Crows 2015
Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 11:01 am
Ok, after seeing the decent discussion in the port thread i thought i would also have a crack at naming a best 22 for the crows
F Podsiadly Jenkins Betts
HF Grigg Walker Lynch
C Douglas Dangerfield B Crouch
HB MacKay Shaw Smith
B Jaensch Talia Cheaney
R Jacobs Thompson Sloane
I Van Berlo Wright M Crouch Cameron
Emg: Kerridge Laird Henderson Martin Lyons Brown, Draftees
Others
Lowden Hartigan Reilly Otten Siggins Atkins Ellis Yolmen Knight
Forward Line
Once again i think our forward line will be a handful for opposition teams. In 2014 we had the third best attack in the league, led by Betts, Jenkins, Walker and Podsiadly, who kicked 151 goals between them. Walker should be better for the run last season, and should push up close to his 2012 season where he kicked 63 goals from 19 games. We also only got 8 games out of Lynch, who should be good for around 30 goals if he doesn't get injured.
Best Case - walker returns to his very best and pushes for the coleman medal. Jenkins and betts both get close to 50 goals each again, and we get a full season out of Podsiadly and lynch. Cameron becomes a regular first 22 player.
Worse Case - Walker and Lynch find ways to get injured again, and we are forced to rely on Jenkins and Pods for the key positions. Betts drops off from last year, cameron goes missing.
Midfield: Our core group of Dangerfield, Sloane, Thomson, Douglas, B Crouch is up there with any going around, and are the attacking drive that gives our forwards a good opportunity. With the exception of Thompson and crouch, disposal is still an issue. What we really need is a quality speedy midfielder with a penetrating kick. maybe brodie smith can push up and play a little more in the midfield? though taking an all australian away from his usual position could be dangerous. Van Berlo needs to come back and be the first choice tagger, something we haven't really had for years and it has hurt us on countless occasions. Although Sanderson didn't really think a tagger was worth it, i highly doubt walsh will be the same, and VB, Kerridge or Wright will become our tagger.
Best Case:
The crouch brothers and grigg rapidly improve and become part of the regular midfield mix, taking the pressure off thompson and douglas, and allowing both of them to play half forward more often. lyons, laird and kerridge push for a spot in the midfield too
Worst Case: Dangerfield announces he is going to leave, Thompson breaks down, and VB fails to effectively tag the best opposition midfielders, and we continually get cut apart like what happened at times last year.
Backline:
Our backline leaked a lot last year, particularly when teams had more than one threat. Talia is as good as any key defender in the comp, and was rewarded with all australian selection, but it is our second and third talls that are really suspect. With otten or henderson playing as the third tall we were continually exposed as teams would push that player to full forward and routinely win the one on ones. Cheney coming into the side should help out with this, but if he is forced to play undersized against bigger opponents i am really worried. The second Key tall is left to Shaw and Hartigan, which i am also really worried about. Shaw has shown some promise but is also very injury prone, and the jury is still out on whether both he and hartigan are good enough for afl football. Our half backs look ok, with Brodie smith pushing up into elite territory, and the only player at the club that can break lines with his run and carry, and penetrating kick. Jaensch took a step forward but too often kicks short, even though he has a great leg. needs to penetrate more.
Best Case: we snag Sam Durdin or Hugh Goddard with our first pick in the draft, and they play regular first team footy, with shaw staying on the park and improving to become a reliable second/third key defender, meaning cheaney doesn't play.
Worst Case
Talia gets injured and as a result we leak goals like a sieve. We miss out on a key defender in the draft, shaw gets injured, and cheaney and hartigan both fail.
Rucks:
Another area where depth is severely lacking. Jacobs is among the best in the AFL, but we have diddly squat after that. Lowden doesn't seem like a bad pickup, but i still don't think he can be relied on to play a lot of games. I think we should be looking to get a project ruckman late in the draft too.
Best Case: Jacobs stays fit as it did in 2014 and finally gets that All Australian selection he has arguably deserved for the past two years.
Worst Case: Jacobs goes down for a significant period of time and we are right royally screwed. Along with talia, he is our most important player and one we just can't afford to lose.
