With West Coast looking at implementing a more running/play-on style of game in 2023, Adelaide provided a great test for them.
They also provided a great example of what the Eagles want to be, educating West Coast in fast, controlled ball movement and combining it with a defensive intensity that restricted most opportunities to go quick from their opponents.
The Crows were incredibly impressive, with their midfield working hard, as always, and their forward line clicking on all cylinders. Dominating the first stanza of play, Adelaide had 16 inside 50 deliveries to just one from the Eagles. It set the tone of the remainder of the game, with Adelaide looking extremely polished in running out close to ten-goal winners.
And for the Eagles, the amount of work left to do as we approach 2023 was brought to light.
Let’s jump into the ins and outs of the West Coast v Adelaide practice game.
TWO SIDES OF THE COIN
We heard Will Schofield on commentary talk quite a bit about how West Coast would like to add more speed on their ball movement from half-back, but in this one, it was the Crows demonstrating exactly how this should look, consistently bottling the Eagles up and forcing them into a slow style of play, whilst structuring up perfectly to capitalise on the slightest imperfection in West Coast’s imperfection.
And when they cashed in on those mistakes, they cashed in big-time.
The Crows punished the Eagles on turnover, with their defensive set continually impeding the style West Coast were attempting to employ. What resulted was the inevitable rush back inside 50, which was wide open for Adelaide players to stream into once West Coast made a slip-up.
Players like Jordan Dawson, Mitch Hinge (who has been surprisingly good in defence both this week and last), Rory Sloane, and Brodie Smith joined with the diligent Crows mids to shut down the corridor and for the Eagles out wide. And then they picked them off like snipers.
The Crows showed signs in 2022, particularly early in the season, before falling away, but with the team they have built and the structure they employed in this game, they could be looking at finals sooner rather than later.
THE TACKLING PRESSURE
This goes hand-in-hand with the category above, but when the Crows tackled someone in this game, they stay tackled.
Defensive pressure is great, but if you allow tackles to slip, or apply them incorrectly, it can be as much a negative as a positive to a team.
Tacking is a huge positive to the Crows – they tackle with ferocity and reap the rewards. Blokes like Rory Laird, Ben Keays, Sam Berry, and even Darcy Fogarty laid big tackles in this game, stopping the West Coast players in their tracks. It was impressive, and with a focus not just on holding them up, but dispossessing and winning the footy (you’d be surprised how often you see players content just to stand and hold a bloke, waiting for a stoppage to be called), it gives the team a chance to turn defence into attack.
In preseasons, there are times when you can see teams click, and that is what we saw from Adelaide in this one. A team of players working collectively to execute a whole team strategy. I loved it, and Crows fans should be thrilled with what they see.
FOG CONTINUES TO ROLL
Geez, he looked impressive in this one.
I have to confess – this time two years ago, I was wavering on the Fog. He was at the point in his career where I needed to see more from him, but he was only doing things in fits and starts.
Now, however, he is looking like the dominant forward on the park, just in time to start the real handover with Tex Walker. Fog was powerful in the contest, outpointing seasoned defenders like Jeremy McGovern and Tom Barrass in the air as he dragged in three contested grabs amongst his seven marks for the game, and added 4.2 for the outing.
In addition to his work inside 50, a Fogarty with an improved tank worked up to the wings and hit the packs hard. Of all the players in the league right now, he is the one bloke I would hate to stand in front of as he led at the footy. Tom Barrass copped a big knee to the back when he did it as Fogarty sounded a warning, loud and clear – get in his way and you’ll pay the price.
With Tex bobbing up late to snag two goals and pad his stats, Fogarty was the star when the heat was on, kicking three of his four goals in the opening term as the Crows established their dominance. I’m looking forward to a huge season from him as he accepts the torch from Walker.
THE KID CAN PLAY
Whilst the Eagles had a few talking points, the work of Reuben Ginbey was likely the highlight for them. Thrust into the middle of the ground, the number nine overall pick was fantastic in the contest and looked like a greyhound on the outside. In a way, he reminded me of Port Adelaide’s Xavier Duursma when he was able to get some space, only with a stronger body and the capacity to mix it up in the contest.
