Neil Craig

[Footy Smart]

Actually FS the only thing I would disagree with is Rutten .. Must surely be playing hampered by injury but it's affecting more than just his speed - He's dropped some pretty simple, but critical marks this year that have had bad consequences on gameday.

Im a fan of the big fella, both his game and attitude so not trying to bag the bloke, but he's clearly "off" imho.

yeah he has made a few mistake but still done some good things and if you take him out who do put in.... once again who comes in??? who could do better??/

Stevo is worrying me he isnt the same after that collision... we need him in our structure if it back or forward.

Fair call about the replacement options, KPP's are pretty thin .. You could possibly try Moran back there on some opposition talls, but would need to be one of the less mobile opposition forwards.

Also fair call on Stevens .. I'd still like to see Gill playing a lead up half forward role for the Crows.

You summed up why Adelaide is struggling to score goals and be attacking KKP are hard to find and we have some but they arnt developed yet.

I dont think Gill is the answer however.... he isnt an AFL player and he will just cause more mistake with skill errors. You cant doubt his endevour and his work rate but natural ability will win out anyday.

[Hondo]

Maybe my expectations are high Hondo but heres how I see it.

We have played one good game - round 1 against Collingwood. Since then its all down hill. We have lost 4 games at home, we were pathetic against an even more pathetic Melbourne. Our effort in the showdown was exactly as the media put it - SOFT, and yesterday's effort after half time was shocking...

What I want to know is where is the spirit, guts and determination we showed against Collingwood?? We have the same players on the oval but do not seem to be able to extract this from them...who is responsible for doing this?? THE COACH.

I'd say the Freo win was a good one, in hindsight given how Freo have gone.

You blame all the short-comings of the players on the coach. I say it's a shared responsibility. On field clangers are tough to pin on anyone other than the player concerned. Back when I played (years ago!) I didn't point at the coach if I stuffed up.

I am not trying to say it's not all NC's fault. I am saying don't blame it ALL on him either. Coach + cattle = success. Bock was out, Goodwin, Rutten & Edwards didn't look fit, Macca gets the hard tag each week, our forward line is basically rookie central, we need 2 x Tippetts, Stevens seems absent, etc, etc. We have to be realistic! The Bulldogs have a bunch of experienced quality players aged mid to late 20s and, as CP said in the othere thread, if you line the 2 teams up side by side the result was probably expected.

The Showdown was bad I agree. But would you rather be in Port's situation? They actually have a potential top 4 list yet can't string 2 good games together.

We have to be patient IMO. No point cutting off your nose to spite your face with knee-jerk coaching changes that have no guarantee of achieving any better result than what we have.

[Footy Smart]

Maybe my expectations are high Hondo but heres how I see it.

We have played one good game - round 1 against Collingwood. Since then its all down hill. We have lost 4 games at home, we were pathetic against an even more pathetic Melbourne. Our effort in the showdown was exactly as the media put it - SOFT, and yesterday's effort after half time was shocking...

What I want to know is where is the spirit, guts and determination we showed against Collingwood?? We have the same players on the oval but do not seem to be able to extract this from them...who is responsible for doing this?? THE COACH.

I'd say the Freo win was a good one, in hindsight given how Freo have gone.

You blame all the short-comings of the players on the coach. I say it's a shared responsibility. On field clangers are tough to pin on anyone other than the player concerned. Back when I played (years ago!) I didn't point at the coach if I stuffed up.

I am not trying to say it's not all NC's fault. I am saying don't blame it ALL on him either. Coach + cattle = success. Bock was out, Goodwin, Rutten & Edwards didn't look fit, Macca gets the hard tag each week, our forward line is basically rookie central, we need 2 x Tippetts, Stevens seems absent, etc, etc. We have to be realistic! The Bulldogs have a bunch of experienced quality players aged mid to late 20s and, as CP said in the othere thread, if you line the 2 teams up side by side the result was probably expected.

