It’s time to wake up and smell the denial.
Thus far, Don Pyke has generally been regarded as the right man for the job following the tragedy that struck the Adelaide Football Club in 2015.
In all of the discussion around where it all went wrong for the Crows during and after the 2017 grand final, Pyke has largely escaped unscathed.
Don’t get me wrong, I still twitch when someone uses a phrase even remotely similar to collective minds. And while I’m still unhappy about the way the club managed the grand final loss in 2017, I don’t know enough about the inner workings of a club to suggest whether Brett Burton’s criticism has been justified.
Likewise, fair or unfair, a captain will always cop some heat.
Don Pyke, coach of the Crows takes questions (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Now though, I think it’s time to put the spotlight fairly and squarely on Pyke and his coaching staff.
Last year, the game plan and selections couldn’t be blamed for the season’s result because it was obvious to one and all that injuries and off field drama were the cause of poor performance on-field.
But it’s 2019 now and despite having nearly the healthiest list in the competition at season’s start, the Crows seem to have slipped right back into 2018’s mould.
Inconsistency coupled with a general lack of skill and effort are once again the hallmarks of Adelaide’s game, at least after the first three rounds.
Josh Jenkins said this on SEN SA yesterday, “Perhaps we rolled into the season thinking it was going to happen as we had a lot of momentum from our preseason. We are slightly jolted.” Followed by, “The number 1 thing I took out of the game was I was conceding the front spot too often.”
Perhaps? How, in a professional sports team where people are being paid exorbitant amounts of money to ensure that doesn’t happen, does that happen?
If the Crows did in fact drink their own Kool-Aid, surely that’s at least in part a failure on behalf of the coaching staff.
On the face of it, it would seem that the Adelaide coaching staff haven’t prepared these players at all well for the season – and mental unpreparedness is becoming a nasty recurring theme for this club.
First the 2017 grand final itself, then the 2018 pre-season camp, now Jenkins admits they weren’t switched on in 2019 because they thought it was all just going to happen for them.
I see an insidious trend there.
And then there’s the issue of selection. Through long periods of 2018 Don Pyke chose to ignore form and output, favouring a hope that certain players might turn a game.
Those particular players’ form hasn’t improved so far in 2019. I refer to names like Taylor Walker, Jenkins and Eddie Betts. They appear to be The Un-drop-ables. Names so heavily etched into the turf at West Lakes that dropping them is too taboo to even consider, irrespective of their form line.
Against Geelong in Round 3, Walker had one goal and seven disposals. Jenkins had one goal and ten disposals and Betts had 15 disposals but no goals.
I hear many, including commentators like Wayne Carey, say things like, “Yeah but they have an impact.”
Sure, Tex presents an imposing figure. And Jenkins has size. And everyone knows what Eddie Betts is capable if he fires up. But is what they’re offering up that much better than what Darcy Fogarty, Elliott Himmelberg and Tyson Stengle would?
I find it hard to believe that those three couldn’t kick one each and have ten or so touches.
First and foremost, Tex, Eddie and Jenkins are forwards. And between them for 2019 they have kicked 8.8. That’s less than three goals per game from your three highest profile forwards.
Can they turn it around? Of course they can. But how long do you keep young players who are knocking at the door out because of a hope that your senior players will be better?
So whether it’s the mental preparedness of the players or making the tough calls at selection, I think right now Don Pyke and his men have some explaining to do.
Yes, it’s only Round 4, and well might the Crows come out this weekend and belt North Melbourne (who are in a dark place themselves). But as the so-called experts say, winning papers over a lot of cracks.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
"Adelaide's issues run a lot deeper than a botched pre-season camp and a spate of soft tissue injuries i feel…" With Phil we were going somewhere. With Don its like the German Crusades where they followed a duck and never left Bavaria. It's name was Donald. I'll say it again. No mea-culpa over the camp or the hamstrings. A fulsome apology will be the foundation for the Crows to rise again. Sure there's a lot of hard yakka but don't underestimate the feeling of disharmony in the team. And it's from Pyke's dreamscape in the Feldistan Quadrant in the Interlucopa Nebula. That or its his private stash of WA mushies.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
You can have him with his namby pamby BS, psychobabble creole and leadership group structures new-age vegan speak.
Klompy
Guest
Hey pikey why not come back to the Mighty West Coast Eagles the Premiership team . You are still respected and a two time Premiership player. Help out Adam Simpson. Go Eagles.
