because they've played Gold Coast twice & beaten them by 90+ points each time.

The draw is too lopsided, teams should play each other once only to make it fair for them all?

first win was 70 something margin but yes it has skewed our %

And Eddie's goal kicking tally.

[MW]

When will these players learn that they need to reduce their output against sides lower than them on the ladder

[Jim05]

When will these players learn that they need to get a kick against a decent opponent

EFA

[Booney]

When will these players learn that they need to reduce their output against sides lower than them on the ladder

I'd give him another year on the back of those numbers.

[MW]

When will these players learn that they need to get a kick against a decent opponent

EFA

couldn't agree more. He's got the most goals against Essendon

[carey]

How can't Wilson get a game?