Depth:
Our depth has always been an issue at the crows, and i think there are numerous players that just don't seem up to AFL football. Siggins Atkins Ellis Yolmen and Knight just don't even look like getting a game in 2015, and that is a real problem. Players 23-28 aren't much better. Kerridge Laird Henderson Martin Lyons and Brown all have significant weaknesses in their game, and will have to start becoming regular contributors in their own right if the crows are going to improve. The draft sanctions have really hurt us in this area, as there should be four more draftees in this group pushing for a spot that just aren't there. that is the only reason players like CEY are still on our list and that is hurting us.
Best Case: we draft well with our first two picks, and they both play regular footy in 2015. Kerridge, Laird, Lyons and Brown all take a step forward in their development. Siggins, Atkins, CEY and Knight push for AFL selection.
Worst Case: significant injuries to our best midfielders leave massive holes that our depth just can't replace. the bottom 5 on our list don't develop and all get delisted next year in a rebuild.
Overall:
I think the crows will develop a harder edge under our new coach, particularly defensively in the midfield, and i think this will mean we should win a few more of those games we just should have won this year.
Best Case: Jacobs, Talia and Walker all stay on the park. The forward line becomes the most dangerous in the competition, Sam Shaw and Sam Durdin step up in defence, and Grigg, M Crouch and Kerridge become a permanent part of the midfield rotation. Dangerfield signs on and has a career best year and pushes for the brownlow. We push for a top four spot but finish 5th, and win a final.
Worst Case: Tex does his knee, Talia gets injured, and Dangerfield leaves. Pressure increases on the crows from the media, and we fail in plenty of games we should have won, just like in 2014. We run out of steam in the back half of the season and finish 12th.
Most Likely: It may be because i am a crows supporter, and generally an optimistic person in general, but i think the crows really were better than what they showed in 2014. Maybe similar to North Melbourne in 2013 - just lacked that extra 5 percent that won them the close games. I think we should improve under Phil Walsh, and make the finals, but realistically top 4 is not on the horizon. I think a pass mark will be to make the finals, 7-8 seems likely, and if we win a final that should be regarded as a good season.
F Podsiadly Jenkins Betts
HF Grigg Walker Lynch
C Douglas Dangerfield B Crouch
HB MacKay Shaw Smith
B Jaensch Talia Cheaney
R Jacobs Thompson Sloane
I Van Berlo Wright M Crouch Cameron
Emg: Kerridge Laird Henderson Martin Lyons Brown, Draftees
Others
Lowden Hartigan Reilly Otten Siggins Atkins Ellis Yolmen Knight
Forward Line
Once again i think our forward line will be a handful for opposition teams. In 2014 we had the third best attack in the league, led by Betts, Jenkins, Walker and Podsiadly, who kicked 151 goals between them. Walker should be better for the run last season, and should push up close to his 2012 season where he kicked 63 goals from 19 games. We also only got 8 games out of Lynch, who should be good for around 30 goals if he doesn't get injured.
Best Case - walker returns to his very best and pushes for the coleman medal. Jenkins and betts both get close to 50 goals each again, and we get a full season out of Podsiadly and lynch. Cameron becomes a regular first 22 player.
Worse Case - Walker and Lynch find ways to get injured again, and we are forced to rely on Jenkins and Pods for the key positions. Betts drops off from last year, cameron goes missing.
Midfield: Our core group of Dangerfield, Sloane, Thomson, Douglas, B Crouch is up there with any going around, and are the attacking drive that gives our forwards a good opportunity. With the exception of Thompson and crouch, disposal is still an issue. What we really need is a quality speedy midfielder with a penetrating kick. maybe brodie smith can push up and play a little more in the midfield? though taking an all australian away from his usual position could be dangerous. Van Berlo needs to come back and be the first choice tagger, something we haven't really had for years and it has hurt us on countless occasions. Although Sanderson didn't really think a tagger was worth it, i highly doubt walsh will be the same, and VB, Kerridge or Wright will become our tagger.
