The Adelaide Crows have spent the off-season reflecting on a humiliating Grand
Final defeat at the hands of Richmond, but redemption could be on the cards in 2018.
Bookmakers have released odds for the upcoming season and the Crows have been
installed as outright favourites to win this yearโs Grand Final. They are neck-and- neck
with Greater Western Sydney to be named minor premiers, which they achieved in
2017, and narrow favourites ahead of GSW to seize the ultimate glory. They have
now tied coach Don Pyke down to an extended contract running until 2021, and can
plan for a full-on assault this coming season.
โAs a football team we've laid some really good foundations, but we continue to put
in the hard work and strive to get better,โ said Pyke.
โJust like the playing group and everyone else at the Crows, Iโm driven and determined to achieve sustained success for this club.โ
Pyke has performed admirably since taking over as head coach following the tragic death of Phil Walsh, taking the Crows to two finals campaigns.
They topped the premiership ladder in 2017 and soared through to the Grand Final,
where they were made $1.73 favourites to beat Richmond. But optimism fast turned
to despair as they suffered a shock 48-point defeat.
Pyke says they have since engaged in plenty of soul searching and learned the lessons
from their disappointing performance, during which they fell well short of the high
standards they reached throughout the regular season.
โWe are looking forward now and understand there were some things we learned out of that game and out of that week,โ he said.
โWe want to create another opportunity to get back there and hopefully are better prepared and can perform better. The contract extension is a chance to build on some of the work weโve done in the first two years and see how far we can go.โ
The Crows have since lost 21-year-old star Jake Lever in bitter circumstances, amid
rumours of a falling out with captain Taylor Walker and other teammates. It is a blow
for the Crows to lose such a highly rated player with vast potential, but they have
shrugged off his departure. Riley Knight, Jake Kelly, Alex Keath, Tom Doedee, Rory
Atkins and Jordan Gallucci are among the players to re-sign with the club, and they
can move forwards with continuity and consistency.
Before placing a bet, check out intertops when wagering on the game, where the Crows look like an interesting option at $5.50 to make up for the disappointment of 2017 by going one better this time around.
But they face stern competition from the likes of Greater Western Sydney and
Richmond.
The Giants missed the likes of Adam Kennedy, Lachie Whitfield, Toby Greene, Jeremy Cameron, Stephen Coniglio and Jacob Hopper last season and fell just short in the preliminary final once again, but returning players could inspire them to a maiden Grand Final in 2018.
Josh Kelly should be good for another strong campaign, they have an efficient midfield and are blessed with some exciting young talent, while Rory Lobb and Tim Taranto should kick on this season. However, their preparation for the season has been thrown into disarray by serious injury to running defender Zac Williams.
They have already lost Nathan Wilson to Fremantle, so their game style may be affected. It is also disappointing for fans to see the injury woes continue, and more crocked stars would spell disaster.
Richmond will be desperate to defend their crown, but they are out at third favourites
with the bookmakers, who think their success could prove a flash in the pan.
Competition will be fierce in 2018, but right now it seems as though the Crows have
the hunger, desire and continuity to establish themselves as the team to beat once
again.