The Showdown was bad I agree. But would you rather be in Port's situation? They actually have a potential top 4 list yet can't string 2 good games together.

We have to be patient IMO. No point cutting off your nose to spite your face with knee-jerk coaching changes that have no guarantee of achieving any better result than what we have.

We played well against Collingwood, Beat freo at home(tough to do), PLayed 2.5 quarters against the best team in the comp and our youngsters where the ones who stood up(good signs to an extent) Saints good team didnt handle their pressure to well 50/50 negaitives/positives, Port yes terrible and WB second half terrible first half was good......

[JK]

Actually FS the only thing I would disagree with is Rutten .. Must surely be playing hampered by injury but it's affecting more than just his speed - He's dropped some pretty simple, but critical marks this year that have had bad consequences on gameday.

Im a fan of the big fella, both his game and attitude so not trying to bag the bloke, but he's clearly "off" imho.

yeah he has made a few mistake but still done some good things and if you take him out who do put in.... once again who comes in??? who could do better??/

Stevo is worrying me he isnt the same after that collision... we need him in our structure if it back or forward.

Fair call about the replacement options, KPP's are pretty thin .. You could possibly try Moran back there on some opposition talls, but would need to be one of the less mobile opposition forwards.

Also fair call on Stevens .. I'd still like to see Gill playing a lead up half forward role for the Crows.

You summed up why Adelaide is struggling to score goals and be attacking KKP are hard to find and we have some but they arnt developed yet.

I dont think Gill is the answer however.... he isnt an AFL player and he will just cause more mistake with skill errors. You cant doubt his endevour and his work rate but natural ability will win out anyday.

I don't think Gill will be the long term answer, but he's quick on a lead, has a great engine and has good hands .. Think he's the best option for the here and now.

[Booney]

Gill is clearly not an option as Craig and Co. would have been looking for him and Hentschel to play up forward this year giving Walker and Tippett another year to develop in lesser roles. Hentschel's injuries and Gill's poor goal kicking have meant Craig has had to throw the other two in the deep end. Tippett going well and Walker a work in progress.

I agree with Rutten, he looked so slow against the Bulldogs ( must admit, wasn't really a match up for him in their forward half ) so if he is slightly hampered by something then this surely was the week to give him a rest? Craig knew there was no gorilla in the Dogs forward half for him and his cheap Bassett to Rutten touches ( now Rutten to Otten/Johncock ) did little to make Rutten look effective.

For mine, Moran looks to be a little slow to play a key post and might be more useful in the ruck to free Tippett up. Perhaps Maric to FF to do the heavy lead up work and could Tippett become a CHB who can swing to CHF if match ups are right?

[overloaded]

Maric looked dangerous at FF for Port Magpies on Saturday

[Dog_ger]

Forget Sunday.

"5 loses in a row at home."

"That's the worry"

are the crows paying the price of not finishing near bottom..?

To get an axtra draft Pick

[Sojourner]

Suppose the Crows dont make the Eight this year or the next, yet the season after make the finals and get into a situation where they are down a goal or so in a tight game, how many Crows fans are confident of Neil Craigs ability to coach within that situation and outcoach the opposition coach to a win?

[Footy Smart]

Suppose the Crows dont make the Eight this year or the next, yet the season after make the finals and get into a situation where they are down a goal or so in a tight game, how many Crows fans are confident of Neil Craigs ability to coach within that situation and outcoach the opposition coach to a win?

Well i would say that the structure would be stronger and the game plan different so i would back him in. He has got us to finals with an average squad for years and been in 2 prelims and lost by a few goals. in a year or 2 our squad should be stronger and with a bit more talent than in those years..... i back craigy's ability as a coach he just hasnt always ahd teh squad.

[overloaded]

Dont you have to ask the question "why" he hasnt had the squad???

[JK]

Dont you have to ask the question "why" he hasnt had the squad???

