{"id":73452,"date":"2025-04-16T12:11:36","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T02:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/?p=73452"},"modified":"2026-07-03T10:29:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T00:29:58","slug":"you-crom-not-be-serious","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/2025\/04\/you-crom-not-be-serious\/","title":{"rendered":"You Crom Not Be Serious"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Crows have played in the two most exhilarating games of the season over the last two weeks<\/p>\n<p>A fortnight ago they lost a heartbreaker to Gold Coast.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Last Two Minutes: Gold Coast Suns v Adelaide Crows | Round 4, 2025 | AFL\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cERwQlVC1m4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Last week they lost to the Cats in a firefight where each side defended like Arturo Gatti \u2013 they ate two to land one.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Still my favorite Arturo Gatti fight: On March 23, 1997 in New York, Gatti knocked out Wilson Rodriguez in the sixth round, retaining a junior lightweight title and  announcing to the world: &quot;Buckle up, motherfuckers. It&#39;s gonna be a wild ride.&quot; And it was. <br \/>VC: Haymaker <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8ll7cLkAuy\">pic.twitter.com\/8ll7cLkAuy<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; William Dettloff (@WilliamDettloff) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WilliamDettloff\/status\/1904185040138891436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 24, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s been their season. The Crows lead footy in scoring but have given up the fifth most points in the season.<\/p>\n<p>There have been five games this season where each side has scored more than 90 points. Adelaide played in three of them.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Essendon v Adelaide Highlights | Round 2, 2025 | AFL\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-9NJxIdJIPw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Adelaide plays bangers. They\u2019re not serious.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Share the Moment: John McEnroe coins &quot;You cannot be serious&quot;\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/t0hK1wyrrAU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Not yet.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s start with what\u2019s working.<\/p>\n<p>Adelaide\u2019s forward setup is the envy of the league.<\/p>\n<p>The main event is their three key forwards: Thilthorpe, Fogarty and Walker all rated among the six best key forwards in football this year.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">FOUR IN A QUARTER FOR THE FOG!<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLCrowsCats?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLCrowsCats<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Hgjjt6B0gj\">pic.twitter.com\/Hgjjt6B0gj<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; 7AFL (@7AFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/7AFL\/status\/1910284083248214302?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>They all get around the ground and, when they\u2019re inside 50, are generally excellent at staying out of each other\u2019s way and stretching defences.<\/p>\n<p>You add in their hard running high-half-forwards Keays and Neal-Bullen who create chaos both ways, the craft of Isaac Cumming, and the emerging Draper and Curtin and you have a forward line comprised of equal parts brain and brawn.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">SID DRAPER CROWD POP!<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLCrowsCats?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLCrowsCats<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/bd3Ee7lRQO\">https:\/\/t.co\/bd3Ee7lRQO<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/YhbvzFCJLC\">pic.twitter.com\/YhbvzFCJLC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; 7AFL (@7AFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/7AFL\/status\/1910295973022019832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Their midfield is also good. Soligo and Crouch provide cleanness inside while Peatling brings balance and a willingness to do anything.<\/p>\n<p>Then they have game breakers in Rankine and Dawson.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A ridiculous finish from a star Crow \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n<p>Izak Rankine is the round two <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NAB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@NAB<\/a> Goal of the Year nominee. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZYzKSXm0OP\">pic.twitter.com\/ZYzKSXm0OP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; AFL (@AFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AFL\/status\/1905099961550721269?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 27, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Even their defence \u2013 when not defending \u2013 is good.<\/p>\n<p>Hinge, his howlers against Geelong notwithstanding, is a generally brilliant ball user.