THE LAST TIME THEY MET

[Demonland 73,140]

At the G, we were pretty competitive until the last quarter.

MELBOURNE

B: Sam Frost, Tom McDonald, Neville Jetta
HB: Jayden Hunt, Oscar McDonald, Tomas Bugg
C: Aaron vandenBerg, Dom Tyson, Bernie Vince
HF: Christian Petracca, Chris Dawes, Billy Stretch
F: Jack Watts, Jesse Hogan, Dean Kent
FOLL: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney
I/C: Jeff Garlett, James Harmes, Matt Jones, Ben Kennedy
EMG: Jack Grimes, Viv Michie, Jack Trengove

IN: Jeff Garlett, James Harmes, Matt Jones
OUT: Clayton Oliver (omitted), Jack Trengove (omitted), Josh Wagner (knee)

ADELAIDE CROWS 

B: Jake Lever, Daniel Talia, Rory Laird 
HB: Brodie Smith, Kyle Hartigan, Luke Brown 
C: David Mackay, Rory Sloane, Rory Atkins 
HF: Mitch McGovern, Josh Jenkins, Richard Douglas 
F: Eddie Betts, Taylor Walker, Tom Lynch 
FOLL: Sam Jacobs, Scott Thompson, Jarryd Lyons 
I/C: Charlie Cameron,  Kyle Cheney, Brad Crouch, Matt Crouch
EMG: Ricky Henderson, Wayne Milera, Andy Otten   

NO CHANGE

[Deeman 1,512]

They dropped Clarrie!

[buck_nekkid 6,046]

We are missing the Dawes role (maybe not Chris himself), a ruckman, and Vandenberg.

Hogan is too deep and stagnant and we don't go through a CHF to straighten us up.  Maybe Trac at FF and Hogan at CHF could really help our entries.  Tim smith is out, and Weids a bit green yet. 

And Max.  When sooky boy mcevoy snuck forward and marked, he kicked a couple of telling goals.  If I was coaching against us, I would be encouraging this all game.  We really miss a true ruckman, not only at the bounces, but to compete around the ground and be a cut out target.

Clarrie, Lewis and Salem are pretty good ins, though

that crows team looks damned good on paper....

[praha 11,240]

2 minutes ago, buck_nekkid said:

We are missing the Dawes role (maybe not Chris himself), a ruckman, and Vandenberg.

Hogan is too deep and stagnant and we don't go through a CHF to straighten us up.  Maybe Trac at FF and Hogan at CHF could really help our entries.  Tim smith is out, and Weids a bit green yet. 

And Max.  When sooky boy mcevoy snuck forward and marked, he kicked a couple of telling goals.  If I was coaching against us, I would be encouraging this all game.  We really miss a true ruckman, not only at the bounces, but to compete around the ground and be a cut out target.

Clarrie, Lewis and Salem are pretty good ins, though

that crows team looks damned good on paper....

Watts needs to have a blinder. 

[Wrecker45 3,378]

This was the game Jayden Hunt let us know that he could be something special.

[btdemon 482]

4 hours ago, Deeman said:

They dropped Clarrie!

Never again!

[Lucifers Hero 40,360]

Here is an article on how to beat the Crows. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/expert-opinion/kane-cornes/geelong-coach-chris-scott-and-his-twin-kangaroos-coach-brad-have-plotted-successful-afl-game-plans-against-the-adelaide-crows/news-story/88143638e06cbc9b1a5cc236deda23ae 

It makes sense to me.  Key points are:

1. Hold your defenders back - Don’t allow your defenders too push too high up the ground... It’s vital to have a spare defender almost playing like a soccer goalkeeper
2. Tag Rory Sloane
3. Ferocious tackle pressure
4. Get physical

Based on those I don't like our chances without some drastic game plan change because:

1. Our 'or brand' attacking game plan is based on defenders pushing up and we (try to) apply forward and mid field pressure.  We aren't consistent at that yet.  We constantly leak over the back goals.
2. We generally don't tag - a good job for Bernie or Bugg perhaps?
3. Depending on which Melb turns up we will do well on 'ferocious tackle pressure' - If Kent is selected he better bring his best in this regard.
4. We can get physical but not sure any of our defenders do the 'in your face' stuff - maybe Hibberd is an exception.