Yeah I reckon that's a fair question, and I can only provide my own take on it.

He inherited a squad that was going nowhere, playing ordinary footy, and basically getting pumped and outside of the 8.

By the next season, with virtually no change to the personnel, he had that same group as Minor Premiers, who whilst unsuccessful in terms of the premiership, looked to be close enough to the mark to have realistic flag expectations again the following year, which resulted in another preliminary final appearance - Injuries at crucial times didn't help their chances, but you could suggest they still had their opportunities but failed to take them.

After that the slow process of gradual rebuilding began, with the movement of players like Hart, Torney and Clarke, and was then upped at the end of 2007 and again in 2008 - All the while still remaining competitive and appearing in the finals.

To be honest I think he's done a pretty good job and can't be faulted on too many things .. Whether he'll ever achieve the ultimate success is unknown, but that shouldn't necessarily be the
the only basis for judgement imho.

As Dale Lewis once said when he joined Norwood, the responsibility of a coach (as he saw it), is to leave the place in a better condition than when how you found it ... I think NC will do that.

[Hondo]

Dont you have to ask the question "why" he hasnt had the squad???

What CP said ...

+ have a close look at our draft picks from 1997-2004, remembering that Geelong built the bulk of their current list around 2000-2003 drafts

If you want to have a crack at our recruiting department in that era then I won't argue with you on that

[Dutchy]

you can certainly question his desire to play young players prior to this year, now he has them all playing at once with little experience, if he had intergrated them gradually they would be much better off now

[JK]

you can certainly question his desire to play young players prior to this year, now he has them all playing at once with little experience, if he had intergrated them gradually they would be much better off now

Yeah you can question it for sure, although I think it was a case of the Crows hierachy believing they were a legit chance, and playing their best footballers at the time, which didn't include many of the kids.

[Hondo]

you can certainly question his desire to play young players prior to this year, now he has them all playing at once with little experience, if he had intergrated them gradually they would be much better off now

I don't think that's entirely fair. The current crop of Otten, Danger, Walker & Petrenko simply weren't ready last year. Besides, it's only 4 first year players. I think you'll find most teams are playing a similar number of first year players.

Off the top of my head, Tippett, Mackay, Vince, Maric, Knights, Griffin & Douglas were given extended runs at it last year.

I think it was more 2007, as CP said, when they thought we were a realistic chance after the 2 prelim final finishes, that they stuck with the older guys arguably too long. However, that side almost snagged that final v Hawthorn in Melbourne. In hindsight though, they could have started the aggressive rebuild 1 year earlier.

[Interceptor]

How's Sellar's form been so far for Glenelg?
Is he any chance of pushing for selection?

[Dutchy]

Ive been one of his biggest critics but his last 2 games have been really good

[Psyber]

NC was a midfielder - he doesn't seem to know how to use big men - he seems to want them to be tall midfielders.
He had my support in the early years, but I think the Crows peaked a few years ago and will not progress further with this game plan.

[JK]

NC was a midfielder - he doesn't seem to know how to use big men - he seems to want them to be tall midfielders.
He had my support in the early years, but I think the Crows peaked a few years ago and will not progress further with this game plan.

I think it's irrelevant where NC played when he was still taking the field, in fact it wasn't even the same game in those days.

One of my mates who is a red-hot Crows supporter, asked me about NC's appointment when the Crows first announced him as coach - My response was that I'd guess he would be John Northey-like - Take an average, struggling mob, and develop them as a group and improve the youth aspect, making them competitive until someone else closes in and finishes the deal.

As I said, it was only a guess at the time (and followed his role at Norwood, which was all I could base it on).

I've never actually been a big fan of his, but I think he's copping some unfair stick at the moment when he's probably overachieved if anything.

[Browny25]

Ive been one of his biggest critics but his last 2 games have been really good

He (Sellar) is the only option to take Ben Ruttens spot at the moment...

He must be injured because he is moving very slow, and having very little impact..