The first part of the 18-part series comprises the ten players that the Adelaide Crows could least afford to lose in season 2020.
The Adelaide Crows have a team that has a fairly good midfield and a reasonable defence, but they’re rather poor when it comes to the forward line.
10. Tom Doedee
Doedee has plenty of potential to hold down a key defensive position as he reads the game well. He also possesses leadership qualities, made clear by his recent addition to the Crows leadership group. He’s a good character who will add a lot to the group.
9. Matt Crouch
For Matt Crouch to be ninth on the list of players the Crows can least afford to lose proves how strong the midfield is. Crouch finished fourth in the club’s 2019 best and fairest and is a part of the Crows leadership group.
Matt Crouch (AAP Image/David Mariuz)
8. Brodie Smith
Smith finished fifth in the 2019 Crows best and fairest count and has been added to the Adelaide leadership group for 2020. Smith has the ability to play on a halfback flank or on a wing.
7. Brad Crouch
Crouch won the 2019 Adelaide Crows best and fairest. He’s capable of winning plenty of the ball and making a difference. Other teams need to be wary of him and tag because he goes about his job with little fuss.
6. Rory Laird
Laird finished third in the Adelaide Crows 2019 best and fairest. He is an underrated defender who can create plenty of attacking flair out of the Crows backline. Laird showed his quality in Round 1 of season 2020 when he was named in the Crows best players in the match report.
5. Tom Lynch
Lynch is an important part of the Adelaide structure, which he demonstrated in Round 1 of season 2020, when where he worked hard and kicked two goals. It’s difficult to imagine what an Adelaide team would look like without Lynch in it.
4. Wayne Milera
Milera has the ability to provide plenty of run off a halfback flank and was rewarded with a five-year contract extension, which indicates he has the capability to be an integral part of the Crows team.
3. Rory Sloane
Sloane is a quality player who finished second in the 2019 Crows best and fairest. He is the sole captain of the team for 2020. The captaincy will help him improve as a player as he is a natural leader.
2. Daniel Talia
Being the only player from the Adelaide Crows who was a part of the 2019 All Australian squad proves how pivotal Talia is to the Crows. He is arguably the best fullback in the competition.
1. Reilly O’Brien
O’Brien is the No. 1 ruckman for Adelaide for at least 2020 due to the Crows letting Sam Jacobs leave the club, as he was the No. 1 ruckman for a long period of time. Billy Frampton was merely recruited as a backup ruckman from Port Adelaide.
HR
Roar Rookie
Probably. He would have played in McAsey’s place, and while I’m sure McAsey has potential, he was a debutant in that game, had five disposals, and didn’t really stand out, while Doedee is a Rising Star-nominated player in the same position, has a couple of years experience now, and could have marshalled the defence from centre half back. I think he would have been able to cut off a bit of the delivery into Sydney’s forward 50, and should have made at least a goal worth of difference, which would have seen Adelaide win what was a pretty tight game.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Strongly considered putting Doedee higher on the list. Do you think the Crows would have won had Doedee played Round 1 of AFL Season 2020?
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
I respectfully disagree with your opinion on Tex.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Thanks for your input.
Jorge of Brisvegas
Roar Rookie
I think choosing Milera at 4 is high though visionary, he could be anything. I would put him currently behind Matt Crouch. DoeDee should be number 7. I would swap Brad and Matt.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I’ve been a supporter of the Crows since 1991. Before that l was Dees supporter only because they were Norwood’s colours. —– I’m not going to sweep under the carpet the Crow’s failings. Recognising the problem(s) is the first thing in the remedues (edit: it was a typo but it fitz, so l left it) required.
Fairsuckofthesav
Roar Rookie
What a load of rubbish. Clearly you're a Crows Hater. Let's take apart these opinions one by one: Tex is still a very good player. Fogarty is one of the best kicks in the AFL which he showed when he kicked a number of goals against West Coast in Perth. Lynch is still there. They do miss Charlie Cameron. 'Manufactured club culture'? A culture is determined by the people at the Club. The Crows have had some great people in their 30 year history. They demonstrated their capacity for change when they made a number of changes last year to coaches and players. The training mishap has been blown out of proportion due to a lack of anything happening in the AFl. Hardly part of any so-called pattern. We haven't seen enough of the Crows on-field to make any judgement on Nicks. However the players have revealed his team first get to know you approach. And he was an integral part of the Swans culture - that's with a capital C in case you missed it. As for your last claim sounds you like you're still haven't got over the Crow coming into the AFL before Port and remember just like the 'Power' the Crows were formed from the best of the SANFL>
HR
Roar Rookie
That's a fair call - he was the only Crow to make the All-Australian squad last season from memory too.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Hmm....and this one time at mind camp...
AD
Guest
That's certainly true of O'Brien, but Talia is as good a key defender as any in the competition. I suspect he's one of those players who would get talked about a lot more if he was playing in Melbourne.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Swallows and Summers!
Timbo's rules
Guest
Deficiencies in attack. P%#@ off. Game 1 this year they played handsomely in quarter 1 and kicked plenty of goals from many players. In quarter 2 & 3 they got smashed in the midfield and should have been down by 10 goals except they were playing Sydney who actually have problems in the forward line, and Adelaide's defence is premiership level. Then quarter 4 Sloane gets on his boat and gives a functioning forward line a chance. Tex almost stole an undeserving win with a last gasp kick from the boundary and 55m out that missed by not much.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Glaring up front deficiencies. As good as Tex has been l think he's gone. Too slow, he can't make space and appears to be a bit timid. ---- The main issue can be sheeted back to poor recruiting and player retention issues that appears to come from the manufactured club culture. ----- The recent handling of the driving misdemeanors by a player are indicative of palatable narratives covering over truths that need to be told. ----- Nicks is Pyke-lite. ---- The club was founded on the "anyone but Port" fear.
HR
Roar Rookie
I think the only reason that O'Brien and Talia are ranked higher here is because there's nobody to replace them in the team, while their inside midfield is pretty strong (probably the only part of the team that's strong really).
HR
Roar Rookie
I'd put him at 8 - Smith is great at what he does, but he's not irreplaceable in the same way that Doedee is (Seedsman can just about occupy the same role, although not with quite the same level of ability). So my rating is partly on ability, partly on utility (the capacity to fill a role that nobody else is now able to play, with the departure of Lever and Keath over the last couple of seasons), and partly on potential - at 23 he looks like a good long-term prospect. The elevation to the leadership group is a good sign, and I do think that he looks like he could be a future captain - maybe after Matt Crouch (or Rory Laird, though he's outside the leadership group at the moment).
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
I think Sloane is almost certainly the best player for the Crows, but couldn’t pick him higher than 3rd on the list. He was strongly considered to be higher on the list though.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Strongly considered rating Doedee higher; if not for Talia who is the best key defender at Adelaide. Where would you have rated Doedee on the list? Also, I heard Doedee have a press conference as he was added to the leadership group in the preseason and he was extremely well spoken; do you think he is a future Captain?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I would rate Sloane #1. Because he bleeds for the team AND has been exemplary in his respresentation of the club and the game. I can think of no more inspiring clubman going round. Of course I'm biased but it's a good case nonetheless.
HR
Roar Rookie
I think I would rate Doedee even higher than that - he has effectively replaced Lever (and his replacement, Keath) as the team's intercepting defender, and that seems to be more of a lynchpin role than ever before, and there's nobody else in the team that can really step into the role.