Adelaide Crows coach Brenton Sanderson labelled some of his players "fat heads" last week. Picture: Tait Schmaal. Source: The Advertiser
CROWS coach Brenton Sanderson can no longer question the attitude of his erratic players - but the so-called "fat heads" at West Lakes are now giving themselves headaches finding answers to their mysterious form slump.
Adelaide midfielder Rory Sloane says the simple key to salvaging the Crows' season - that is delicately balanced with a 2-4 win-loss count - hinges on players finding pride in their work again.
"It all starts on the training track," Sloane said.
"It's about guys taking it up to themselves. Your performance is up to you. You have to take a lot of ownership and pride in your performance."
A week after Sanderson challenged his players to stop basking in the glow of their 2012 season, by labelling them as "fatheads", the Crows did restore their reputation as a difficult opponent by pushing AFL premiership favourite Hawthorn at home on Saturday. They came within 11 points.
But not winning, for the third time in four games at AAMI Stadium, highlights how Adelaide is eroding the gains from 2012 when the Crows were among the AFL stand-outs with 17 wins in 22 home-and-away games.
"We have to start winning those close games," Sloane said.
"Beating Hawthorn would have been a great way to get the season rolling, but we weren't good enough. If we can tidy up on a few key areas, we will definitely be back to where we were at last year."
Beyond the issues of poor tackling, poor forward movement, less power in the midfield and injuries robbing them of key staff, the common theme of Adelaide's season is the erratic and disappointing form of so many valued players.
"That is what coaches have been trying to figure out forever," said Sloane.
He dismisses the "fathead" charge - one the Crows have had to answer internally while the critics have been asking what happened to the hunger for success they vowed to carry from the bitter preliminary final loss to Hawthorn in September.
"We have no reason to have fat heads at all and no reason to be thinking like that," said Sloane. "That is why we are trying to stamp that (image) out because we are definitely not satisfied with last year.
"We were a kick off a grand final ... and we're not satisfied with the way we have been playing."
The state of the Adelaide player list - particularly when the Crows face a lock-out of the first two rounds of the November national draft because of the Kurt Tippett saga - will be a greater point of debate if the club fails to reach consecutive finals.
Adelaide had 13 players from the 22 who battled Hawthorn in last year's epic AFL preliminary final appear in the rematch at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.
The preliminary final was lost by five points - with the Crows bitter at umpiring decisions in the night game.
They lost the rematch by 11 points, and were frustrated by one critical umpiring call on midfielder Scott Thompson early in the last term.
The key difference in the two line-ups is the absence of damaging small and medium forwards Ian Callinan, Graham Johncock and Jared Petrenko, who are out of form, and the loss of Tippett and Taylor Walker.
Two players who missed the preliminary final rematch because of injury - captain Nathan van Berlo and utility Ricky Henderson - are back in contention for Sunday's clash with Greater Western Sydney at Skoda Stadium.
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