Preview Changes: R8 vs Port Adelaide, 2024 - Curtin Call?

[CryptoCrow]

Just for shits and giggles, let’s start this now.

Surely it will be:

Out:
Cook, Nankervis, Borlase

In:
Murphy, Smith, Butts


Schoenberg will really be pushing for selection too.

McHenry to be elevated to a leadership group position with the long term injury to Milera, and then signed up until 2028 in a major coup for the club, with Ned turning his back on offers from several bush league C grade sides in need of someone to play a non-statistical role.

Dowling really needs to put together a solid 16 weeks of sanfl form before being considered.

Curtin might see some game time after the bye if club legends Borlase, Butts, Himmelberg and Hamill all get injured simultaneously. Wouldn’t want to actually play him because that leads to mental illness. We’ve learnt you see.

Fellow 2023 first rounders Edwards and Ryan to continue plying their respective trades in the SANFL. The club has no idea what those trades actually are, but hopefully the kids develop because all you can do is cross your fingers really.

Sholl to play every game for the rest of the season because every side needs a 65kg, treacle slow, can’t kick 50m, can’t tackle, can’t break tackles, no evasive ability, head dropping, soft as butter wingman. It’s a key to success.

Keep elite first round talent Chayce Jones in at all costs. One day he might get one coaches vote. Probably not though.

Keep Himmelberg in, hopefully forever. Who needs Petty or Curtin when you have a proven swingman of this stature?

You try telling Lachie Murphy he’s playing in the twos. Silky skills, consistency, leadership. We found him in the souvenir shop you know. Who needs drafts.

Oh and how could I forget the imminent return of fearless leader Brodie Smith. He’s just played such amazing footy in the last 6 years that the club was left with no option but to elevate him to the leadership group, and boy oh boy hasn’t he responded. Opponents wilt in fear whenever he approaches. Proven big game player. Stands up in all the big moments.


But fear not everyone, a bottom 4 finish will secure us a prized top 4 draft pick, which Hamish won’t completely fk up at all. Study the family, not the quality of play or mental fortitude.

And I’m sure the 10 year deals we’re flinging around will really appeal to high quality players who have designs on being part of a successful club, coached by a proven coach, and playing alongside a great playing list, led by amazing leaders.

 

[SellarStardom]

It's clear Nick's hasa "team" that has a certain structure to it.

Forward 3 talls a resting mid and 2 smalls. So we move players around according to the mix. On the weekend we had the 3 talls, Cook played the resting mid role and McHenry plus Rankine/Rachelle

Defense is the same, 3 talls plus Hamill/Smith, Michalanney and Hinge.

So when we look to Curtin, Nicks says no as we can't change the formula. Reality of course is that you could drop McHenry, shift Hinge onto a wing or centre and still be fine but thats not "the formula".

Bring in Dowling and shift Laird out of centre is fine but he won't do it.

Best selection this week would be

McHenry out - Dowling in (moving Nankervis to HF).
Curtin in - Hamill out

 

[SLOWNE]

I'd love to see:

OUT:
Pedlar
McHenry
Hamill
Sholl

IN:
Curtin
Dowling
Ryan
Sholl (Sub)

Ryan is an outstanding prospect to take at least Hamills spot, but long term Milera. I could quite easily see him on a wing in the future too.

Curtin just has to come in. A true utility, just find a spot for him and tell him to hunt the ball.

Dowling I see more as a Keays than a true mid, great goal sense and unlike Benny he is a great shot on goal. An actual FWD/mid with scoreboard impact instead of the usual AFC trying to shoehorn undersized mids in as forward flankers.

Sholl is fine as sub (whilst the weather is good), as he is a delist at end of year though, I'd rather not play him at all.

Taylor should be in the picture with another few good performances.

What we will see:

OUT:
Pedlar
Hamill

IN:
Murphy
Smith

 

[Chances Are]

If Curtin is not picked and those two termites are I'll throw my hands up in despair. Murphy was bog ordinary last week in spite of Wright talking him up. McHeadless should just sit on the bench in the sanfl.

 

[Bearded Clam]

Someone else posted recently that the AFC just contract that article out to someone for cheap that probably doesn’t even watch the game; they’re told what to type, basically.

The two sentences from Wright about Curtin are what I posted above. Of course he’s in the frame for selection, as much as we are doom and gloom on here, they aren’t ignoring someone that was nearly BOG.