I have an ongoing chatter with fellow mongrel, Daniel Jon Kershaw about the kids at West Coast. He is very bullish on the prospects of several kids and the form of Ginbey – and not just his form, but his ability to take the heat when it was his turn to go – was impressive. I know it is the preseason, and I know he has work to do, but based on the small sample size, he was an obvious standout.
He finished with 17 touches, but had 13 of them in the first half, when he was arguably in the top three Eagles on the park. You’d think he would be a walk-up start for Round On after this perfromance.
PEDLAR TO THE METAL
I like when you see something in a young bloke that makes him stand out… a good head of hair, a bi of swagger in his step – you know what I mean.
But most of all, I love seeing a young player find his place in a footy team due to the way he approaches his footy. With only five games to his name, I see plenty in the way Luke Pedlar plays the game. You may look at his numbers question where this is coming from – ten touches, a goal, and just one tackle don’t speak volumes about a guy dominating to the point he gets his own section, but there was a period toward the end of the second half where the young man threw himself into the contest, won the footy, and then delivered inboard with a perfect kick through traffic.
It may not be as impressive as the work we saw from Rory Laird all day, or that of Ben Keays, who hit the scoreboard heavily and played the mid/forward role close to perfectly, but what I look for in a young player are moments. Sometimes big, sometimes small, but when you combine them, they add up to something big.
Pedlar’s commitment to the contest will hold him in good stead as the season wears on. I will have a close eye on him, as I reckon he may be one of the several Crows to have breakout seasons.
THE INTERCEPTORS
Jeremy McGovern started this game like a bullet, clunking three intercept grabs in the first term alone. He finished with 12 intercepts, overall, as he played the entire game and looked in great touch. He was beaten a couple of times, but you put that down to Gov attempting to cover the deficiencies of some teammates and giving his direct opponent too much space to begin with.
Up the other end, it was Jordan Dawson early on, taking a few intercept grabs amongst his three intercepts for the quarter. Before being shifted to the wing in the second half, Dawson looked every bit the leader in defensive 50, putting himself in the hole in front of Josh Rotham, who cannoned into him.
Great courage.
THE MCADAM EFFECT
What a luxury to have this bloke as probably your fifth forward.
I say that because I have Fog, Tex, Rankine, and Rachele ahead of him in the pecking order, but what McAdam offers is something that none of the others do – he is a dual threat.
Much has been made of his aerial presence, but he has a set of wheels, and his two-on-one win in the final quarter to eventually set up a Ben Keays goal, was the type of individual brilliance you love to see.
As the others draw plenty of attention in 2023, I expect McAdam to get off the chain here and there to remind the league that he is a quality player. And if the attention diverts to him, then the others can have their fun.
This Crows forward unit, health permitting, is going to be a handful.
QUICKIES
He had another couple of instances where Reilly O’Brien had a clear opportunity to take a grab in this game, but bobbled the ball and lost it. These are the moments that prevent him from becoming an A-Grade ruck. One of these instances cost the Crows a goal, with Jack Petruccelle earning a free kick from the ensuing ground level contest after ROB fumbled.
I wrote above about the Eagles kids and the ongoing disagreement I have with our team’s DJK. Though Ginbey was great, there were not too many youngster out there through the first three quarters, were there? To me, that says they will be hard-pressed cracking the lineup for Round One.
Oscar Allen had moments, including a lovely mark on the lead with pressure from behind, but was unable to do too much damage on the scoreboard, finishing with 1.3 for the day. The shots were there, though, and that is encouraging.
Josh Rotham as a forward – initially, I thought he was there to run around with Jordan Dawson and make his life a bit tough.
Both Luke Shuey and Elliot Yeo getting through would see many breathing a sigh of relief. I got the feeling Shuey was in third gear in this game, and checking out after three quarters was very wise.
Jayden Hunt started relatively well at half-back and could make a nice little duo with Liam Duggan. Six of his 16 touches came in the first quarter, with just five coming through the last two quarters. You’d like to see a big uptick in his numbers later in games – his run and carry will be vital.
And that might just do me – I’ve done to Rry Laird what the AFL does and ignored him for most of this article. 32 touches and two goals to go with his ten tackles – that is what I expect of him, these days. He is an undoubted star.
Massive thanks for supporting The Mongrel. Bring on Round One.
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