One Pick From A Premiership: Adelaide Crows
The Crows of the late 90s showed you sometimes didn't need a dominating full forward to win. But apart from 1997 and 1998 they have not been successful with this idea. They can thank Jarman for kicking the winning score in both Grand Finals, with some help from Shane Ellen in 1997 and Nigel Smart in 1998. But from 1999 until last season the Crows have had a big hole up forward, and if they drafted differently it might have been filled.
The Crows reloaded well in the 1998 draft with Burton and Stenglein, they stocked up on ruckmen in 1999 as they traded picks for Matthew Clarke and also drafted Rhett Biglands. The 2000 draft is where the Crows missed. Angwin at pick 7 was anguish for the Crows.
The Crows needed a big target, a proven full forward who could kick bags of goals. In most national drafts that player is not available, but in the 2000 draft there was one. Big Sav, Saverio Rocca.
The Crows could have gotten 6 years from Rocca along with 300 or more goals. With Ricciuto, McLeod, Goodwin, Edwards and other Crows midfielders sending the ball to Rocca it would have been a great combination.
While using pick 7 in 2000 to draft a "recycled" Rocca might have seemed at the time a high price to pay, it would have been a lower cost than the Clarke trade with Brisbane the year before. The Crows sent picks 6 and 21 to the Lions for Clarke.
Welsh, Perrie, McGregor, Hentschel, Burton, Ricciuto, Watts and many more have been tried at full forward in recent years by the Crows. Rocca could have been the difference for the Crows in their recent finals campaigns as their one problem area was always the forward line.
Tomorrow: Brisbane Lions
The Crows reloaded well in the 1998 draft with Burton and Stenglein, they stocked up on ruckmen in 1999 as they traded picks for Matthew Clarke and also drafted Rhett Biglands. The 2000 draft is where the Crows missed. Angwin at pick 7 was anguish for the Crows.
The Crows needed a big target, a proven full forward who could kick bags of goals. In most national drafts that player is not available, but in the 2000 draft there was one. Big Sav, Saverio Rocca.
The Crows could have gotten 6 years from Rocca along with 300 or more goals. With Ricciuto, McLeod, Goodwin, Edwards and other Crows midfielders sending the ball to Rocca it would have been a great combination.
While using pick 7 in 2000 to draft a "recycled" Rocca might have seemed at the time a high price to pay, it would have been a lower cost than the Clarke trade with Brisbane the year before. The Crows sent picks 6 and 21 to the Lions for Clarke.
Welsh, Perrie, McGregor, Hentschel, Burton, Ricciuto, Watts and many more have been tried at full forward in recent years by the Crows. Rocca could have been the difference for the Crows in their recent finals campaigns as their one problem area was always the forward line.
Tomorrow: Brisbane Lions
