Crows tinker with secret tricks

Richard Douglas admits the Crows need to win at least seven from their remaining 10 home-and-away games to qualify for finals. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE players returned from their mid-season break yesterday further behind in their chase for an AFL finals berth - and with much to learn with changes in their playbook.

It will take until Saturday's re-start against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium to see how coach Brenton Sanderson's rethink on the Adelaide game plan will manifest as a circuit-breaker against a three-game losing streak.

In the meantime, secrecy was the order of a farcical morning at West Lakes that might have reflected the pressure that increased on the 11th-ranked Crows (5-7) at the weekend.

They have moved from four to eight premiership points from a place in the AFL top eight.

A publicly declared open training session on Max Basheer Reserve at West Lakes was moved to an equally chopped up Thebarton Oval.

The reason for the move, according to Crows officials, was safety issues on Adelaide's regular training ground outside AAMI Stadium.

Yet, the surface was still safe for some Crows - such as young midfielder Brad Crouch, veteran Graham Johncock and in-form SANFL player Richard Tambling - to practise their craft.

Not only was there a change of venue but a rethink on training session status. It went from "open" to "closed" with two media outlets not only asked to leave Thebarton Oval but directed to stop filming despite being on public property.

Adelaide midfielder Richard Douglas may have been playing down how much change the Crows are being asked to embrace but he was not denying his team will be playing to a different theme.

"With tactical skills, we always have a closed session - as we did today," he said.

The Gold Coast scouts shut out of Adelaide's workouts this week can only report to Suns coach Guy McKenna the obvious. The Crows have recognised they have to rethink defence.

"We think we are playing some good footy (to attack) but the defensive side of the game has to improve a bit," said Douglas. "Hopefully, this week you will see much more pressure on the ball carrier and some stronger tackles.

"We'll tinker with a few little things. You will see that at the weekend.

"Nothing too major."

To qualify for consecutive finals series Adelaide needs at least seven wins from its remaining 10 home-and-away games - against the Suns, West Coast (home), Collingwood, Geelong (home), Fremantle, Port Adelaide (home), North Melbourne (home), the Western Bulldogs, Melbourne (home) and West Coast.

"We have to win seven of the next 10. We believe we're a chance," said Douglas.

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No gift farewell game for Johncock

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Hawthorn	19	16	0	3	138.36	64
2	Geelong	19	15	0	4	133.12	60
3	Sydney	19	14	1	4	138.23	58
4	Fremantle	19	14	1	4	132.03	58
5	Collingwood	19	13	0	6	116.66	52
6	Richmond	19	13	0	6	116.22	52
7	Essendon	19	13	0	6	113.08	52
8	Port Adelaide	19	11	0	8	106.41	44
9	Carlton	19	9	0	10	107.48	36
10	West Coast	19	9	0	10	106.27	36
11	North Melbourne	19	8	0	11	120.56	32
12	Adelaide	19	8	0	11	101.07	32
13	Brisbane	19	8	0	11	84.65	32
14	Gold Coast	19	7	0	12	89.27	28
15	Bulldogs	19	6	0	13	81.34	24
16	St Kilda	19	3	0	16	77.42	12
17	Melbourne	19	2	0	17	54.83	8
18	Greater Western Sydney	19	1	0	18	53.01	4

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Moored in misery

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Hawthorn	19	16	0	3	138.36	64
2	Geelong	19	15	0	4	133.12	60
3	Sydney	19	14	1	4	138.23	58
4	Fremantle	19	14	1	4	132.03	58
5	Collingwood	19	13	0	6	116.66	52
6	Richmond	19	13	0	6	116.22	52
7	Essendon	19	13	0	6	113.08	52
8	Port Adelaide	19	11	0	8	106.41	44
9	Carlton	19	9	0	10	107.48	36
10	West Coast	19	9	0	10	106.27	36
11	North Melbourne	19	8	0	11	120.56	32
12	Adelaide	19	8	0	11	101.07	32
13	Brisbane	19	8	0	11	84.65	32
14	Gold Coast	19	7	0	12	89.27	28
15	Bulldogs	19	6	0	13	81.34	24
16	St Kilda	19	3	0	16	77.42	12
17	Melbourne	19	2	0	17	54.83	8
18	Greater Western Sydney	19	1	0	18	53.01	4

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Final Demon pillar topples

Tim Harrington is leaving the Dees. Picture: Michael Klein

MELBOURNE'S administrative overhaul has now claimed every position of power at the club, after list manager Tim Harrington was made redundant.