Pyke knows our weaknesses and will be waiting for us. 

In my industry we have a saying: 'work smarter not harder' as it saves a lot of wasted effort while achieving the same result.  Relevance, you ask?  I don't think we can play 120 minutes of our frantic level, go flat out game.  We need to play smarter!  (Lots of suggestions in the Post Game thread).

If we play smarter we can take it up to the Crows. 

I fear Goodwin and co are so committed to 'our brand' attacking game plan and trying to perfect it that they will stick to it. 

Sometimes the core game plan needs to be 'defence first' rather than our 'attack at all costs'.  Hope our coaches get that decision right this week and the team changes will follow.

[beelzebub 23,383]

It concerns me that we have only one model in our brand. Ford , Land Rover , BMW  etc etc...all are BRANDS,,,,they all have different cars to suit different jobs. They are all instantly recognisable for their Marque. A lot of parts are interchangeable also. If we're going one size, one shape, fits all , we're in for a lot of disappointment.

We need a range of 'games' to suit the day.. All discernably "Melbourne" ...of course.

Speaking of courses, it'll be their course and they know it back to front.

 

[old dee 23,872]

A slaughter is on in Adelaide.

They are coming off a big loss and will rebound in a big way against an bottom dweller.  

[beelzebub 23,383]

1 minute ago, old dee said:

A slaughter is on in Adelaide.

They are coming off a big loss and will rebound in a big way against an bottom dweller.  

I dont actually  LIKE this ...of course....but fear it may be accurate.

[Little Richard 6,265]

8 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

I dont actually  LIKE this ...of course....but fear it may be accurate.

The nature of our season is that we'll really take it up to Adelaide after dropping a game we should have won against the second bottom side.

[hemingway 7,631]

3 names fill me with trepidation. Betts, Sloane and Walker. Can all mark, know how to use the spaces on AO and kick goals. And we have no counter to Jenkins. My worry is that Goodwin is trying to play an Adelaide game style without the talent or finesse of Adelaide. Can only hope The Crows are still off. We will need to get off to a good start and get early goals otherwise it could be over early. 

[old dee 23,872]

1 minute ago, Luther said:

The nature of our season is that we'll really take it up to Adelaide after dropping a game we should have won against the second bottom side.

I am not interested in " taking it up" to teams Luther.

Winning is what counts the rest is just an excuse.

[beelzebub 23,383]

Just now, Luther said:

The nature of our season is that we'll really take it up to Adelaide after dropping a game we should have won against the second bottom side.

There may well be that as an ideal.

I temper it however. It's Adelaide now fronting up at their feral home having to make recompense after an unacceptable aberration.

 

[old dee 23,872]

2 minutes ago, hemingway said:

3 names fill me with trepidation. Betts, Sloane and Walker. Can all mark, know how to use the spaces on AO and kick goals. And we have no counter to Jenkins. My worry is that Goodwin is trying to play an Adelaide game style without the talent or finesse of Adelaide. Can only hope The Crows are still off. We will need to get off to a good start and get early goals otherwise it could be over early. 

Have we actually got to a good start this year? 

We always seem to be playing catch up.

Hope they do Ernest but I cannot see it happening. 

[beelzebub 23,383]

1 minute ago, old dee said:

Have we actually got to a good start this year? 

No

[Little Richard 6,265]

4 minutes ago, old dee said:

I am not interested in " taking it up" to teams Luther.

Winning is what counts the rest is just an excuse.

By taking it up to them I don't just mean that I expect we'll suffer an honourable defeat and be happy with that. I mean that I think we will play well enough to give us a genuine chance of snaring the win, but we obviously have to wait until this weekend to see the result.

