Round 8: Brisbane vs Adelaide

[Hondo]

If the instructions to the players are to make poor decisons, stay out of hard contests, not work hard enough and have poor disposal then I agree with you.

The way they played in the second half was terrible. Don't make excuses for them tonight.

Not that I am saying it's all the players' fault, but it's not all the coaches' fault either. Those instructions and the players had us dominating the play in the first half. The whole box & dice broke down after half time.

[FD88]

Bit of an alien feeling copping pain like this eh?

We'll be alright. We see such obvious flashes of brilliance every week; patience now will be rewarded imo.

Note: Gotta weed the plodders and no-goers out asap. Moran, Doughty especially. Lets get another look at Jacky, perhaps even McKernan soon.

[FD88]

Oh and VB....I've never rated his socks off like others have but he is better than the tripe he's been delivering.

[JK]

I actually thought Moran looked alright tonight early on, although I guess most Crows were going well hence them being on top).

It's an interesting debate between Pro-Craig v Anti-Craig supporters or critics ...

The Pro-Craig camp will claim their style definitely works, as evidenced by their domination of play in the 1st half tonight, and but for some coasting they could have been anywhere up to 8 goals in front in the 2nd quarter - It's likely they'll claim that if the Crows take those opportunities, which they should be capable of, it completely changes the complexion of the game (along with the expected natural improvement in many players).

The anti-Craig believers will claim that the style is too taxing, as it clearly used such a high amount of petrol, that many of the Crows weren't able to execute some of the most elementary skills after half time as they were clearly feeling the pinch.

[Hondo]

You make a good point about the players being potentially shagged after half time CP. I imagine it was warm up there as usual.

We should have been 6 goals clear at half time which may have given them more confidence in the second half. I think those 2 late goals in the second quarter by Brisbane were telling. The wind got taken out of our sails while they charged off to half time very confident all of a sudden.

Also, Brisbane having 2 great key forwards to capitalise on their 2nd half momentum was a glaring comparison to our forward line. As much as I am excited about Tex I think he needs to make more of a physical presence out there, if he can at age 18.

[FD88]

You make a good point about the players being potentially shagged after half time CP. I imagine it was warm up there as usual.

We should have been 6 goals clear at half time which may have given them more confidence in the second half. I think those 2 late goals in the second quarter by Brisbane were telling. The wind got taken out of our sails while they charged off to half time very confident all of a sudden.

Also, Brisbane having 2 great key forwards to capitalise on their 2nd half momentum was a glaring comparison to our forward line. As much as I am excited about Tex I think he needs to make more of a physical presence out there, if he can at age 18.

It'll be tough, especially with our delivery to the forwards being so erratic. Also he's 19 not that it really makes a difference, a teenage forward is a teenage forward. As hard as it might be (especially given we are accustomed to constant finals appearances) we will need to look at those flashes of brilliance and potential breakout games (Mackay!) from individual kids rather than just getting upset over the results. In every single losing game so far I've found myself almost ripping my hair out in frustration at one point, only to applaud an outstanding piece of play from someone like Danger or Petrenko later on. It could be a lot worse - just look at the aimless Tigers!

Losing sucks but it feels to me like the club is heading in the right direction.

[JK]

Certainly noticed a couple of occasions where Tex pulled out of body clashes tonight ... Before people get up me, Im certainly not suggesting he's soft, but I think he's still clearly coming to grips with certain aspects of the game at this level, namely the pace, positioning, required work-rate and physical intensity.

[FD88]

Certainly noticed a couple of occasions where Tex pulled out of body clashes tonight ... Before people get up me, Im certainly not suggesting he's soft, but I think he's still clearly coming to grips with certain aspects of the game at this level, namely the pace, positioning, required work-rate and physical intensity.

