Hawthorn is the favourite for the flag. Shocking revelation, I know. And as much as I hate to admit it, the Adelaide Crows have a very big task in front of them.
After a loss to Sydney at home followed by a largely unconvincing win against Fremantle, Adelaide have been quite underwhelming as of late, something you don’t want to bring into a preliminary final against Hawthorn.
Meanwhile, the Hawks cruised into a preliminary final after comfortably accounting for Collingwood in a Qualifying Final two weeks ago.
They’re rather contrasting preparations for a preliminary final, aren’t they?
The bottom line is that the Crows need a fast start. Their biggest deficiency over the last month has been attacking pressure early in the game, and they have to turn it all around in one week against the best team in the land.
Adelaide also needs to utilise its tall forwards against Hawthorn’s shorter defence and ferociously attack the ball like their lives depend on it.
And much like telling your girlfriend that her and her mother are basically the same person, taking Hawthorn for granted is something you just shouldn’t do. Ever. And the ramifications will be similar as well – you may have the living bejesus beaten out of you before you can even blink!
I spent the weekend in Melbourne about three weeks ago and while I was there, I attended the Hawthorn v West Coast match and got to see Hawthorn’s magnificent play first hand.
They move the ball so well, they choreograph their set plays and tactics like ballet dancers, follow instructions like a concerto orchestra strings section and they play together as a team much like 22 best mates in a league team in the South Australian countryside.
All of those things spell -‘premiership team’.
And Hawthorn won’t be happy with anything but a premiership.
The Crows, on the other hand definitely want to win.
However, if they lose, a third or fourth placed finish after a dismal 2011 season will be a positive.
Next year will be bigger and better for the Crows, actually the next five years should bring some silverware to the City of Churches. So they have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Hawthorn has everything to lose. Most have pencilled them in for the premiership, and I find it hard to disagree, even though I hope like hell the Crows can beat the Hawks.
So, I don’t really know what to make of it all. What do you guys reckon? Can the Crows defeat Hawthorn?
I’m sure I already know the answer.
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