Adelaide
Coach – Matthew Nicks
2025 –
Points For – 3rd
Points Against – 2nd
Top 5 Best and Fairest
- Jordan Dawson
- Riley Thilthorpe
- Josh Worrell
- Ben Keays
- Alex Neal-Bullen
2025 Rising Star Noms
Daniel Curtin (Rnd 13)
Ins – Callum Ah Chee, Finnbar Maley, Mitch Marsh, Indy Cotton, Archie Ludowyke
Outs – Chris Burgess, Matt Crouch, Karl Gallagher, Lachlan Murphy, Harry Schoenberg, Brodie Smith, Kieran Strachan
My Prediction
I predicted this team to finish 11-13 last year and they won the minor premiership. Shopws how little I know as well as how little I care for this team. They are as boring a unit to watch as any finals contender in recent memory but they do look to hqave build a well rounded list that performed very well in the home and away season.
The backline worked last year, Michalanney has continued his development and Keane has become a very good backman. Laird, Worrell and Hinge give them run and attack from behind the ball. They also have Dawson not afraid to drop back when needed.
The midfield will be interesting. Curtin’s improvement last year was really important and he is likely out for the first half of the season, I wonder if they will move Rachele or Keays to have a better look in the guts. Cumming, Rankine and Soligo give them come real quality movement in the middle and they look hard at it when they need to be. Through in Dawson who is probably the best deliverer into forward 50 (maybe alongside Gulden) and they look well rounded.
The forward line is probably their best area. Thilthorpe is genuinely fun to watch. An old school football monster. Fogarty is a good foil for him and then they have good smalls with Rachele apparently in great shape. Keays and Neal-Bullen both coming off very good seasons and then you add Ah-Chee who has been no small part of the last two premierships for the Lions.
The ruck looked so promising a few years ago but is genuinely one of the worst rucks in AFL football and is lucky to have quality mids covering for his lack of skill. It is no surprise they chased Draper as hard as they did. The coach has some runs on the board by way of regular season and would now want to make a dent in finals footy, this season will be interesting for him.
I know they are a good team but there is something about them which I am not willing to commit to just yet. It could be the fact that the games I have watched them play, they have been a bit boring but I don’t know if they have enough genuine match winners come finals footy. I am sure they will make the eight but I don’t see them as a threat again. 3-6 for mine.