Based on that article it would seem:
Butts for Borlase
Murphy for Pedlar
Curtin for Hamill
Ned or Sholl sub

“they aren’t ignoring someone that was nearly BOG”….

The Billy Dowling of R1 against South says “hi”…

 

[NSolis]

“they aren’t ignoring someone that was nearly BOG”….

The Billy Dowling of R1 against South says “hi”…

I think for the club there's a difference between a first round pick who plays in an area of the ground we have significant injury list and a third round pick who plays midfield. But yes obviously possible they ignore a single strong SANFL performance.

Whether he gets the debut this week or not I expect he will have leapfrogged Dowling and be pretty close. Schoenberg coming back doesn't help Dowling's case much either if he didn't get a debut earlier.

 

[kirky]

Yes, that’s my thought also. I didn’t want to suggest it, I know losing to Port is not a good thing ordinarily, but the silver lining is it keeps the heat on the coach. Particularly if he chooses to stick with this game plan and insane selections.

I would think Port should be able to cover a handful of injuries, I mean they have such a brilliant list after all (according to their supporters

Rozee is a loss, but they still have the other two. They won without SPP to start the season. And they have their ‘great’ new defenders who will cover Allir.

If you bring in Curtin (at least) and play the same positive attacking football you did against them last year, that would be great!

No disrespect but the Power started the season against your lot and Richmond. They lost to Melbourne (in a game they dominated), beat Essendon at home in Gather Round, beat Fremantle barely at home and got whipped by Collingwood.

They aren’t the world beaters and loss of Allir, SPP and more than likely Rozee will impact but those are their only injuries to their best 22 (all the other injuries are no-names).

 

[FR0GGY]

Can’t see too many changes with nicks comments of “there’s 23 players with a focus on next week already”

 

[Crowstar]

Scholl is not getting dropped after his flat track bully performance.
Watch him disappear this week when he faces an actual opponent.

I'm sure it'll be Murphy for Pedlar only. Typical uninspiring, arrogant selection process by the morons in charge.

 

[davos44]

Imagine Nicks putting in Curtin and Ryan for Hamill and McHenry?

His little bald head would explode not seeing Murphy out there getting 10 touches and 1 tackle.

 

[Pugsley]

Someone else posted recently that the AFC just contract that article out to someone for cheap that probably doesn’t even watch the game; they’re told what to type, basically.

The two sentences from Wright about Curtin are what I posted above. Of course he’s in the frame for selection, as much as we are doom and gloom on here, they aren’t ignoring someone that was nearly BOG.

Based on that article it would seem:
Butts for Borlase
Murphy for Pedlar
Curtin for Hamill
Ned or Sholl sub

You can't read into much with these so called writers as you said.

 

[rabidcrow]

No disrespect but the Power started the season against your lot and Richmond. They lost to Melbourne (in a game they dominated), beat Essendon at home in Gather Round, beat Fremantle barely at home and got whipped by Collingwood.

They aren’t the world beaters and loss of Allir, SPP and more than likely Rozee will impact but those are their only injuries to their best 22 (all the other injuries are no-names).

And we have our own issues. 3 of top 11 draftees out (and arguably our best ones from the 2015-2020 mess) in Thilthorpe, Milera and Pedlar. Also Keane who would qualify as our best KPD. Every team is exposed to the injury curse to a degree


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Pugsley]

And we have our own issues. 3 of top 11 draftees out (and arguably our best ones from the 2015-2020 mess) in Thilthorpe, Milera and Pedlar. Also Keane who would qualify as our best KPD. Every team is exposed to the injury curse to a degree


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Our terrible player development and drafting hasn't helped either.

 

[taurus]

Hello Crows!

I called the victory against Carlton despite disbelief from some. I'm on your bandwagon this Thursday again.

Adelaide is playing fast paced footy again. The whole stricture looks so much better than early season. Soligo, Rankine/Rachele, Crouch and Laird have lifted significantly. Ofc, Dawson showed some phenomenal form as well. The loss against the Essendon was breakdown in skills execution rather than bad game play due to pressure. Essendon Edge is real this seadon.

I don't expect Nicksy to bring a debutant or young players in the Showdown, it just feels so not Nicksy. I mean it can create a buzz and shift focus away from building expectation and pressure but Nicksy will do Nicksy. He remains my favourite player though

Go the Crows!

 

[BunjiMC]

If Sloane's retirement doesn't get the boys up and about, nothing will.

