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Adelaide were a dominant force through much of 2017, renowned for posting big scores in commanding wins. They were frequently referred to as clearly the best team of the year, a comment that went unquestioned among most.
But the fact is, the Crows won only 15 home-and-away games to finish on top of the ladder, the lowest amount of wins to do so in 20 years. Remember, the Bulldogs won 15 home-and-away matches in 2016, which only put them in seventh. Last season was far more even than it appeared.
When they were on song, Adelaide’s attacking game was so strong, and their scoring so free, that it was easy to admire. They were also defensively sound for the most part, conceding 80 points a game across the season.
Of course, it all crumbled in the grand final against Richmond. The Tigers were able to control Adelaide’s ball movement through fierce pressure and canny defensive system, forcing the Crows to go high and long down the line, or otherwise forcing turnovers through the middle of the ground.
There is no doubt it is a tape that will get played by every opposition before facing Adelaide this year.
B: Luke Brown Kyle Hartigan Jake Kelly
HB: Rory Laird Daniel Talia Paul Seedsman
C: Bryce Gibbs Matt Crouch Rory Atkins
HF: Tom Lynch Taylor Walker Riley Knight
F: Eddie Betts Josh Jenkins Mitch McGovern
Foll: Sam Jacobs Brad Crouch Rory Sloane
Int: Richard Douglas David Mackay Hugh Greenwood Wayne Milera
Em: Sam Gibson Andy Otten Kyle Cheney
The Crows are strong all over the ground, as can be imagined. Adding Bryce Gibbs to the midfield mix will be a huge gain, but it pays to remember they have lost Charlie Cameron and Jake Lever from their grand final side, and Brodie Smith is expected to miss all of the year with an ACL injury.
(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
Adelaide usually fields the biggest team going around each week, with up to four players in each of the forward-line and backline that would be considered a tall.
Lever’s loss will probably be covered by Kyle Cheney or Tom Doedee, while Andy Otten is also in the mix as a swingman, who found himself playing as a forward for most of 2017. Daniel Talia, Kyle Hartigan and Jake Kelly are the three definite starters from a key defensive position.
Meanwhile, if they decide to go a bit smaller, they have options as well. If Rory Laird isn’t the best half-back in the game, he’s in the top two. Luke Brown is the small defender every good team needs to have. Paul Seedsman has never been able to cement a spot at AFL level, but gets his best chance yet in Smith’s absence.
The multi-pronged forward-line will be hard to contain from posting big scores, and we know how each player goes about their business by now.
Eddie Betts provides the spectacular, but it should be noted he showed signs of dropping off in the second half of last year. Tom Lynch is the running linkman, and arguably the most important part of the set up. Josh Jenkins will get out the back and fill his boots against the weaker sides, but otherwise get paid for doing little of consequence against decent opposition.
Taylor Walker had a horror grand final, much like the rest of his forward-line teammates, and he is too often less than the sum of his parts. It will be fascinating to see how Tex responds as both captain and player.
AAP Image/Julian Smith
Mitch McGovern is the one that still has his best in front of him, and was a vital cog missing in the grand final through injury. He’s the best contested mark of his forward brethren, and may well prove the key focal point this season.
The Adelaide midfield was seen as a weakness not so long ago, with not a lot of support for Rory Sloane, but things have changed now.
There is nothing to say Brad Crouch has stopped improving, or Matt Crouch for that matter either. By seasons’ end we may be debating which of the two brothers, Sloane or Gibbs has played the most critical role in the Crows top four assault. Now, there is a treasure trove of riches.
The midfield support cast is also solid – Hugh Greenwood made quite an impression last year, Richard Douglas has been a quality player for a long time, Rory Atkins and Riley Knight are still improving, David Mackay is the lone jobber.
Gibbs, in particular, will find greater appreciation of his talents in a better side. He’ll be allowed a bit more freedom to back his judgement and roll forward in this outfit, and will prove a devastating user in the front half. Expect 25 goals or more from his boot too.
Adelaide’s biggest issue might be overcoming the mental hurdle that comes from being a badly beaten grand final favourite, and the aforementioned conversation about being the best side of 2017, but with no premiership cup to show for it.
Sydney were in a similar situation entering last year, and started 0-6. West Coast haven’t been the same after losing to Hawthorn in the 2015 decider.
The Crows had been so confident of winning the grand final, it hadn’t occurred to any of them they might lose. Sure, they said the right things in the lead-up about respecting the opposition, but in the after-match they wore the shock of blindsided car crash victims.
(AAP Image/David Mariuz)
Booking a seat for the premiership cup on the flight back to Adelaide was another giveaway. What a sorry sight that empty chair must have looked.
A humiliating loss after that kind of hubris can have lingering effects. Already, it has been seen that the Crows were not as sharp in the JLT Series as might have been expected.
Does the grand final loss ignite a burning, gut-wrenching desire to go one better (admittedly an overused trope), or do a majority of players find themselves unable to get “up” again, having lost belief and confidence?
We’ll know soon enough, as the Crows travel to Victoria in Round 1 to take on the dangerous Essendon, before hosting Richmond at home in Round 2. A couple of losses to start the season, and things will be looking shaky indeed.
Two wins, however, and they’ll be off to the races, going a long way to booking themselves another top four berth.
Full 2018 AFL ladder prediction
2. Adelaide Crows
3. Port Adelaide Power
4th: Geelong Cats
5th: Richmond Tigers
6th: Melbourne Demons
7th: Greater Western Sydney Giants
8th: Essendon Bombers
9th: Hawthorn Hawks
10th: Collingwood Magpies
11th: Western Bulldogs
12th: St Kilda Saints
13th: West Coast Eagles
14th: North Melbourne Kangaroos
15th: Fremantle Dockers
16th: Brisbane Lions
17th: Carlton Blues
18th: Gold Coast Suns