Drafted by Carlton with the 11th pick of the 2012 AFL national draft, Troy Menzel’s short career has been turbulent. Injury and inconsistency have overshadowed the 22-year-old’s talent.
Having spent his first three years at Carlton before moving back towards home with the Adelaide Crows, Menzel has shown signs of being a potential AFL star ,yet due to a number of factors simply has not been able to have any continued impact at the highest level.
With the 2017 looming as another breakout opportunity for the 187cm half forward, will he begin to shine and finally break into Adelaide’s stacked forward line or tread water as one of many fringe players?
Leading up to the 2012 draft, Menzel was touted as an extremely exciting and promising prospect among AFL teams, with his class with ball in hand and incredible goal sense seeing him dominate throughout his junior career.
Playing for Central Districts in both the SANFL under 18 and reserves competitions respectively in the years prior to the beginning of his AFL career, Menzel constantly tormented opposition sides as a talented prospect, scoring 17 goals in eight games.
Despite this good form Menzel was unable to assert himself as a top ten pick, being selected 11th overall by Carlton in what many viewed as one of the steals of the 2012 draft.
Entering the competition with a large amount of talent, Menzel did not quite have the build or maturity to make an immediate impact at AFL level with his first season in 2013 yielding just seven games for eight goals.
However, despite his early struggles, Menzel would show signs of potential brilliance in his opening season which in turn prepared him well for what many saw as a breakout second season.
Following a match winning performance against West Coast in Round 5, Menzel had Carlton fans excited for the future as his class and skill saw him draw comparisons to Port Adelaide star Chad Wingard. The 2014 season would see Menzel play a career high 19 games and kick 26 goals, in what many thought was just the beginning for Carlton’s next superstar forward.
Following the highs of 2014, the 2015 season would be an unexpected struggle for the young forward as calf and knee injuries saw him only play 14 games for the Blues while only managing to kick 13 goals.
This inconsistency on the field and constant injury problems forced the Blues to look at trading the hyped youngster in exchange for more midfield depth and an improved draft position.
With the forward originally coming from South Australia, the Adelaide Crows optimistically jumped at the opportunity to bring the talented forward home, offering the Blues both their 2015 second round draft pick and fringe midfielder Sam Kerridge.
In what many, including myself, saw as a win for the Crows the 2016 season would be one of high expectations for Menzel as Adelaide saw him as the final piece that would tip the team’s forward line over the edge from good enough to truly elite.
However, a pre-season shortened by injury and a fitness base not up to AFL standard saw the talented forward miss out on selection in the early parts of the 2016 season, thus forcing him to slave away in the Crows SANFL team.
In what many thought would be a temporary arrangement while he adjusted to Adelaide’s system, injuries and inconsistent form saw Menzel become unable to crack into the AFL side for the entire season. As a result, many have already labelled the Menzel trade a bust for Adelaide as in turn Sam Kerridge has broken out into a solid AFL level midfielder with the Blues.
Now, at the ripe age of 22, Menzel is about to hit his prime as an AFL footballer. The 2017 season is now crucial as it will go a long way in determining whether he can live up to his earlier hype or be another trade bust for the Adelaide Football Club.
The first obstacle Menzel must overcome in order to illustrate his worth this season is breaking into Adelaide’s loaded 22, as the forward line in particular is loaded with a plethora of stars. With only a handful of available spots, Menzel must compete with the likes of Wayne Milera, Riley Knight, Cam Ellis-Yolmen and Harrison Wigg who have all shown themselves to be extremely promising prospects in the Crows SANFL team.
Along with this fierce competition for spots, Menzel must battle his common inconsistencies which since his induction into the AFL system have seriously plagued his development into a solid contributor at the highest level.
Although he has the ability to turn a game off of his own boot, Menzel also easily manages to fall out of games, with his lack of influence at certain stages. Another looming criticism of Menzel’s game is his sub-par fitness and poor attitude, as prior to the beginning of the 2016 season it was well documented that Menzel simply did not have the fuel tank or mental capacity to compete at AFL level.
However, with that being said another pre-season under Don Pyke and the Adelaide Football Club should only help Menzel with these problems as he has been forced to dig deep and fight for an opportunity to play at an AFL.
If he has taken these criticisms in his stride over the off season, 2017 could well and truly be the year that Menzel breaks out into an elite forward/midfielder and really tip the Crows over the edge from a semi finalist to the top four and beyond.
As the season draws closer, the ball is truly in Menzel’s court as to which way his career goes. Will he either get over his physical and mental problems and cement a spot in Adelaide’s talented best 22, or will he remain a fringe player fighting it out in the SANFL?