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">MITCH HINGE | 2025 Rd 3 vs NORTH<\/p>\n<p>20 disposals, 512 metres gained<\/p>\n<p>Another excellent performance from the underrated Hinge. Love his kamikaze commitment towards body and ball, second efforts and raking left foot. <\/p>\n<p>Underappreciated.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/weflyasone?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#weflyasone<\/a><br \/>\ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf4\ud83d\udeaa\ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf4 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Rnfnk7P8x3\">pic.twitter.com\/Rnfnk7P8x3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Vardy Magic (@VardyMagic) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/VardyMagic\/status\/1907400208172118025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 2, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>So are Milera and Laird.<\/p>\n<p>That group is responsible for Adelaide\u2019s identity &#8211; hitting the release kick that is the engine of Adelaide\u2019s ball movement game.<\/p>\n<p>They just lack actual defenders.<\/p>\n<p>Had Adelaide added Tom Barrass last offseason, this would be the best team in the AFL.<\/p>\n<p>Granted, if my grandmother had wheels, she\u2019d be a bike &#8211; but the point stands.<\/p>\n<p>The game against Geelong underscored it.<\/p>\n<p>Josh Worrell \u2013 a decent player &#8211; was getting out-everythinged by Patty Dangerfield who barely seemed to acknowledge he had an opponent.<\/p>\n<p>Even when it became clear that Dangerfield was going to win the game on his own, Adelaide stuck with Worrell because they had no levers to pull.<\/p>\n<p>It was the same story with Keene on Jeremy Cameron.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Jeremy Cameron to his right leg: IT&#39;S ALIVE! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLCrowsCats?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLCrowsCats<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oRbrpaB5yR\">pic.twitter.com\/oRbrpaB5yR<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; outbreezy (@outbreezyWC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/outbreezyWC\/status\/1910301237159104965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no shame in getting beaten by legends, but this group also allowed Jed Walter\u2019s best game.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">should Walter have been called to play on? <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLSunsCrows?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLSunsCrows<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/txbOWBui2s\">pic.twitter.com\/txbOWBui2s<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; outbreezy (@outbreezyWC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/outbreezyWC\/status\/1908377460686918133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 5, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The lack of defenders compounds the larger issue \u2013 they can\u2019t defend chaos.<\/p>\n<p>Adelaide set up the ground well and leads the league in scores from turnover.<\/p>\n<p>The issue is where they generate turnover.<\/p>\n<p>They have a bit of the 2024 Saints about them. Their turnover numbers are good, but they want to get them on the wing so they can kick start their ball movement.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, they don\u2019t start defending until the ball is further up the ground.<\/p>\n<p>The numbers bear it out. Adelaide has the third most total turnovers, but generate just 30% of their turnovers in mid-fwd or inside 50 and are 16th for inside 50 tackles.<\/p>\n<p>Unsurprisingly, they also lead the league in back half scoring.<\/p>\n<p>However, they\u2019re playing with fire. Given Adelaide\u2019s lack of defenders, the desire to get the ball on defensive wing and counter leaves them vulnerable because territory sides will take metres chaotically and go inside 50 to expose Adelaide\u2019s defenders,<\/p>\n<p>After half time, Geelong pivoted to kicking the ball wide and long out of defence after half-time to make it a chaos game, betting they would get to more ground balls.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">DEMPSEY \u2708\ufe0f<\/p>\n<p>He takes the hanger, kicks the goal, and the Cats hit  the lead \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udcfaWatch <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLCrowsCats?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLCrowsCats<\/a> on ch.504 or on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@kayosports<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4aQ9KanzYo\">https:\/\/t.co\/4aQ9KanzYo<\/a><br \/>\u270d\ufe0f BLOG <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/W0PEecYTZM\">https:\/\/t.co\/W0PEecYTZM<\/a><br \/>\ud83d\udd22 MATCH CENTRE <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/V53LprMV3E\">https:\/\/t.co\/V53LprMV3E<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/voQxn5aiD8\">pic.twitter.com\/voQxn5aiD8<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FOXFOOTY\/status\/1910294577417773259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Scott was right and Geelong advanced the ball haphazardly inside 50 and kept the ball in their half once it got there.