[beelzebub 23,383]

Adelaide , like any observer will know we are weak for the first qtr

Overwhelming us early makes for catchup footy. We nearly got the "has-been" hawks ( but should never have been chasing )

There will be no catching the Crows.

Itll be a Hitchcock frenzy !!!

[hemingway 7,631]

17 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

There may well be that as an ideal.

I temper it however. It's Adelaide now fronting up at their feral home having to make recompense after an unacceptable aberration.

 

Feral is right. They are hard to stomach at any time but their expectation of certain victory at AO and born to win attitude is sick making. Like a lot of things Adelaide they identify themselves and the players as family.  Perhaps in some cases they are because it's an incestuous city and state. Apologies to any Dee supporting South Aussies. 

[mattjm 151]

6 hours ago, buck_nekkid said:

We are missing the Dawes role (maybe not Chris himself), a ruckman, and Vandenberg.

Hogan is too deep and stagnant and we don't go through a CHF to straighten us up.  Maybe Trac at FF and Hogan at CHF could really help our entries.  Tim smith is out, and Weids a bit green yet. 

And Max.  When sooky boy mcevoy snuck forward and marked, he kicked a couple of telling goals.  If I was coaching against us, I would be encouraging this all game.  We really miss a true ruckman, not only at the bounces, but to compete around the ground and be a cut out target.

Clarrie, Lewis and Salem are pretty good ins, though

that crows team looks damned good on paper....

well done

[Sir Why You Little 37,125]

Will be a close game if Goodwin is the real deal. 

He simply must get the side up and going early. 

Those calling this "another development year" are way too soft. We have to get up and fight for a finals spot. Hunt the ball. Not handball to anyone, just to get rid of it. 

This is where Goodwin started. He knows this city

Nathan Jones has got to lift early and not cough the ball up. It kills us, always has

[beelzebub 23,383]

23 minutes ago, hemingway said:

Feral is right. They are hard to stomach at any time but their expectation of certain victory at AO and born to win attitude is sick making. Like a lot of things Adelaide they identify themselves and the players as family.  Perhaps in some cases they are because it's an incestuous city and state. Apologies to any Dee supporting South Aussies. 

I like Adelaide as a town ( its just a big  BIG town   )  Bit hot in summer but rest of year very temperate to visit and enjoy its wares. Football however is a whole different  entity there. I thought bringing Port in might have diluted the bile but has only served to embellish their appetite to devour any non pie-floater eating interloper.

Where we have come to accept our losing as invariably part of our makeup there is no such ability or desire there. There relevant Football clubs know this. They eat their own should they falter. It borders on terrifying.

In a way I respect that. They wont ever settle for losing. They wont  be keen to make any exception this Sat.

We have to come out like bolters in the first.  Havent done that yet

Have to play 4 qtrs of Footy.   Havent done that yet

Have to play  on the road ....Havent done that yet  ( let alone win away )

Cant take naps ...Havent done that either.

Big game coming up 

[Diamond_Jim 12,627]

This is what I call a replay game.

Ignore ... check scores on a quarterly basis and then if in front at 3/4 by more than 20 points watch last quarter.

If games go as expected.... ignore ... rinse and repeat

[praha 11,240]

I am actually more confident against Adelaide than I was against Hawthorn, Freo, Essendon or Carlton.

They might be going into the game with "everything to lose" but the bar of expectation is low. They go into Adelaide with little fanfare and have an opportunity to win football's toughest assignment. We can't beat weaker teams on the MCG, so they've failed that test. This is a finals matchup, albeit an early one. Let's see what they've got before completely writing them off.

[beelzebub 23,383]

There won't be "little fanfare " , there will be cold hard hostility. 

Those familiar with "King".... There will be masses of Low People in the shadows. They will be wearing discernible colours marking their allegiance. 

The temp will start dropping immediately they disembark and they'll be watched by a large , very black crow. Randall will flag his legions to amass at the anointed  alter of sacrifice that Sat evening.

The Demons will have to bring Hell  to fight this lot.