The Adelaide Crows had seven wins in season 2021, where they finished 15th, ahead of the Gold Coast Suns on percentage.
They were either extremely competitive or uncompetitive for the most part, when they lost in 2021. There were five games that they lost by two goals or less, while their remaining ten losses, they lost by at least 28 points.
The Crows should be looking to make the top eight in season 2022. They would like to replicate their start to the season that they had in 2021, as they won three of their first four games. Along with that, they were the first team to defeat the Melbourne, when they beat them in Round 10, by one point!
The return of two players, coming back from injury should benefit the Adelaide Crows in season 2022, with Wayne Milera to return to the team on a half back flank, along with Matt Crouch, who was also injured in 2021, who will add to the midfield depth of the Crows in season 2022.
The Crows recruited Jordan Dawson from the Sydney Swans in the trade period, who should play on the wing and will add a lot to the team.
Dawson finished third in the best and fairest for the Sydney Swans in 2021. He showed that he has the capability to play in the back six or on the wing and was pivotal in the Sydney Swans finishing sixth. In season 2022 he will probably play on the wing and take the pressure off Paul Seedsman, who will playing on the other wing for the Crows and was chosen in the All Australian squad of 40 in 2021.
In season 2021 he had an average of 463.13 metres gained, which was the second most of any Sydney Swans player. He featured in all 23 games that the Swans played in season 2021, so durability is a strength that he will bring to the Crows in season 2022.
Ben Keays finished second in the best and fairest for the Crows in season 2021. The fact that Keays averaged the third highest metres gained of any Crows player with an average of 423.23 metres gained is impressive as he is an inside midfielder.
He never had less than 20 disposals in any game last season, which shows that he is on the right track as far as his consistency is concerned.
Keays works hard without the ball, as he averaged the most tackles per game of any Crows player in 2021, with an average of 6.05 tackles per game. He also had an impact when the Crows had possession of the ball, with an average of 5.68 score involvements per game.
He showed that he is durable in season 2021 as he featured in all 22 games, which should hold their finals hopes in good stead.
Ben Keays (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Reilly O’Brien must feature in the All Australian squad in 2022 if the Crows are to play finals. He has so much potential, averaging 29.40 hitouts per game in 20 games last year. He only had less than 20 hitouts on one occasion: when the Crows lost by five goals to the West Coast Eagles in Round 9, where he only had 15 hitouts.
O’Brien averaged the 15th most score involvements of any Crow in 2021, with an average of 3.70 score involvements per game, which he needs to improve on in season 2022.
There’s no doubt that O’Brien needs to work harder defensively as he averaged 2.75 tackles per game, in season 2021, which isn’t enough, compared to Brodie Grundy of Collingwood who averaged 4.20 tackles per game. Taking all that into account there’s plenty of room for improvement for O’Brien in season 2022.
Tom Doedee is a pivotal player in the Adelaide Crows team. In the one game that he didn’t feature in, Round 18 of season 2021, the Adelaide Crows lost to the West Coast Eagles by seven goals, which is a clear indication that his a pivotal part of their back six.
Doedee averaged the seventh most intercepts of any player in the competition in season 2021 with an average of 8.29 intercepts per game. He is a key defender that leads by example.
His average disposal efficiency was an impressive, with an average of 80.21 per cent disposal efficiency per game. He has to live up to his potential in season 2022, which he was starting to do in season 2021, as he finished equal fourth in the Adelaide Crows best and fairest in 2021, so expect him to gain confidence from that.
Chris M
Guest
I haven't seen enough of Adelaide to offer much of an opinion. However, Jordan Dawson's role will become more important if Paul Seedsman is sidelined for any length of time with concussion issues. Aliir Aliir seemed to have no problems adapting to Port's game plan after transferring from Sydney. Can Dawson adapt as quickly to the way the Crows intend to play and can he excel as much in a team that arguably at this stage has a lower quality list than Sydney's? If Riley Thilthorpe is continually playing well enough to earn selection, he may be helped if Taylor Walker still draws the first choice opposition key defender. I wouldn't consider Thilthorpe himself amongst the top 4 to make or break Adelaide at his fledgling footballing age for a key position player. People may be divided on whether 'Tex' should have been kept on the Crows' list or not. He's on it. If a club decides to keep him on its list and the Texan displays anything like his 2021 footballing form, the selectors have to play him ahead of Darcy Fogarty or Elliott Himmelberg.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Adelaide Crows are the dark horse for the 8
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Aim high, if we fail at least we aimed high. Aiming lower is like selling your car for $15k asking price. One thing for sure is you'll never get $20k
Prez
Roar Rookie
Crows aren't rushing this rebuild. So I don't expect them to make the 8 this year. Forward line is still an issue and lacking a couple of quality mids to compete with the top sides. Another year of 7-8 wins is the aim, gives them another strong draft hand . Then will maybe some free agent signings they will be in a good position by 2023/4
AD
Guest
I don't think top 8 is really a realistic goal for the Crows this year. They have the youngest and least experienced list in the competition following the retirement / departure of a the likes of Lynch, Talia, Mackay and Kelly on top of the clean out that has been going on over the previous couple of years. Climbing out of the bottom 4 would be a good result for 2022. Making the top 8 is probably 2023 at best, and should definitely be an expectation by 2024.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
I largely agree with your summary of the Crows season last year. I am less bullish on them than you are particularly as Taylor Walker was pretty important to their fortunes. The other big beneficiary of the Dawson trade is Brodie Smith he won’t be tagged out of the game as easily as he has been and he can play his more natural role of attacking half back. I still think the Crows need a couple pieces before they can reliably challenge for the eight but they’re running out of excuses