I don’t care what anyone says, “that” camp has eaten away at the fabric of this once proud club. Sure, some senior players have had to deal with the murder of Phil Walsh, but to go from 2017 grand finalists to 2020 basket case….
Can’t get enough footy? Check out more of our Pinch Hitters Mid Season Report Cards here.
What’s gone right
I’m not sure simply putting N/A or the shit emoji is going to pass editorial here, so I’ll try and flesh this out a bit; but it’s no easy task. I will say that Brodie Smith is an under-rated player in the system, young players in Hamill and the recycled Keays look to be travelling ok, Tom Doedee looks good and Reilly O’Brien is toiling admirably in the ruck, but that’s it. Seriously – they are a rabble.
I think their new clash guernsey looks ok.
They were “in” the game against top four side St.Kilda for a time before the Saints shut the door, but it was a flickering positive – snuffed out by wayward kicking and a lack of killer instinct.
What’s gone wrong
They. Are. Terrible.
They are ranked 18th in Kicks Per Game, 18th in Disposals Per Game, 17th in Marks Per Game, 18th in Points Per Game, 16th in Inside 50s Per Game, 18th in Goal Assists Per Game, 17th in Clearances Per Game…on and on it goes
Rory Laird is nowhere near the player he was 2-3 years ago, David McKay still gets games (seriously?), Fogarty (pre shoulder) hasn’t shown “it”, Bryce Gibbs is in in football purgatory and Tex just doesn’t impact games and hasn’t done so for quite some time.
For all these faults, all these losses you’d expect them to be fielding a very young and inexperienced side, but that is not the case – they rank mid-table for age and games played. They are the football equivalent of woop-woop.
Standout player
Brodie Smith
One player that can hold his head high throughout this shemozzle is Smith. He tries. He does turn the ball over a bit, but he at least has the ambition and the confidence to push and try to break defensive lines, which shows up when you see that he is ranked 7th in the league for metres gained.
He has also garnered 12 coaches votes in a bleak season so far for the crows.
Tom Doedee is the other notable performer, locking down in defensive 50 and proving to be a reliable intercept player.
Run home
| Round 10 | Melbourne | Adelaide Oval |
| Round 11 | Collingwood | Adelaide Oval |
| Round 12 | Western Bulldogs | Metricon Stadium |
| ? | Carlton | ? |
| ? | Geelong | ? |
| ? | GWS | ? |
| ? | Hawthorn | ? |
| ? | Richmond | ? |
With games to come against Collingwood and four current top eight sides, the Crows appear doomed to their first wooden spoon. As to the question of where there first win comes from, it literally doesn’t get any easier for them than their Round Ten encounter with the Demons at home. If they lose this, they are officially the closest any team has been to finishing the year without a win than any team since Fitzroy last did it in 1964.
Final Grade
F
It is almost impossible to perform worse than Adelaide has in 2020 to date.
Can’t get enough footy? Check out more of our Pinch Hitters Mid Season Report Cards here.