Adelaide are the third team in a row to be given a comprehensive belting by Sydney, and the knives are sure to be out for a top four side from last season struggling to keep in touch with the eight.
I’m not so sure they should be savaged, because it was obvious to any reasonable football observer that, regardless of final ladder position, the Crows were not a legitimate top four team in 2012.
Yes, they played some good football throughout last year, but they were blessed with arguably the friendliest draw we’ve ever seen.
Adelaide were lucky enough to play each of Port Adelaide, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney twice, when these three teams won a grand total of ten games between them for the 2012 season, four of which were against each other.
Importantly, they were able to play them all in the first five rounds of the year, when it’s most critical to get ahead of the curve and build form, confidence and momentum.
North Melbourne, another finalist, was the only other team to get two of that aforementioned combination more than once.
Adelaide were also widely regarded as more talented than what they’d been showing in the 2011 and 2012 seasons under Neil Craig, and were due to bounce under an impressive new coach in Brenton Sanderson.
If nothing else, that man has boundless enthusiasm for football and life, which couldn’t help but be absorbed by a playing group sick of disappointment.
Leading into the finals series, it was clear that Adelaide were going to finish top four and be joined by Hawthorn, Sydney and Collingwood.
The only thing up in the air were the permutations of who would play who, and where.
Every single supporter of the Hawks, Swans and Pies wanted to play the Crows, knowing they were the weakest link. In fact, it was even more desirable to travel to AAMI Stadium to play than host one of the other three teams at home.
So it proved in the first final as Sydney romped away to an easy victory, keeping the Crows to five goals in the meantime.
Adelaide dominated the inside 50s, but the match was played completely on the Swans terms as they controlled possession through the back half of the ground.
Fremantle dominated the Crows in the first half of the next final but, after travelling three weeks in a row, and four out of five, tiredness took its toll.
Conversely, Adelaide were playing at home for the third consecutive week and still only just scraped a victory.
What sucked some people into believing the Crows were the ‘real deal’, was one single game. This was the preliminary final against the Hawks where they famously went down by less than a kick.
Looking beyond the actual scoreline, this was a margin that flattered Sanderson’s men. Hawthorn had dominated the early stages of the match, but hadn’t kicked straight. Every time the Crows went forward they finished with a major.
The Hawks won inside 50s 64-38 and had ten more scoring shots. As we know though, Hawthorn are chokers, another thing that gets glossed over when people try to look for meaning beyond the obvious.
This is what allowed some to afford the Crows more respect than they deserved heading into 2013.
Add to this the loss of an important cog in Kurt Tippett, and this was a team that was never going to be a top-end player in 2013.
In terms of quality, Patrick Dangerfield is obviously a brilliant, explosive match-winner. Rory Sloane represents a great combination of grunt and class.
Taylor Walker has been sadly missed through injury, a key forward with more tools in the bag than most.
They have capable players across the ground, but outside these three exceptions, not much more than that right now.
This is not to say they aren’t on the right track, and some of their younger players are among the brightest prospects in the league.
Names like Jenkins, Lynch, Brown, Talia and Kerridge will be much more well known in a couple of years if they continue to improve at the current rate, and if so, the Crows will have a good mix of talented youth and experience.
But that’s for the future. Right now, Adelaide has beaten the teams positioned 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 18th on the ladder, and lost to everyone else. They are exactly where they should be, and have neither under, nor over-whelmed.
Last year, they lucked into a most favourable set of circumstances, were admittedly good enough to take advantage, and happened to fall one straight kick away from playing in a grand final. Let’s be real though, and not pretend it was anything other than that.
Radelaide
Guest
well the cost of living in Sydney is a lot higher it's just that the players are more selfless just like the cats I guees that's why they are winning all the time.
Radelaide
Guest
Add to the fact that club champion Vince their captain shouldn't be running around in the AFL.
Radelaide
Guest
Yes he was good in that game but very inconsistant it will be interesting to see if he's able to keep his spot in the very demanding swans team.
Ajax
Guest
Malceski.. what a player... I thought he was ordinary a few years ago.. turns out he's a bit of a gun. Hannebury a dud? Like to meet the person who said that.. he should have got the Norm Smith last year IMO. I really like their backline... beats me how they seem to have time on their hands.. bodies crashing everywhere.. they have the presence of mind to pause, asses then deliver... they must practise shepparding a lot at training.. only explanation I can think off... most sides just throw the thing on the boot and hope for the best.. Swannies always seem to hit a target.
Mackenzie Stanley
Roar Rookie
The crows have the potential to challenge in September, but their bottom 6 players let them down. Do some solid recruiting in the off season and they'll be a real threat.
EddyJ
Guest
The Swans’ football of over the past three months has been spectacular. I was at the MCG when they gave Collingwood a good thrashing, but the thing that impressed me was their relentless pressure – everything was being smothered, kicks, handballs. Collingwood just couldn't get a look in. Then add the precision of ball delivery. The same against Essendon, and then a top effort against Adelaide. The main issue will be whether this sort of intensity can be maintained until the end of the season but, right now, I'd have them as flag favourites (although probably best to wait until they play Geelong and Hawthorn again).
Andrew Sertori
Roar Rookie
So you havent bothered to look at how the cap works
The Hunter
Guest
The talk is around Adelaide that Dean Bailey being suspended has had a detremental impact on the coaching staff.