The Herald Sun understands Harrington was told of the decision yesterday, coinciding with an internal announcement that the position of football manager Josh Mahoney would be publicly advertised.

Harrington will be the fall guy for many of last year's controversial recruits, including David Rodan, Shannon Byrnes and Tom Gillies, although he was overruled on some of those by then coach Mark Neeld.

Coaching legend David Parkin often talks about the five pillars of a football club, including the coach, president, chief executive and the recruiter.

Since April 9, chief executive Cameron Schwab has been sacked, president Don McLardy has stood down, Neeld has been sacked and Mahoney told he will have to apply for the new head of football position.

Recruiter Jason Taylor is under pressure and former North Melbourne official Harrington will leave immediately.

He was on staff rather than a long-term contract, so the decision will not force the club into another costly exit after the $600,000 Neeld payout.

Harrington, who was elevated from football manager to list manager at North in 2007, crossed to Melbourne in 2009.

But, while there have been some value picks, the Demons have been condemned for not developing youngsters and wasting high picks on players who did not deserve that status.

They also paid huge sums for key forwards Mitch Clark and Chris Dawes, with both injury-prone since arriving.

Former Cat Byrnes was able to secure a two-year deal and battling former North Melbourne defender Cameron Pedersen has a three-year deal.

Melbourne chief executive Peter Jackson confirmed Harrington's departure last night. "Tim's departure is not performance related. It reflects the need to reduce the overall cost of the structure," he said.

"Tim has worked diligently in his role for more than four years at the club, and I'm certain he will find another productive role in the AFL industry."

Jackson has already foreshadowed a new head of football position, with Mahoney virtually no chance of filling that role.

Jackson confirmed on Saturday he had approached several big names to fill the head of football role.

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Crows tinker with secret tricks

Richard Douglas admits the Crows need to win at least seven from their remaining 10 home-and-away games to qualify for finals. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE players returned from their mid-season break yesterday further behind in their chase for an AFL finals berth - and with much to learn with changes in their playbook.

It will take until Saturday's re-start against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium to see how coach Brenton Sanderson's rethink on the Adelaide game plan will manifest as a circuit-breaker against a three-game losing streak.

In the meantime, secrecy was the order of a farcical morning at West Lakes that might have reflected the pressure that increased on the 11th-ranked Crows (5-7) at the weekend.

They have moved from four to eight premiership points from a place in the AFL top eight.

A publicly declared open training session on Max Basheer Reserve at West Lakes was moved to an equally chopped up Thebarton Oval.

The reason for the move, according to Crows officials, was safety issues on Adelaide's regular training ground outside AAMI Stadium.

Yet, the surface was still safe for some Crows - such as young midfielder Brad Crouch, veteran Graham Johncock and in-form SANFL player Richard Tambling - to practise their craft.

Not only was there a change of venue but a rethink on training session status. It went from "open" to "closed" with two media outlets not only asked to leave Thebarton Oval but directed to stop filming despite being on public property.

Adelaide midfielder Richard Douglas may have been playing down how much change the Crows are being asked to embrace but he was not denying his team will be playing to a different theme.

"With tactical skills, we always have a closed session - as we did today," he said.

The Gold Coast scouts shut out of Adelaide's workouts this week can only report to Suns coach Guy McKenna the obvious. The Crows have recognised they have to rethink defence.

"We think we are playing some good footy (to attack) but the defensive side of the game has to improve a bit," said Douglas. "Hopefully, this week you will see much more pressure on the ball carrier and some stronger tackles.