<\/p>\n<p>Adelaide struggles in chaos because of their height. They give up the third most ground balls per game, and the sixth most forward 50 ground balls.<\/p>\n<p>While the talls give more than they take, they need more speed around the ground. I would call Richmond for Maurice Rioli.<\/p>\n<p>The other issue for Adelaide, which compounds their chaos problem, is that they\u2019ve struggled when their kick-mark game breaks down.<\/p>\n<p>As I mentioned, when Geelong cranked the pressure on Adelaide coming out of defence, the Crows\u2019 kicking game couldn\u2019t stand the heat. The same was true against Gold Coast.<\/p>\n<p>Again, both sides made hay from repeat dirty entries and the ball hitting the deck.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Danger has FOUR \ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n<p>The Cats pressure has been ELITE<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udcfaWatch <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLCrowsCats?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLCrowsCats<\/a> on ch.504 or on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@kayosports<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4aQ9KanzYo\">https:\/\/t.co\/4aQ9KanzYo<\/a><br \/>\u270d\ufe0f BLOG <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/W0PEecYTZM\">https:\/\/t.co\/W0PEecYTZM<\/a><br \/>\ud83d\udd22 MATCH CENTRE <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/V53LprMV3E\">https:\/\/t.co\/V53LprMV3E<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/L9KlhpEGhr\">pic.twitter.com\/L9KlhpEGhr<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FOXFOOTY\/status\/1910303893558288711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Against two of footy\u2019s best pressure sides over the last two weeks, the Crows gave up 36 forward half scores. For the season, they give up the fifth most forward half points.<\/p>\n<p>This has been a negative piece but I\u2019m high on the Crows going forward.<\/p>\n<p>They have problems, but they won\u2019t be terminal in years to come.<\/p>\n<p>This is their Coen Brothers Big Lebowski season.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Big Lebowski - That Rug I Had, Really Tied The Room Together\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hy6NSMIBNfg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>They have a distinct voice and style that will only become stronger as they grow into it.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, for now, they\u2019re fun but compared to what\u2019s coming they\u2019re unsubstantial.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Anton Chigurh Kills Farmer Remove the Chickens - No Country for Old Men (2007) - Movie Clip HD Scene\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l5XE389BX9o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>One key defender and some speed would tie the room together.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><b><i>Like what you read from our hard-hitting columnist?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><b><i>Follow\u00a0<\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/guywholikesspo1\"><b><i>@Guywholikessport<\/i><\/b><\/a><b><i>\u00a0on Twitter or check out his\u00a0<\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/guywholikessport.wixsite.com\/guywholikessport\"><b><i>FULL BLOG HERE\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Crows have played in the two most exhilarating games of the season over the last two weeks A fortnight ago they lost a heartbreaker to Gold Coast. Last week they lost to the Cats in a firefight where each side defended like Arturo Gatti \u2013 they ate two to land one. Still my favorite Arturo Gatti fight: On March 23, 1997 in New York, Gatti knocked out Wilson Rodriguez in the sixth round, retaining a junior lightweight title and announcing to the world: &quot;Buckle up, motherfuckers. It&#39;s gonna be a wild ride.&quot; And it was. VC: Haymaker pic.twitter.com\/8ll7cLkAuy&mdash; William&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":73456,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8298,344],"tags":[10061,424,29,9778,1329,8260,10062,3094],"hub_post_cat":[],"class_list":["post-73452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australian-rules","category-guywholikessport","category-sports","tag-adealide","tag-adelaide-crows","tag-afl","tag-afl-2025","tag-australian-rules","tag-guywholikessport","tag-john-mcenroe","tag-opinion"],"acf":{"md_tip_date":null,"md_tip_date_end":null,"md_market_url":"","tip_date":"16\/04\/2025","event_country":"Australia"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73452"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73452\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":87784,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73452\/revisions\/87784"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73456"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73452"},{"taxonomy":"hub_post_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hub_post_cat?post=73452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}