By Jason Cave
July 3rd 2008 @ 4:22am
Loading ...What if the Adelaide Crows were formed in the 1980s?
The Adelaide Crows were introduced into the AFL in 1991, and they announced their arrival by smashing Hawthorn, the premier team of the 1980s, by 86 points. Since then the Crows have won two flags - in 1997, and again in 1998.
But what would have happened if the Crows had come into the AFL much earlier? Say, around the period 1981-85.
South Australian football had a heap of champion players. Names such as Aish, Ebert, McIntosh, Cornes, Kernahan, Bradley, Platten, Abernethy, and many others.
South Australia also dominated State of Origin during this period as well.
After South Australia’s big win over Victoria in the 1983 State of Origin at Football Park, South Australian officials called for the introduction of a South Australia side into the then VFL.
But VFL powerbrokers, Dr Allen Aylett and the late Jack Hamilton, rejected the proposal.
If they had known what was about to transpire during the 1980s (VFL almost going under, while also getting ready for a national competition), would Messrs Aylett and Hamilton have changed their minds and allowed South Australia to field a composite team. Possibly in time for 1985?
Would players such as Platten, Bradley, McGuinness, Kernahan, and Williams have stayed in Adelaide and started their VFL careers there instead of going across the border to play for Hawthorn, Collingwood, Carlton, Footscray respectively?
A Crows team, if they had played in the VFL, would’ve been unbeatable at Football Park. However, they would struggle to win games in Melbourne.
A likely Adelaide Crows team, if they had played a match in the VFL during the 80s:
ADELAIDE CROWS
B: B.Winter G.Phillips D.Hughes
HB: B.Abernethy T.Giles M.Leslie
C: M.Williams R.Ebert(c) N.Craig
HF: M.Aish S.Kernahan N.Roberts
F: T.Evans R.Davies G.McIntosh
R: M.Redden C.McDermott J.Platten
INT: G.Cornes M.Rendell T.McGuinness T.Ginever
EMERG: P.Jonas K.Kuhlmann R.Klomp R.Johnston
COACH: Neil Kerley
Other players in the Crows squad would’ve been:
Ray Huppatz, David Granger, Milan Faletic, Peter Carey, David Marshall, Brian Cunningham, Max George, Michael Taylor, Glynn Hewitt, Ross Gibbs, Mark Naley, Grantley Fielke, Roger Luders, Mark Mickan, Bruce Lindsay.
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Michael C said | July 4th 2008 @ 9:22am | Report comment
I’ll let you keep Peter Jonas - - given that you’ve let the Roos retain Malcolm Blight (fair enough, twilight of career but still did a 103 goals one year, and was captain coach for a little while - - and, after all - the Eagles lured Glendinning to be their innaugural captain), and you’re left us Kym Hodgeman.
Abernethy, we only had for the 1 season any way - before Collingwood snaffled him - - I still haven’t forgiven them that.
Jason Cave said | July 4th 2008 @ 9:58am | Report comment
Interestingly enough, had the Crows started in the ’80s, Chris McDermott & Tony McGuinness would’ve been playing for Adelaide around 1985, instead of playing for them at the start of the Adelaide Crows in 1991.
Michael C said | July 4th 2008 @ 10:48am | Report comment
Who were a couple of the SoO reps?, Roger Delaney and Grenville Deittrich????
I remember when the Crows came in, a few ‘drafted’ SA players were ‘lost’, North had drafted Rod Jameson, I think the Bullies had Simon Tregenza……the drafts from that period are interesting to look at regarding who DIDN’T go where.
Jason Cave said | July 4th 2008 @ 11:40am | Report comment
Would Messrs Aylett & Hamilton (the VFL powerbrokers) had accepted a SA team into the comp if they knew just how strong SA football was duing the ’80s, especially during the golden era for SA in State of Origin? Or did they reject it because they thought a SA team would struggle to win games?
matta said | July 5th 2008 @ 11:41am | Report comment
Michael - shit, they should have let em have Tregenza! that guy was the most untalented player I have ever seen. Sure he could run like the wind all day long but his ball skill were the worst I have seen from a top level regular.
I cold be a bit bias becuase he picked a fight with my mate at The Norwood Hotel in about ‘92… Interesting we were both too young to be in a Pub but my mate won the fight…Not a bad story to tell at School on monday “yeah we got into the Norwood, and Turps got in a blew with Trigga Tragenza…and he won”
‘cant kick cant fight’