It has been a problem all year; it has been a problem for a couple of seasons. The Crows often have more entries into the forward 50 than the opposition, even when they lose, but they are inefficient. In the coming preseason, the young Crows need to go to finishing school to improve their kicking for goal, their short passing, and the system for bringing the ball into the forward line.
On Saturday night, Collingwood’s finishing wasn’t great, either - 6 goals 18 points is shabby. But when it really mattered it was the class of players like Didak, Swan and Pendlebury that made the difference.
With the retirement of Goodwin, Edwards, Burton and (possibly) McLeod, and the defection of Bock, the Crows have lost class in abundance. All had the poise to finish plays effectively.
For the Crows at the moment it is as much about the start than the finish. On Saturday, seven of them had played fewer than 20 games. The talent is there; the poise will come with experience and hard work.
It may not come fast enough for some impatient Crows’ fans. The chatter is now about trade week and the draft. Some say the club should trade like mad.
But to snare a worthwhile player requires two things: he must want to move, and the Crows must have something to trade for him. If they finish 12th, where they currently sit, the Crows’ first draft pick will be 12, which is not much of a bargaining chip with which to grab a blue-chipper. The Crows could also barter with a player or two but, rightly, they are reluctant to use the unwilling as trade-bait. Perhaps someone wants to leave, but we don’t know yet.
When it is introduced in 2012, free agency will change everything. Until then, however, the Crows need to survive the damage done by Bock. They won’t do it by trading.
Perversely, Bock’s defection may have reduced the chances of a big trade. With him in the squad the Crows had an over-abundance of unestablished key-position players - Davis, Talia, Sellar and McKernan. Trading one of them would probably have caused little damage to the structure of the playing group. With Bock gone there is less room to move. Moreover, over-zealous trading would damage what must already be shaky morale.
Opinion about Bock’s defection seems to fall into three camps.
In the ‘How could you, Nathan?’ camp he has been branded a traitor. The group most entitled to feel let down is the players. For months and in many cases years they have fought weekly battles side-by-side with Bock. All year, and in previous years, they have demanded loyalty and commitment from each other; they have sweated and bled together. For Bock to say now that he’s going elsewhere, and that he’s doing it largely for money, is a hell of a slap in the face.
In the ‘good riddance’ camp the view is that Bock is overrated and the Crows don’t need him anyway. I disagree: Bock is not overrated and he is a massive loss to the Crows.
People in the third, ‘God, I wish it was me’ camp reckon that no one could or should say no to all that money and sunshine. If I had to pitch my tent anywhere I would pitch it here. Players often move between clubs and Bock is entitled to make decisions that he believes are in his best interest. As supporters we don’t like it, but we have to cop it sweet.
In my view, the problem is not so much with what Bock has done than with the way the concessions to the new teams have been devised.
For the loss of Bock the Crows get a pick between 26 and 30 in this year’s draft (or options for later years). Even such paltry compensation would probably be okay if it was the same for all clubs, but it isn’t because not all clubs will lose a player in this way. By all accounts the Gold Coast will pilfer only half a dozen, or maybe eight, uncontracted players. That means that while the Crows have lost an all-Australian centre half back for almost no reward, eight or ten clubs will lose nothing.
Next year Greater Western Sydney will have the same raiding rights: what if they grab another Crows player? It is possible that some clubs, such as the Crows, will lose two players to the two new clubs for no meaningful compensation, while others will lose none. It would be grossly unfair, but it appears to be possible.
The Adelaide Football Club has always been a nice guy: it doesn’t bully or agitate, it doesn’t ask for hand-outs, and its players don’t get reported. No doubt it will swallow the injustice of losing Bock and simply work harder. It will show class.
The players must do the same. They must hone their finishing skills and, next year, show more poise under pressure. The good effort against Collingwood on Saturday should encourage us to continue backing the playing group. The season might nearly be finished, but these Crows are just beginning.
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