 

[CrowBloke]

Scholl is not getting dropped after his flat track bully performance.
Watch him disappear this week when he faces an actual opponent.

Yep.
Port players will maul him.

I'm sure it'll be Murphy for Pedlar only. Typical uninspiring, arrogant selection process by the morons in charge.

NOT Murphy. From all reports he was ordinary in the SANFL.
If Murphy is selected ahead of Curtin there has to be something corrupt about the Selection process, or they're idiots.
Maybe both.

 

[Slime Roy]

I don't think it's been mentioned but there was a Matty Wright quote from his interview on 'The Sunday Roast' yesterday,
where he spoke quite glowingly of "Shocky" Murphy's Lazarus like SANFL return saying "it was 50/50 whether he was right to slot straight back into the AFL side or have a tune up in the two's"
Sounds like he did more than enough for an immediate recall... so he's free to do less than nothing for the foreseeable future.

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

I don't think it's been mentioned but there was a Matty Wright quote from his interview on 'The Sunday Roast' yesterday,
where he spoke quite glowingly of "Shocky" Murphy's Lazarus like SANFL return saying "it was 50/50 whether he was right to slot straight back into the AFL side or have a tune up in the two's"
Sounds like he did more than enough for an immediate recall... so he's free to do less than nothing for the foreseeable future.

heck me. Murphy’s touches were almost all garbage turnovers. How does a bloke who wouldn’t get a game for any other side end up a walk up starter at the crows.

 

[George Kramer]

* me. Murphy’s touches were almost all garbage turnovers. How does a bloke who wouldn’t get a game for any other side end up a walk up starter at the crows.

Some call it selection integrity

 

[BACCS]

* me. Murphy’s touches were almost all garbage turnovers. How does a bloke who wouldn’t get a game for any other side end up a walk up starter at the crows.

I have no idea how these type of forward pressure players get regular games at AFL level. Owies and Durdin are equally as average at Carlton and seem to get regular games, McEntee and Mead at Port... I'm sure there is more I'm missing. At best you get 1-2 decent games from them a season and the rest are either average or s**t.

 

[BACCS]

Rowey pushing hard for Curtin to come in on 5AA this morning, definitely going to be media pressure on the club to hand him a debut this week. I'm still confident it happens.

 

[Billy_01]

most confident I’ve been about a game this season. Ken and Port are our little bitches

 

[Crowstar]

Yep.
Port players will maul him.

NOT Murphy. From all reports he was ordinary in the SANFL.
If Murphy is selected ahead of Curtin there has to be something corrupt about the Selection process, or they're idiots.
Maybe both.

I watched alot of the sanfl and Murphy was junk. The same tripe he delivers at afl level.
Unfortunately, he's a favourite of Nicks which is why whatever crap he delivers will be overlooked.

 

[bigman]

People did call for selection integrity last week and Berg and Pedlar were added to the mix as well as Crouch from suspension. These were all sound moves.

Crouch made a huge difference to our look around the ball. The extraction was back.

Berg gave us a contested tall option up front and even though he made his usual mind melts he offered for the first time this year a contested marking option in the forward line and an outlet for a long kick. He also is a different type of player to Tex and Fog who are both lead up forwards and with Burgess playing, 3 of the same type of player. He can also ruck much better than any of his forward counterparts.

Pedlar i didn't think was ready to return because of fitness concerns but he was not poor against the Bays, so got his chance.

It was good to see Butts in the ressies as Borlase did not deserve to get dropped.

As much as i would like a debutant this week it was really Curtin's first game where he has looked as though he is ready for AFL footy. Playing him at half back was a move that should have been made before the SANFL first game to give the boy some confidence but that was unfortunately not to be the case. Edwards has been quiet for the last few weeks and Ryans form and readiness for AFL has been up an down all year - last week possibly his best game. Billy has been most ready but he is not the finished article and his kicking particularly short would soon raise the ire of Big Footy posters. I would have played him a few weeks ago when we needed a change but once again that did not occur.

I am concerned this week that Murphy and Smith will be summoned. Hammil may make way for Smith given it is a like for like but the former did not cry out to be picked this week. However smith's form has not been to standard for most of the year. Murphy may also come in for Pedlar in another like for like move, but his form was not great in the SANFL last week. Lets hope selection integrity is not thrown out the door this week and bot cool their heels outside the 22. One could be sub.

 

[1970crow]

Some call it selection integrity

AKA ’selection authenticity’.