The Look Ahead will be the staple pre-season content piece, setting a tone for all 18 teams. The plan is to use them as a scene setter for team trends and individuals. In other words, don’t expect predictions, expect topics to be introduced – from both a list build and on-field perspective.
Arguably the most entertaining side to watch in 2023, big things are expected of Adelaide in 2024 as they look to take a step forward.
Player contracts
Right from the outset of Adelaide’s rebuild they’ve been clear on who to hand out deals to, avoiding the usual approach rebuilding sides take with plenty of unknowns, and significant parts of the list playing for their career late in every season.
As the Crows move to their next phase – having nailed nearly every decision so far – that approach allows for a relatively stress-free year when it comes to contracts. Most of those playing for a deal this year are veterans, whose deals take care of themselves either way, or fringe and/or depth players – again most of which will sort itself out as 2024 goes.
List demographics
The smart moves over the 2020-2022 off-seasons in particular now manifest in a well-balanced list age-wise, ready to take several steps forward.
Not only have the likes of Hinge, Thilthorpe, Pedlar, Murray (2020), Dawson, Rachele, Soligo (2021), and Rankine + Michalanney (2022) all become best 22 players, nearly all of them are best 15 players (again, in my opinion only at least).
It’s a string of decisions to set a team’s core up for years to come.
Create your own Adelaide Depth Chart
Changes in personnel
In:
From other teams: Chris Burgess
National Draft: Daniel Curtin, Charlie Edwards, Oscar Ryan
Cat B Rookie: Karl Gallagher
Out: Tyler Brown, Tom Doedee, Jackson Hately, Shane McAdam, Fischer McAsey, Andrew McPherson, Tariek Newchurch, Paul Seedsman
What is Adelaide’s next step forward?
Every season under Matthew Nicks, Adelaide have added an extra piece. Their patience has been admirable, even if at times some people (that’s me!) wondered if they would ever make the moves that appeared to be staring them right in the face.
2023 was the big offensive step forward, turning into a potent side able to blow opponents away in bursts – and importantly, willing to take shots from varied areas in order to stretch defensive setups.
Naturally the defence slipped slightly as a result of the offensive focus. Is 2024 all about marrying those focuses up to similar levels?
Or given the sheer quantity of players ready to take a step forward, is 2024 more about giving them the space to make the most of natural growth?
It’s much easier for a team to go from seven wins to 11 than from 11 to 14. It’s the latter that Adelaide are trying to achieve this year.
What is their best defensive unit?
With Murray out for (at least) the first half of the season, several others experiencing interrupted pre-seasons, along with those pushing hard for a best 22 spot, it’s the area of Adelaide’s side most open to interpretation.
That state of flux – along with whatever Adelaide look to improve on as mentioned in the previous point – looms as the swing point, especially early on in the season.
The forwards will be damaging, the midfield’s growth – as long as Nicks doesn’t revert to pre-2023 selection habits – is clear, but the defenders need to hit the ground running.
A first six weeks of Gold Coast (A), Geelong (H), Fremantle (A), Melbourne (H), Carlton (A), and Essendon (H) needs a bare minimum of three wins. Much of that will depend on whether the defensive unit can hold up under pressure.
What is success for Adelaide in 2024?
This one’s simple for me: Finals.
Barring a crippling injury run, or maybe continually running into the set of umpires who adjudicated on the goal review v Sydney, there don’t appear to be too many excuses.