Grints
Roar Rookie
Ruffle some feathers did I?! I never suggested Adelaide didint deserve to win that flag I was mearly suggesting that had North kicked 11.2 not 2.11 the crows wouldnt have won. And had the same finals been played 2 years later the crows wouldnt have got past the first week. Where am I wrong? I agree it was the mightiest effort to that point to win a flag not matched until the Bulldogs of 2016 – but it highlights that they are kind of lucky to have 2 (i was going for the crows that day too i have to admit). Ive never really minded Adelaide as a team but in my opinion they are massive under acheivers and have been since their formation. As for the travel (here we go again) – if you make the choice to form a team to compete in a competition named the Victorian Football League (as it still was called when WCE, Brisbane and Adelaide all chose to join – it was RE-NAMED after Adelaide had joined but before the start of their first competitive season) that has most of its clubs based in Melbourne, you cant sook about travel. Just as any team cant because they all knew the deal! The people in charge dont, Just the supporters.
Spanner
Roar Rookie
Bit like your boys, Powsie - bring back the tarps - gone again !
Spanner
Roar Rookie
Out of order Grints - in 98 they did get beaten in the first final but recovered to win the flag without a single home final. This will never be repeated ! Just because your coach is a mastermind, that doesnt mean you are unworthy. Having said that, I concur the Eagles are the strongest CLUB in the comp. by a mile, supported by the fact they travel from one side of this vast continent to the other every second week !
EaglesMan
Roar Rookie
I tipped them
EaglesMan
Roar Rookie
Yep they were always overrated. Jenkins is the most overrated forward I have seen Betts is a champ but is 33 and now in the last stages of his career.
Grints
Roar Rookie
I see Adelaide as the SA version of West Coast. With 1 major diffrence. Both are franchises born out of a desire to not lose teams from their state leagues. Both had the capacity to draw on an amazing amount of high end talent in the form of home grown players desire to go back to their home state and play AFL footy for a home grown franchise. Both had access to facilities and money in the early part of the AFL era most other clubs could only dream of. The major difference of course is one of those franchises is incredibly successful in every facet of the game, the other in my opinion are under acheivers. One has won 4 flags - none of which were flukes, the other was lucky to get 1 of the 2 they did (1998 they only got to the GF by a quirk in the system that meant they somehow lost to the 4th placed team in the first week but ended up on the easier side of the draw then watched as a dominant North kicked 2.11 in the second quarter of that years GF) One just doesnt seem to have players running out on them reguardless of where they came from, the other just cant seem to retain players. Adelaides issues run a lot deeper than a botched pre-season camp and a spate of soft tissue injuries i feel...
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Agree with all the other comments here. The Crows attack has been woeful and Pyke needs to become less one dimensional as a coach. Unfortunately the players he has in certain positions i.e. Walker, Betts and Jenkins don't appear capable of playing anywhere when they are beaten. Maybe throw Jenkins on to the ball for longer and put Walker in defence for a while and get him to crash packs and attack the ball head on.
Powa
Roar Rookie
good, people constantly make excuses for the crows underachieving and rate them highly every year
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Nobody in the Adelaide Press has criticised Pyke for dropping Gibbs, in fact some were actually advocating this move before selection. There is a world beyond Melbourne! The reason that some of the key forwards have lacked touches rests somewhat with the poor service they have received from the likes of Gibbs, Atkins and others.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
But he’s still had a lot of the footy. There’s been a few who haven’t been getting hands on the footy at all. Reading all the pundits and experts I’ve yet to see one person say Pyke has made a good decision on this one. But Pedro I’m not an Adelaide supporter and not close to it, so good to see some support for Pyke. Interesting to see if it’s get a desired result.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Obviously didn't watch last week's game Dingo. Gibbs burnt so much football they called the Fire Brigade to the oval. Dropping Gibbs is absolutely the correct decision by the coach and should demonstrate to the group that poor footy will not be tolerated and no matter who you are, you will be dropped if playing badly. I would have dropped Rory Atkins as well (also burning the footy way too much).
DingoGray
Roar Guru
So Pyke pulled his 1st big power play ? However think he looks more silly now as Gibbs I would hardly say was playing badly ???
Graeme Combe
Guest
A dreadful coach ! The 2017 GF loss/massacre produced no learnings and the gameplan remains the same to this day ! Imagine any other coach turning up to a GF with no plan B, C or D ? We have kept Jenkin for so long now that we just accept his ineptitude - has anyone noticed how effective McKernan has been for Essendon ? Oh how we rue the loss of Phil Walsh (RIP)
VivGilchrist
Roar Rookie
1 Pyke is useless. 2 Ben Hart is the forward coach. 3 Burton is toxic. 4 Rucciuto employs his mates. None of this matters as membership will always be high.
VivGilchrist
Roar Rookie
They’re playing Fog as a defender in the 2nds. The coaching is mind boggling.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I think they're hamstrung
anon
Roar Pro
Tex wasn't much good in 2017 when they made the Grand Final. Betts is old, but he lost all form in the space of 6 months after the Grand Final. Apparently he was one of the players most adversely affected by the camp.