Best Case:
The crouch brothers and grigg rapidly improve and become part of the regular midfield mix, taking the pressure off thompson and douglas, and allowing both of them to play half forward more often. lyons, laird and kerridge push for a spot in the midfield too
Worst Case: Dangerfield announces he is going to leave, Thompson breaks down, and VB fails to effectively tag the best opposition midfielders, and we continually get cut apart like what happened at times last year.
Backline:
Our backline leaked a lot last year, particularly when teams had more than one threat. Talia is as good as any key defender in the comp, and was rewarded with all australian selection, but it is our second and third talls that are really suspect. With otten or henderson playing as the third tall we were continually exposed as teams would push that player to full forward and routinely win the one on ones. Cheney coming into the side should help out with this, but if he is forced to play undersized against bigger opponents i am really worried. The second Key tall is left to Shaw and Hartigan, which i am also really worried about. Shaw has shown some promise but is also very injury prone, and the jury is still out on whether both he and hartigan are good enough for afl football. Our half backs look ok, with Brodie smith pushing up into elite territory, and the only player at the club that can break lines with his run and carry, and penetrating kick. Jaensch took a step forward but too often kicks short, even though he has a great leg. needs to penetrate more.
Best Case: we snag Sam Durdin or Hugh Goddard with our first pick in the draft, and they play regular first team footy, with shaw staying on the park and improving to become a reliable second/third key defender, meaning cheaney doesn't play.
Worst Case
Talia gets injured and as a result we leak goals like a sieve. We miss out on a key defender in the draft, shaw gets injured, and cheaney and hartigan both fail.
Rucks:
Another area where depth is severely lacking. Jacobs is among the best in the AFL, but we have diddly squat after that. Lowden doesn't seem like a bad pickup, but i still don't think he can be relied on to play a lot of games. I think we should be looking to get a project ruckman late in the draft too.
Best Case: Jacobs stays fit as it did in 2014 and finally gets that All Australian selection he has arguably deserved for the past two years.
Worst Case: Jacobs goes down for a significant period of time and we are right royally screwed. Along with talia, he is our most important player and one we just can't afford to lose.
Depth:
Our depth has always been an issue at the crows, and i think there are numerous players that just don't seem up to AFL football. Siggins Atkins Ellis Yolmen and Knight just don't even look like getting a game in 2015, and that is a real problem. Players 23-28 aren't much better. Kerridge Laird Henderson Martin Lyons and Brown all have significant weaknesses in their game, and will have to start becoming regular contributors in their own right if the crows are going to improve. The draft sanctions have really hurt us in this area, as there should be four more draftees in this group pushing for a spot that just aren't there. that is the only reason players like CEY are still on our list and that is hurting us.
Best Case: we draft well with our first two picks, and they both play regular footy in 2015. Kerridge, Laird, Lyons and Brown all take a step forward in their development. Siggins, Atkins, CEY and Knight push for AFL selection.
Worst Case: significant injuries to our best midfielders leave massive holes that our depth just can't replace. the bottom 5 on our list don't develop and all get delisted next year in a rebuild.
Overall:
I think the crows will develop a harder edge under our new coach, particularly defensively in the midfield, and i think this will mean we should win a few more of those games we just should have won this year.
Best Case: Jacobs, Talia and Walker all stay on the park. The forward line becomes the most dangerous in the competition, Sam Shaw and Sam Durdin step up in defence, and Grigg, M Crouch and Kerridge become a permanent part of the midfield rotation. Dangerfield signs on and has a career best year and pushes for the brownlow. We push for a top four spot but finish 5th, and win a final.
Worst Case: Tex does his knee, Talia gets injured, and Dangerfield leaves. Pressure increases on the crows from the media, and we fail in plenty of games we should have won, just like in 2014. We run out of steam in the back half of the season and finish 12th.
Most Likely: It may be because i am a crows supporter, and generally an optimistic person in general, but i think the crows really were better than what they showed in 2014. Maybe similar to North Melbourne in 2013 - just lacked that extra 5 percent that won them the close games. I think we should improve under Phil Walsh, and make the finals, but realistically top 4 is not on the horizon. I think a pass mark will be to make the finals, 7-8 seems likely, and if we win a final that should be regarded as a good season.