Part of it I reckon, and some SANFL observers would agree, is that he often thinks like a crumber. You could see it on a few occasions at SANFL level where he'd pull out of a pack situation because he saw that the ball was to spill to some space; crumb, goal. Agree though, he has a lot of development ahead of him in terms of what to do and when to do it, along with the intensity. All part of the process.

[NFC]

Drop Rutten? Thought he returned to form tonight.

[FD88]

Drop Rutten? Thought he returned to form tonight.

Out: Doughty
In: Jacky FTW!!!

[NFC]

Drop Rutten? Thought he returned to form tonight.

Out: Doughty
In: Jacky FTW!!!

Someone said how he did nothing today. Started on the bench, yeah, he's AFL worthy.

[Gozu]

Sums it up really. We're flogging them in the first half should've even put the game away yet get belted. I've seen it too many times with the Crows come out after h/t or after a break and just disappear and our skills are atrocious. That's on the coach. How sad is it that I turned the game off at half-time despite us being up 15-20 points and absolutely dominating the play, I knew they'd come back and beat us we're just too robotic. However, I didn't expect a hiding. What must've they out scored us by in the second half, 8-10 goals? Three consecutive comfortable losses and five consecutive poor performances.

[NO-MERCY]

Deservent of the wooden spoon i think!

[ORDoubleBlues]

Deservent of the wooden spoon i think!

That would be Essendon

[SCD]

The 1st half was almost the best footy they have played all year..
they were outstanding in that first half and only a lack of execution kept them in the game..
we deserved to be 7-8 goals up.. make no mistake about that..

The concern for me is in every game we have given up 5-6 goal bursts in 10-15 mins and have no answer or way to stop it.. Yet we will then dominate a game for 10-15 mins and kick 1 or 2 goals.. it's disappointing..

I suggested to a mate at the beginning of the year we could be 1-9 or 2-8 after 10 rounds, so we are not far off where I though we would be.. the fact is we still have 5 kids with less then 10 games experience and we are trying to develop a gameplan and group that can contend in a few years time.

The last few performances have been poor. somthing to think about - is there any conincidence that Craigy gave Maric a spray and then proceeded to appologise - which was only @ a public relations exercise. Maric hasn't played since and the group has been down..

[FD88]

You know what I hate? People who are bagging the hell out of the gameplan because it isn't resulting in wins RIGHT NOW. These are the same people that say they are prepared to accept pain but as soon as it actually happens they want everyone sacked. That's no better than sitting at every game mindlessly yelling "kick the bloody thing."

Honestly, the most painful thing about a rebuild imo is seeing how soft, short-sighted and dim the bulk of your supporter base really is, and then having the airwaves smothered by their complaining. I can't even listen to the radio anymore, listening to people who haven't the slightest idea what's going on is infuriating. To the cats fans who sat through all the same crap - good on you for sticking it out.

[NFC]

FD88, Jacky had great numbers on the weekend didn’t he?

[Farmy]

I've calmed down today, but I will reaffirm. Michael Doughty is the Adelaide Crows Turnover controller, he is the official player in charge of all turnovers to the opposition.

[Interceptor]

I've calmed down today, but I will reaffirm. Michael Doughty is the Adelaide Crows Turnover controller, he is the official player in charge of all turnovers to the opposition.

Yep, the only possible reason he is still getting a game is to provide extra experience on the field.
Which is pointless if he is the Turnover King (tm).

[Farmy]

People will say, who do you replace him with?

Well, sure you replace him with a youngster, and sure the youngster might not touch the ball much, but they'd still have a more positive effect on the game than Doughty, whos problem is not that he doesn't get the ball enough, its that he gets it too much, too many times is he used as a link player when he makes the worst decisions in any given situation. While a youngster wouldn't touch the ball much, they also probably wouldn't turn it over 5 times a game directly resulting in opposition goals.

I'd rather see a guy like Jacky, or cook, or Armstrong, or even a Rookie like Chris Schmidt get a game and have 5 touches, than Michael Doughty get a game and have 20 odd touches and a few terrible clangers/bad decisions.