Andrew Sertori
Roar Rookie
Amen
Paul
Guest
I am so sick of people suggesting that Sydney's salary cap "bought" them a premiership. That is baseless, if they bothered to read the facts. Sydney's culture of selfless football is the reason for their on-field success. When you consider that over the part 10 years, they've recruited players from other clubs who were no longer wanted and turned into champions, their senior players take on the role of mentors to the younger players both on and off the field, and with the exception of Tippett, none of them command a large salary. Sydney are a champion team, not a team of champions, and they continue to defy the odds. They deserve to be judged by their "no d*ckheads" policy on and off the field, rather than the non-sensical arguments that $$ have anything to do with their successes. Go Swannies!
Matt F
Roar Guru
In the past, Hannebery has had a tendency to butcher the ball by foot but this season he's in the Top 10 for both total and average effective disposals per match. He's a serious Brownlow contender, if the umpires have started to notice him. Tom MItchell's had a pretty handy start to his carer as well :)
Winston
Guest
It is quite astonishing how many of their ordinary players in the last couple of years have now become really really good if not elite players, and that has helped immensely structurally. Enough has been said about Hannebery being a dud, but if he gets 42 disposals at only 50% efficiency, that's still 21 times he's hitting a teammate! When Josh Kennedy first came over he wasn't very good either. Jack has now become elite after starting off as a rookie. And the list goes on. Because of the midfield depth, McVeigh can now do whatever he wants. I thought a couple of years ago he struggled with the midfield responsibilities. But now, if he's tagged or is just down for the game and not getting touches, he just goes to halfback and runs through the midfield whenever he wants to, and with time and space he's got good enough skills to hit targets 90% of the time. And when you double that with Malceski, they now have too many weapons between half back and half forward for opposition teams to stop. Considering ALL of them can kick goals AND tackle well, they have all of a sudden become a real headche for everyone else. PS, how good was Mumford's run from defence to forward and back to defence in 90 seconds!
Cameron Rose
Expert
Sydney's last three matches have exceeded any level they hit in 2012 in my opinion. It's been quite incredible how they've clicked into gear, and you're right about them all being stars in their own right. They bat deep with goal-kicking mids, each of whom can get 30 touches on their day, but are never relied upon to do so every week.
Cameron Rose
Expert
The Crows have also been hurt in losing Bock and Davis to GC and GWS from a key position perspective, so when you include Tippett, that's three in three years. I like your first point in the third paragraph about the new rule interpretations to let it go more. On a side note, what a joy that's been.
Cameron Rose
Expert
Interesting call Brendan, because you'd think Tippett leaving for money and to get out of SA would have had a galvanising effect on the rest. He was certainly awesome against the Hawks in that Prelim, kept them in it in what was probably his best match of the year.
Lroy
Guest
I think it says more about the Swans than the Crows. Crows have the problem WCE had last year, all of a sudden they play all the top sides twice, and opposition coaches spend a bit more time working out how to close them down... doesnt help having your best forward out with injury. As for the Bloods, hate to say it... but they are a machine at the moment. They chew sides up with the brutal inside contest, spread, carry, run, then deliver it with precision further up field.... they are playing like Hawthorn of the 1980's at the moment. No one real star, but they are all stars in their own right... its going to take a special effort to beat them.... Dons, Dockers, Hawks... all good sides, they all have a bit of X factor.. ... Dockers - Swans final? How good would that be? Scary thing is they are probably going to get better when Tippet comes back... but who is the unlucky guy to miss out?? Well done AFL.. that extra 800K in the Swans salary cap has been very well spent.
vocans
Guest
Fair analysis. They are a young team, many of them still finding their feet at AFL level. The Swans pressure was awesome to behold and few of the youngsters knew what to do about it most of the time. Matty Lloyd talked about being bullied on the field and having to turn that around or he'd be out: the Crows youngsters need to learn that and make sure they're fiercely present. The Crows need one or two more quality key position players especially with Rutten nearing the end of his career. Jenkins is learning the game at this level, and will one day realise how to use his size and speed to the best advantage. He could take even more marks than he does if he'd back himself in. Which is another point - the coach is still a relative novice too. The 'new' umpiring to let the game go does not help young players who can't rely as much on bigger bodies, so have to use the rule structure as creatively as they can. Small players of any age do this. All players should if they are to be complete players. I don't mean milk frees - I mean reward for clever, creative, and skilful play, including reward for well-applied tackles. If a free is there, give it - it's a reward for good play. When the game is let go too much it is often exciting , but also incredibly frustrating when good play goes unrewarded, and especially if it results in an unfair advantage. Without rules any game would be one big biff with the winner being the last left standing. Well codified rules give a structure within which skills can emerge: eg, if I know I'll get a free for push in the back I'm encouraged to work for front spot in a contest; if I know I can't be held without the ball I'll go get it; otherwise I'd be a mug to.
Brendan
Guest
I think the fall out from Tippett leaving the club had a huge impact on the morale of the club.I went to a practice match at Kardinia Park and the Crows were warming up in front of where i was sitting they looked big Walker didn't miss a shot at goal.During the match it was clear Geelong were fitter and thrashed them ( Walker did not kick a goal).Maybe Sanderson was tapering there fitness towards the finals.Losing Walker after Tippett's departure didn't help much .I thought the Crows were good against the Dockers in the finals and Tippett was awesome against Hawthorn.