Crowbot
Guest
I know I'm late to this conversation,so this comment may go unnoticed, but I think Carlton were always going to be winners in this trade. Troy Menzel bought them Sam Kerridge and a draft pick that was a key in securing a raft of latent talent from GWS. Sam Kerridge is a solid young player with an appetite for hard work and was always going to be good for Carlton. But Adelaide didn't need a raft of players and Kerridge only played 1 game in 2015, they didn't need him or the draft pick , but would have been happy to keep him. Carlton made him a better offer because they knew he would be a best 22 player at their club. I think however if Adelaide could go back in time they'd do the same deal again. Troy Menzel is the bling in the shop window that they never thought they could have, he's Darren Jarmen with height and speed, but without the bum. If there's a manual that describes how to take an overhead mark there should be a picture of Troy Menzel doing it. Richard Douglas and Taylor Walker should watch Menzel transition the ball from hand to foot as he produces a perfectly executed kick from a standing start. Sure 2016 didn't pan out the way he/we would have hoped, but the Crows know A+ talent when they see it, he"ll play in 2017, so watch out.
Bored
Guest
Carlton is that far ahead on the deal, it would take Menzel to beat the Pratt/Hudson record to get back square. Menzel, needs to look at being traded to a club with less competition for spots. Crows got the greedy want away Betts for nothing, however still no flag. He was never good enough to play in one in Melbourne. Will Crows have to cancel their night games now they are unable to produce electricity? SA, Australia's own 3rd world state.
sammy
Guest
Troy has the talent to make a difference in the crows forward 6. Jenkins and Walker remain the 2 talls with McGovern the 3rd tall and strong marking forward - I am hoping he will also take the next step this year. Eddie is unique and locks the small forward spot. Then Tom Lynch plays a high half forward and that leaves the other half forward spot up for grabs and if Menzel can make the step with the talent he posesses, then the crows forward line stays the most potent in the league comfortably. This then frees up Charlie Cameron to move onto a wing and he will really add to the midfield after his finals showing last season. The other one I am really keen to see in terms of his development is Wayne Milera who is another that should slot into midfield this season. There are some who think the Crows will fall back this year, but unless they get smashed with injuries, their list says they should be around the mark again
Chris
Guest
When he's on, he's brilliant - not just good, but brilliant. Even though it pains my Carlton soul, I can only hope that Carlton come to regret the trade and this extremely talented young man hits some luck and some form and becomes the player that his Blue-bagger bursts promised. Otherwise too big a waste of talent (and another promising career Malthoused).
Wilson
Roar Guru
2017 will be Menzel make or break season I think if he fails to make a impact and get some game that he could well see himself Delisted or set for trade bait. but have to agree Sam Kerrridge and Carlton would be very happy with the deal and are the winners so far.
Craig Delaney
Roar Pro
Word has it that Menzel's fitness will not be a factor in him missing an AFL career of note. Tom Lynch reckons his attitude is good too, but a team mate wouldn't say otherwise in an interview. We will see when he gets a game in the preseason comp. if he does come good, the Crows can afford to go all out with Cameron in and around the mids. He's very fast, creative and his attack on ball and player belies his size. Kerridge didn't get more game time at the Crows partly because one Patrick Dangerfield together with Sloane and Thompson took priority. Always liked him. Big tank, strong, and thoughtful.
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
At this stage Carlton are well in front after this trade. Adelaide gave up Sam Kerridge and pick 28 which Carlton traded to GWS for Lachie Plowman, Andrew Phillips, Liam Sumner and Jed Lamb. Whilst at Carlton Menzel did show glimpses of brilliance but they were too infrequent and his defensive game was non existent. This resulted in him spending time in the VFL. I think when Brendon Bolton and Silvagni came on board they realised that his attitude was not what an AFL players should be - you can't play AFL on talent only. In Kerridge Carlton got a player with less talent but the right attitude. I think this season we will see Kerridge playing more forward than last year and hopefully kicking more goals. Plowman has fitted well into the defensive six and along with Weitering, Docherty, Marchbank and Byrne will be part of a strong defensive group for many years. Phillips showed enough last year to suggest that with Kreuzer Carlton have a good ruck combination. Sumner and Lamb both contributed at times last year and at the very least provide some needed depth. Of the two I think that Sumner has the greater potential for improvement. I sincerely hope that Troy can turn his career around as we need to be seeing players of his undoubted talent running around in the AFL, but as the author has stated it will not be easy to break into Adelaides star studded forward line.