Former Hawthorn sharpshooter Ben Dixon has implored Adelaide Crows fans to “strap yourselves in” and ready themselves for an exciting few years at West Lakes.
Having not participated in the Finals since their Grand Final year in 2017, the Crows were right in contention to break their September drought right up until the pointy end of the Home And Away season before a goal umpiring error ultimately cost them the opportunity to play their way into a finals spot in the final round.
The Crows spent 11 weeks inside the top eight this season and were constantly in and around the logjam of teams fighting for a position in September.
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Speaking on the Fox Footy Podcast, Dixon believes that the Crows will be a “huge mover” up the ladder next year and jump into the top four and possibly, contend for a premiership.
“Of the bottom 10, there‘s one team and then there’s daylight to the other nine and that’s the Adelaide Crows,” he said.
“They will be a massive mover next year. Huge mover.
“Not only could they secure a top four spot, they could contend to win it next year with the list that they‘ve got and the footy they’re playing this year.”
The Hawthorn champion pointed to the style of football that the Crows have played this year in the third season under Matthew Nicks, declaring the Crows play “as an exciting brand of footy as you‘ll see.”
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While the Crows had their issues on the road in 2023, only winning two games away from the Adelaide Oval against the lowly Hawthorn and West Coast in the final rounds, the Crows produced several impressive showings against Finals finishing opposition.
Despite losing five games by under a goal, the Crows recorded a pair of impressive Showdown victories over Port Adelaide, an emphatic win over Carlton in Gather Round and a big win over Brisbane at the Adelaide Oval to show they could match it with the best teams in the competition.
Dixon said that the Crows ladder position was ultimately a “false positive”, believing that the Crows were much better than the final ladder suggested.
“If you look at their record against Top eight teams and how many times they played top eight teams, they‘re the best in the competition,” he said.
“Their ladder position is probably a false positive.”
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Dixon believes that the rise of the Crows in the coming season could be akin to the one of the Brisbane Lions when they rose to be a consistent top four contender.
The Lions finished the 2018 season, the second season under Chris Fagan in 15th position with five wins before launching into the top four in 2019 where they have remained ever since.
“They‘ll be like the run Brisbane has been on now in terms of where they’re positioned themselves over the last three or four years inside the top four and giving themselves every opportunity to win it,” Dixon said.
“Adelaide will be that for the next three years, so strap yourself in for the Crows.”
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