The Roar
The Roar

AFL
Advertisement

Best 22 analysis: Adelaide

Roar Guru
2nd December, 2017
Advertisement
Is Adelaide the most solid team in the AFL? (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Roar Guru
2nd December, 2017
77
1917 Reads

All the AFL lists are finalised for 2018 and now is the time to start investigating what each club’s best team looks like.

This analysis won’t factor in injuries or early season suspensions, as they are looking at the best team from the list they have. Here is my view on Adelaide’s best 22 in 2018.

B: Jake Kelly, Daniel Talia, Luke Brown
HB: Rory Laird, Kyle Hartigan, Brodie Smith
C: Bryce Gibbs, Hugh Greenwood, Rory Atkins
HF: Richard Douglas, Taylor Walker, Tom Lynch
F: Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins, Mitch McGovern
Foll: Sam Jacobs, Matt Crouch, Rory Sloane
I/C: Brad Crouch, David Mackay, Sam Gibson, Alex Keath
Depth: Riley Knight, Jordan Gallucci, Myles Poholke, Paul Seedsman, Curtly Hampton, Andy Otten, Kyle Cheney, Wayne Milera, Darcy Fogarty, Elliot Himmelberg, Matthew Signorello, Andrew McPherson, Harry Dear, Tom Doedee, Ben Davis, Reilly O’Brien, Jackson Edwards, Cam Ellis-Yolmen, Patrick Wilson, Paul Hunter, Lachlan Murphy, Ben Jarman

(Photo: Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

Defence
I haven’t generally selected an intercept marker in the Crows defensive 50 despite Alex Keath, Andrew McPherson, and Tom Doedee all playing similar game styles to Lever. Instead I’ve tag-teamed Daniel Talia and Kyle Hartigan as key defensive posts at full back and centre half back and I’m backing in Hartigan’s natural marking ability to make amends for Lever’s intercept marking.

Jake Kelly is a medium defender and will be handy in the back pocket for the Crows as he’ll be able to oppose against tall or small forwards.

I have included Luke Brown, Rory Laird, and Brodie Smith as small defenders. Luke Brown would be able to play a lock-down role on opposition small forwards. Brown achieved a career-high number of marks last year, and if he can lay as many tackles as he did in 2016, then he’ll be a key part of the Crows 2018 line-up.

Rory Laird and Brodie Smith both play rebounding roles and fit the half back flank role perfectly. However, with Brodie Smith’s ACL injury, he likely won’t play any games next year, which leaves a spot open for a player.

Advertisement

Adelaide have a few options to cover his absence. Option one is they could go like-for-like and select Paul Seedsman or Curtly Hampton in place of Brodie Smith.

Option two is they could move Bryce Gibbs from the wing to the half back flank and bring in Riley Knight to play on the wing.

Option three is they could place Alex Keath in the starting 18 and move Luke Brown onto the half back flank with Alex Keath in the back pocket. Any of the options would be an effective way to cover his absence.

(Photo: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

Midfield
The Crows have strengthened their midfield brigade as well as adding experience to their team with the recruitments of Bryce Gibbs and Sam Gibson.

Bryce Gibbs will almost be a guaranteed starter in their line-up next year. He’s been on the Crows dream list ever since he was drafted, and he’s viewed by some as the missing piece to their premiership puzzle. Sam Jacobs is one of the best ruckmen in the competition and will easily be the number one ruck over young Reilly O’Brien.

Hugh Greenwood and Matt Crouch both had breakout years last year, and I suspect both will assume a role as an on-baller in the midfield.

Advertisement

Rory Sloane was the leader and favourite in the Brownlow Medal until opposition coaches discovered that he struggles to effectively shake a hard tag, and he will no doubt be in the Crows starting midfield.

Rory Atkins was another Crow to have a breakout year, setting career highs in kicks, marks, disposals, and tackles, and will play an important part for the Crows on the wing in 2018.

(Photo: Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

Attack
The Crows have an effective four-prolonged key forward line in Tom Lynch, Taylor Walker, Josh Jenkins, and Mitch McGovern, but all are too important for Don Pyke to leave any of them out.

Lynch is that Nick Riewoldt or Jarrad Waite type of key forward that has brilliant stamina and running capacity to be able to push into the midfield and roam the ground for long periods of time.

Taylor Walker, the skipper, is a leading key forward that has a long kick on him, hence why I’ve put him at centre-half forward. Mitch McGovern is a tall forward that is a strong pack mark. He usually floats into a contest and takes marks.

Josh Jenkins is often referred to as a cherry picker and kicks goals from easy positions, hence why I’ve put him at full forward – to keep him in the goal square to do what he does best.

Advertisement

Richard Douglas is a goal-kicking midfielder, and with there being no room for him in the midfield, I placed him on the half forward flank. Eddie Betts is one of the premier small forwards of the competition and is always a start-up in the Crows line-up.

(AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Interchange
The interchange comprises three midfielders and a key defender to rotate through the starting 18. Brad Crouch combined with brother Matt to have a career-best season and the best season ever by a pair of brothers.

David Mackay isn’t a star, but he plays the role that he needs to play for the team and does it well. Discarded North Melbourne veteran Sam Gibson will come in, and I am predicting him to get a spot on the bench. He’s played 130 consecutive games and has been consistent across his career, and he can play the role of a tagger on the oppositions star players.

Don Pyke and Rory Sloane know through personal experience that Sam Gibson can play a quality role as a tagger. Alex Keath will be able to rotate through the defence and develop his game as an intercept marker as well as working on his contested marking.

(Photo: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

The unlucky players
Riley Knight had a career-best year last year, playing 19 games, which included the three finals. There is no doubt that he will get regular opportunities, but he is probably the 23rd man in the Crows team.

Advertisement

Paul Seedsman played only five games last year; however, he played every finals game, and with Brodie Smith likely to be out with an ACL injury for the season, there is a spot open for him.

Curtly Hampton played the first nine games of the season last year but injury ruined his promising start, and he will be another contesting for the spot left by Brodie Smith.

Andy Otten played 19 games in his first injury-free season since 2014, but despite playing in the 2017 grand final, he’ll have to bide his time and wait for opportunities as there are already many key position players in the team.

Wayne Milera played 16 games and will almost definitely get games next year, but he probably isn’t in the best 22 yet.

Darcy Fogarty is seen by many as the best player in the 2017 draft despite being taken at pick 12. He will hopefully get some opportunities up forward and in the midfield next year.

With Jake Lever gone, it seems likely that 2015 first-round pick Tom Doedee will finally get his opportunity in the Crows defensive 50 next year.

What is your view on Adelaide’s best 22 for 2018? Would you make any changes, Roarers?

Advertisement
close