"We'll tinker with a few little things. You will see that at the weekend.

"Nothing too major."

To qualify for consecutive finals series Adelaide needs at least seven wins from its remaining 10 home-and-away games - against the Suns, West Coast (home), Collingwood, Geelong (home), Fremantle, Port Adelaide (home), North Melbourne (home), the Western Bulldogs, Melbourne (home) and West Coast.

"We have to win seven of the next 10. We believe we're a chance," said Douglas.

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No gift farewell game for Johncock

Setback: Brenton Sanderson has revealed Graham Johncock has suffered a recurrence of his long-standing back injury. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: Sunday Mail (SA)

CROWS veteran Graham Johncock will not be handed a farewell game - and the fan favourite does not want his last game at Adelaide to be a gift.

Crows coach Brenton Sanderson last night declared he will not recall 227-game Johncock simply to allow the converted defender to take a bow before the Adelaide supporters.

"I don't like farewell games - and I'm not going to give players a (free) game," said Sanderson in his a mid-term report with FIVEaa last night.

"And Graham said to me today `don't give me a game'. He wants to earn his spot."

But Johncock - who has not played in the AFL since the round three Showdown against Port Adelaide - still appears far from an AFL recall for his third game of the season.

Sanderson last night revealed Johncock, 30, has suffered a recurrence of his long-standing back injury.

"Physically," Sanderson said of Johncock, "he can't meet the demands of the AFL game.

"We need him at his best to contribute.

"Graham still has a big role to play. It's up to me to keep him motivated and engaged in the group because he is an important player for us."

Sanderson last night finally conceded his club's new fitness program - after losing long-standing fitness coach Stephen Schwerdt to Gold Coast - had failed to maintain standards.

"Externally, the Crows always have been seen as super fit but this year we had an emphasis on being stronger, for finals," said Sanderson, whose 11th-ranked team may not qualify for September.

"It is an area we need to get better at ... we need to run out games better."

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Moored in misery

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Hawthorn	19	16	0	3	138.36	64
2	Geelong	19	15	0	4	133.12	60
3	Sydney	19	14	1	4	138.23	58
4	Fremantle	18	13	1	4	124.21	54
5	Collingwood	19	13	0	6	116.66	52
6	Richmond	19	13	0	6	116.22	52
7	Essendon	19	13	0	6	113.08	52
8	Port Adelaide	19	11	0	8	106.41	44
9	Carlton	19	9	0	10	107.48	36
10	West Coast	19	9	0	10	106.27	36
11	North Melbourne	18	8	0	10	122.19	32
12	Brisbane	19	8	0	11	84.65	32
13	Adelaide	18	7	0	11	100.56	28
14	Gold Coast	19	7	0	12	89.27	28
15	Bulldogs	19	6	0	13	81.34	24
16	St Kilda	19	3	0	16	77.42	12
17	Melbourne	19	2	0	17	54.83	8
18	Greater Western Sydney	18	1	0	17	54.64	4

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Final Demon pillar topples

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Hawthorn	19	16	0	3	138.36	64
2	Geelong	19	15	0	4	133.12	60
3	Sydney	19	14	1	4	138.23	58
4	Fremantle	18	13	1	4	124.21	54
5	Collingwood	19	13	0	6	116.66	52
6	Richmond	19	13	0	6	116.22	52
7	Essendon	19	13	0	6	113.08	52
8	Port Adelaide	19	11	0	8	106.41	44
9	Carlton	19	9	0	10	107.48	36
10	West Coast	19	9	0	10	106.27	36
11	North Melbourne	18	8	0	10	122.19	32
12	Brisbane	19	8	0	11	84.65	32
13	Adelaide	18	7	0	11	100.56	28
14	Gold Coast	19	7	0	12	89.27	28
15	Bulldogs	19	6	0	13	81.34	24
16	St Kilda	19	3	0	16	77.42	12
17	Melbourne	19	2	0	17	54.83	8
18	Greater Western Sydney	18	1	0	17	54.64	4

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