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So it’s pretty much time to put the cue in the rack for the Adelaide Football Club. Season 2013, whether an aborition or an abortion, might as well end now for the boys. Time to book the offseason holiday.
Time to figure out a theme for Mad Monday. And time for the list management team to get moving on keeping their promise to trade the Crows out of trouble and back into the top four.
So, what do we need, and who’s on offer? Well, despite the statement from the club that no one is untouchable, let’s face it, there are some players who will not be moved on. Those players include:
Brad Crouch, Patrick Dangerfield, Richard Douglas, Cameron Ellis-Yoleman, Mitch Grigg, Sam Jacobs, Josh Jenkins, Sam Kerridge, Ben Rutten, Sam Shaw, Rory Sloane, Daniel Talia, Scott Thompson, Nathan Van Berlo, Taylor Walker, Matthew Wright.
Some of these players have struggled for form, some are yet to break into the line-up, but all of them are good players when fit and healthy, and all demand a re-signing.
Graham Johncock has made the mature and selfless decision to move on, and the time may have come for Ian Callinan, whose 2012 was very impressive, but has been left behind this season.
Richard Tambling, barring a remarkable second half of the year, should be delisted and marked down as a bad investment.
So who’s left for trade bait? Here’s a selection of players who could be put on offer for draft picks or players of a similar ilk who need a change of scenery;
• Matthew Jaensch: good runner, quick on the mark, but seriously lets himself down with decision making and kicking skills at times.
• Aiden Riley: hard nosed no nonsense type, perhaps lacks polish.
• Lewis Johnston: hard leading forward, not tall or imposing enough for full-forward not brilliant enough for centre half-forward, but has shown good form in the SANFL when healthy.
Then there are a few players who could be put on offer for a high draft pick, or used to headhunt a desired player:
• David McKay: hard runner, great skills, injuries and form have held him back.
• Bernie Vince: was once a great, now falling down the pecking order. Has to spend too much time in forward roll to get games.
• Jason Porplyzia: great servant, but best days are behind him, and longevity is an issue for the old warrior. Could be worth a high draft pick from a club like Gold Coast or GWS who could use the experience and leadership.
• Ricky Henderson: gets a knock from a lot of Crows fans but does have explosive pass, a good game sense and can play a variety of roles.
• Shaun McKernan: whether you see him as a blue chip or potato chip, he’s a ruckman forward who can mark and can kick. His intensity and game smarts are severely lacking at times, but players of his size and age don’t become available that often and the right coach could bring out the best in him.
With those players on offer, the Crows should entertain every reasonable offer. But their shopping list simply has to include a small forward, another gun midfielder and a tagger.
Watching Friday nights game and seeing the damage Andrew Krakouer was able to do at the base of the pack made me realise one of the Crows’ biggest and most glaring deficiencies.
There is no one in the best 22 who can lock the ball in the forward fifty, work at the feet of the big men, and also be relied on for at least a goal a game.
Eddie Betts would be perfect, but he is very unlikely to leave Carlton. One of the other ‘three amigos’ in Yarran or Garlett could be a realistic target, though.
So who gets offered? Mick Malthouse is great at getting good footy out of big men and nurturing talent, and his club could use a young ruckman come forward, so Shaun McKernan would be the obvious trade bate.
The other avenue to be explored could be St Kilda, and their boy Ahmed Saad, who could fill the roll nicely.
Another midfielder to help out Dangerfield, who is a star, but whose strength is in his explosiveness from packs, and Thompson, whose best spot is at the base of packs and under ruck contests, is badly needed.
Sloane is an impact player capable of laying tackles and making breaking runs, but can lack polish. The Crows need another midfielder who can move all day and float between half back and wing and use the ball well – a real Rolls Royce.
Bryce Gibbs fits the bill. He’s an Adelaide boy originally, and someone who is worth a big pay check, and therefore and big trade bate.
Dale Thomas, who is supposedly on the outer at Collingwood and is yet to re-sign could also fill the role, but an ankle injury which has limited his 2013 could be seen as to big a risk.
Likewise Adam Cooney, another Adelaide product, who has yet to recommit to the Bulldogs but might be too badly damaged.
Another big weakness for the Crows is their inability to lock down on the opposition’s best midfielders.
They are really missing the likes of Robert Shirley, a tagger so good Gary Ablett rated him the hardest opponent he had come across.
Most midfielders can be re-cast into a tagger, but if Adelaide can lure the likes of Crowley, or even Brent Macaffer from Collingwood, or Brad Sewell from Hawthorn, then that’ll be seen as a big, big tick.
Whether the player is available or not, the Adelaide Football club owes it to their fans, members and players to aim high.
After losing draft picks, a key forward, and a CEO and assistant coach for most of the year, it’s time the Crows changed the tone and brought in a big name, rather than losing one.
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