Coming off one of the most emotional seasons in sporting history, the Adelaide Crows will look to build on their finals success from last season.
After the tragic passing of coach Phil Walsh, Crows players showed tremendous heart and determination to defeat the Western Bulldogs in an elimination final before going down to eventual premiers Hawthorn in the semi-final.
Things will be extremely different in Adelaide this season however, as superstar Patrick Dangerfield has gone back home to Geelong and new coach Don Pyke begins his reign as Crows coach.
With Dangerfield gone, the current crop of Crows stars, such as Taylor Walker, Rory Sloan and Eddie Betts, will all need to step up as no one player can easily replace the All-Australian.
Adelaide’s young midfielders will also need to take the next step in their development to help soften the blow of Dangerfield’s departure. The likes of Brad Crouch, Riley Knight, Charlie Cameron and Cam Ellis-Yolmen will all need to attempt to fast track their development and find consistent form in order to help the Crows get back to the finals in 2016.
The Crows did add some talent during the off-season, though, acquiring the likes of Troy Menzel, Paul Seedsman and Wayne Milera. The speedy trio will try and help Adelaide turn into a more running, faster team, as the Crows continue to build a midfield dominated by quick, small to medium-sized players.
Best 22
B: Luke Brown, Daniel Taila, Jake Lever
HB: Brodie Smith, Kyle Hartigan, Matthew Jaensch
C: David Mackay, Scott Thompson, Cam Ellis-Yolmen
HF: Richard Douglas, Josh Jenkins, Troy Menzel
F: Eddie Betts, Taylor Walker, Charlie Cameron
Foll: Sam Jacobs, Rory Sloan, Brad Crouch
INT: Nathan van Berlo, Tom Lynch, Rory Laird, Kyle Cheney
MVP: Taylor Walker
After the announcement that Walker would be the Crows’ captain before the start of last season, many people wondered if it was the correct decision.
Well, Walker silenced those critics with a sensational campaign, finishing with averages of 2.6 goals, 7.4 marks and 14.2 disposals per game. He ranked second in the entire league in marks inside 50, third for total marks and fourth for most goals. Walker has solidified his spot as the Crows’ leader and will look to improve on what was a stellar 2015.
Future Star: Charlie Cameron
An electrifying small forward, Cameron put his name on the AFL map last season as he confirmed his status as the Crows’ top draft selection in 2013. Cameron’s innate ability to explode out of a pack and use his pace and athleticism mirrors that of his teammate Betts.
Cameron is a headache for opposing teams in front of goals, as he finished first among rising stars in goal assists and third among rising stars in goals last season. He exploded onto the scene in 2015 and there is no reason to believe he won’t be better in years to come.
Make or Break: Nathan van Berlo
A former Crows captain boasting more than 200 games, van Berlo’s days as an AFL superstar are long gone. But 2016 looms large for the career of the Adelaide veteran.
Van Berlo wasn’t horrible in 2015, averaging 15.3 disposals in 20 games, but with the Crows bringing in a crop of younger midfield talent, he may need to find something special in 2016 if he wants to secure his place in the squad’s best 22 for an entire season.
Coming off shoulder surgery in the off-season, van Berlo should be able to get almost a full pre-season under his belt as he heads into a crucial 2016 season.
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