Ask The Coach – Adelaide

(Written & Created By Natopotato88)

 

Video: Ask The Coach – Adelaide

Now we have Don Pyke under the microscope and how he will try and take his Crows back to their 2017 skills. Hopefully there is some useful information on the Crouch’s and Smith, as many Coaches already have them in their team.

The Don will be hoping for a better run with injuries in 2018……

 

“How is Shane McAdam looking for Rd 1?”

The first question is a great start, with McAdam being a 124k FWD rookie. Pyke begins to praise him as a high talented player from the SANFL and then comments on how he is adapting to the AFL work load. Pyke suggests that McAdam will get a gig in the JLT matches and they will track how he progresses for Rd 1.

McAdam has shown some real good signs of talent, going all the way back to 2015 when he was overlooked in the WA State Combine. McAdam equalled Nic Nat’s vertical jump record, finished 1st in the 20m sprint and 2nd in the agility test. He is also 23 years old, so he is a mature aged rookie and that usually means real promising signs in SuperCoach. Hopefully McAdam can show his value in the JLT series and get himself onto the Rd 1 selection table.

Shane McAdam could surprise for a Rd1 debut……..

 

“Any chance of a dual ruck combo featuring Reilly O’Brien?”

Wasn’t expecting to see this and Pyke doesn’t seem to have the love for that idea. He includes Jenkins into the mix of those 2 and he then states that they may be too tall, but they will wait and see.

He then comments on O’Brien and how he has had a good preseason, coming out pretty fit and keen to throw his hand up for a game. Pyke then finishes with “hopefully he can get a few chances.” This is a big comment as it seems to show that O’Brien is the backup ruck for Jacobs out of the 3 rookies listed, however his price tag of 137k may be an extra 20k wasted, as all he should be doing is sitting on the pine all season.

O’Brien has played 2 games before at AFL level back in 2016 for scores of 78 and 48 and since these were over 2 and half years ago, his experience should have grown a significant amount as he is now 23. Other info over the pre-season saw O’Brien coming in 3rd for the 2km time trial for December, which is really impressive for a big man and then backing it up finishing 5th in the early Jan time trial. O’Brien is looking to really be pushing for Jacobs spot, so keep an eye on him as he may break into the 22 this year.

 

“Can we expect to see McHenry and Jones play some AFL this season?”

Pyke starts off by generalizing that all the rookies have been progressing well and then Pyke hones in on these 2 and says they have been impressive in their training. He finishes it off by suggesting they are in the mix and are likely to play a few games this season. This is good for us as coaches, as we are hearing more names that are likely to get a game this season.

The issue with these 2 is the price, as Jones comes in as a 171k MID and McHenry as a 140k MID/FWD. With the prices on these 2 higher than most other rookies, they are expected to do more to get the same cash generation, otherwise they could be slow burners and that is something we don’t want. In that same time trial O’Brien finished 5th in, McHenry came first with Jones finishing 3rd. So, it shows they have the fitness and speed however on an article from the Crows website, it is stated that both will probably start in the SANFL and Jones is tracking more likely to start first.

 

Will the young fella Crouch ever play a full season?

 

“How is Brad Crouch going?”

I thought this was an irrelevant question and it wasn’t worth putting in, but I thought I should, as it would please the 8% of coaches that have him.

Brad has been tracking really well even though he had a slight setback with his foot, but he only missed 2 or 3 sessions with it, so no massive dramas. Pyke has his fingers crossed for Crouch and hope he can change his luck and get a season of footy in.

Crouch’s stats show he finished out the 2017 season with an average of 96.2 with 6 tonnes and 2 over 135. However, he only got 17 games in and had 4 games in the 70’s and a 54. In 2016 he played 14 games with 4 tonnes but had 3 scores below 55.

You can keep going back every season and see how he is yet to play a full season and throws in multiple poor scores, assuming some of them are from injuries. The longest streak of games Crouch has managed to string together is 13 and of the times Crouch has played he always seems to miss the start of the season. Every season he has played a game he played every single game from Rds 15-23, only missing a Rd 19 once.

This may just be coincidental that he manages to play the end of seasons and struggles at the start. Since he is ‘looking on track for Rd 1’, are you willing to back Crouch and his body, hoping it holds together for a full season? Or do you believe there are better players that have less risk on making you use your valuable trades?

**Nato on Twitter: @natopotato88**

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