Adelaide Crows midfielder Patrick Dangerfield in his first hit-out for the year. Picture: Simon Cross. Source: Sunday Mail (SA)
ADELAIDE is timing itself for the premiership season . . . but its new gameplan has no timing at all. Not yet.
The Crows yesterday - with the significant aid of six extra players to rotate in 35C heat at AAMI Stadium - picked up valuable lessons while grinding away an impressive Fremantle by five points in a trial game.
Most relevant to coach Brenton Sanderson is how his players still have to think their way out of contests with more speed and much more focus.
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In his search for a team to stand up to the elite, Sanderson wants the Crows to progress from a side that kicks its way out of trouble to one that knows how to create damaging space with handball. Adelaide is getting into trouble with one handpass too many.
Of the change from the first-half Crows who fell to a game-high 35-point deficit at half-time to the ones who wore down the Dockers, midfielder Bernie Vince summed it up: "We got it on the boot a little bit more after we were over-possessing in that first half. We were a lot more direct."
Less is best for Adelaide. In the first quarter, it had a game-high 95 disposals with a 51-44 kick-to-handball breakdown. By the last, it was a match-low 81 touches with a 50-31 ratio favouring the kick.
"With everyone so fit today that they can get back really quickly, the quicker we move it, the quicker we get it into our forwards," Vince said.
The scoreboard does not lie. When Adelaide overworked the ball - naturally to appease its master from the summer tutoring from a new playbook - it scored only four goals from 19 inside-50 entries.
The efficiency and effectiveness of the Crows' kicking game in the second half equated to nine goals with 25 inside-50 entries.
There were two Adelaide teams yesterday, not only in style but personnel.
In the first half, Sanderson ran key forward Taylor Walker for the first time (and he was scoreless from limited supply), midfielders Rory Sloane and captain Nathan van Berlo, defender Daniel Talia, gamebreaker Matthew Wright and impressive new boy Rory Atkins. In the second half, Sanderson removed these six - as Adelaide times the preparation of its players for the real season - to introduce goalsneak Ian Callinan, midfielders Vince and Patrick Dangerfield, Ricky Henderson, Tom Lynch and Kyle Hartigan.
The joy of the change was the duel between Dangerfield and Fremantle's gun midfielder Nathan Fyfe. Both took to the contest with heavy body work as if it was September rather than February.
Dangerfield clearly has become a role model to fellow midfielder Brad Crouch, who yesterday highlighted his fearless intent to put his head over the ball.
There are still a heap of questions left.
Adelaide still can't impose itself on a game by tackling. It lost this telling count 34-48 yesterday.
Also, how is Adelaide going to work a ruck tandem with Sam Jacobs, who has not been seen this pre-season?
Tall Josh Jenkins yesterday fired back at his critics who argue he should stay at the goalfront.
Adelaide has two NAB Cup games - Geelong at Geelong on Saturday and Carlton on Friday week at AAMI.
If Sanderson is to get his timing right, he will need to bring out his real first 22 to ensure the Crows start the premiership season against Essendon at home on March 22 with confidence.
"This week probably will be the week we start to get a Round 1-type side," Vince said.
"That means some guys who have been playing well will miss out but that's what healthy competition brings."
ADELAIDE 1.3 4.4 9.10 13.11 (89)
FREMANTLE 6.2 10.3 11.4 13.6 (84)
Goals: Adelaide - B Martin 3; L Johnston, J Jenkins, T McIntyre 2; R Henderson, T Lynch, I Callinan, S McKernan.
Fremantle - H Crozier, T Mzungu 2; M Walters, N Suban, D Mundy, Z Clarke, L Spurr, T Sheridan, L Neale, N Fyfe, C Pearce.
Best: Adelaide - M Jaensch, R Tambling, B Crouch, B Martin, S McKernan, C Ellis-Yolmen.
Fremantle - M Barlow, J Crichton, T Mzungu, D Mundy, Z Clarke, H Crozier, N Fyfe.
Umpires: L Hanssen, S Hay, C Bowen, C DeBoy.
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