The first was that it was gutsy. On a warm and humid day the Crows were two players short for most of the game. They could have used it as an excuse for a fade-out. They didn’t.
The second good thing was that it was an away game. The Crows have won only one other game on the road this year (against West Coast in Round 15). Next year they need to make a habit of it, and this was good preparation.
The third thing that should gladden the hearts of Crows’ fans was that their team won in the absence of its beloved leaders, McLeod and Goodwin. Just as they did against Geelong a month ago, blokes like Douglas, Mackay, Bock, Johncock, Symes, Thompson, Tippett, Henderson, Sloane and Porplyzia stepped up to fill the void. Van Berlo’s first three quarters were unexceptional but he was probably the decisive factor in the last; his goal from outside 50 on an angle with a couple of minutes to go was brilliant.
A fourth good thing was contested marks - the Crows took 23 of them (compared to five by the Lions), which was easily a season high. Tippett led the way - as he usually does - with five, but Davis, Stevens and Sellar took three each and Maric, Rutten and Douglas two. Winning in the air can have a big impact on the game, on confidence and on game style. Let’s hope we see more strong marking next year.
Despite these good things (and there is one other), the win should be kept in perspective. Brisbane has been horrible this year, and against the Crows on Sunday they were missing their two biggest goal-kickers (Brown and Fevola). They lost the free-kick count 17 to 9 but still had more scoring shots than the Crows.
Clearly, our lads have much work to do. In the first quarter they missed too many tackles and were slow of thought; they were as reactionary as a One Nation candidate. They made too many dumb decisions and too many skill errors. Some players were out of form. Danger, who we all love, is in a bad place: he had 15 disposals on Sunday but only three of them were effective. His promise is immense; he needs to come back next year with a clear mind.
Last week I suggested that Tippett might serve the Crows better in the ruck. This idea received generally positive feedback on the blog-site but earned insults on the Crows’ Facebook page. Tippett’s five goals on Sunday were great and his marking exceptional; it would indeed be a pity to lose him to the midfield. But I still think his role in the team is up for debate.
Davis had only a handful of touches in the forward line on Sunday, but in a year or two he will become a star; expect him to muscle-up in the preseason. If he develops as many of us think he will, and if the Crows’ other talls stay fit, hard decisions on structure will need to be made.
In my view, Tippett’s continued role as a forward comes with two provisos. The first is that he becomes a more reliable kick for goal. When the Crows next make the finals, and it might be next year, we want a bloke up front who will slot at least seven set shots in ten. He has six months to work on his kicking before next season, so it’s possible.
The second proviso is that the Crows find a ruckman who can do the work around the ground that Tippett is capable of doing.
Which brings me to the fifth good thing about the win on Sunday - James Sellar, the man with the buzz-cut. He wasn’t dominant - it was, after all, his first game since he hurt his hamstring in Round 2 - but he did enough to be noticed. He was okay in the ruck and, at times, he was excellent in back-line skirmishes. In the last quarter he took two big marks up forward and kicked a critical goal.
The Crows already have a couple of good rucks. Maric is an honest performer and sometimes - such as on Sunday - he takes important field marks. Griffin is a late-developer with a rangy sort of mobility, and in the next season or two he might finally realise his potential. Both need to do more around the ground next year, and pressure from other ruck options could stimulate that.
Sellar is one such option. He has his share of knockers, perhaps because he was a high draft pick (number 14 in the 2006 draft) and is yet to show that he warranted it. He has played just 14 games in four years, but he is still only 21 and I think he has talent.
The big question is whether he can stay fit. Next year, if he can, he could give the Crows the midfield buzz that they need.
Sarrey now has a Facebook page - “Sarrey’s Blog” (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Sarreys-Blog/103023909750934?ref=ts).
