David King believes that Adelaide should start as clear favourites in next week’s Grand Final, believing the Crows are 20 per cent better than any other team in the AFL.
Adelaide last night booked their first Grand Final appearance since 1998, comprehensively defeating Geelong by 61 points at Adelaide Oval.
No matter who their opponents are next Saturday afternoon, the two-time North Melbourne premiership player says the Crows should win their third premiership next week.
“They are 20 per cent better than the rest of the competition,” King said on SEN’s Crunch Time.
“They are defensively really solid, their ball movement is a system that is hard to break down. You almost have to give up a lot of what you do to deny the Crows and I think that’s half the battle.”
While Dermott Brereton agreed with King’s belief the Crows’ final two losses of the home and away season – at home to Sydney and away to West Coast – meant little, he believes the winner of today’s preliminary final between Richmond and the GWS Giants will instead win the flag.
“Yes they deserve to be the number one billing team in the comp, but there is a method and a formula to beat them. They’re not the perfect team,” said the Hawthorn champion.
“I reckon whoever wins today wins the Grand Final, even though the Crows are the best team.
“They’re best only at attack. They’re very good at kicking a score and a lot of their score is walk-in goals against teams that falter against them. The teams that play them well, beat them.”
However King disagreed, pointing out the mounting list of stats that give credence to both Adelaide’s attack and defence, boosting their premiership chances.
The Crows are the third best contested ball team in the league, the second best ball movement team, number two in the competition at defending their opponent’s ball movement, and have the fourth best overall defence, with their attack far and away the best in the AFL.
King also directed praise towards Adelaide’s list management team for putting together a side on the cusp of a flag without any players picked inside the top 10 of any draft.
15 of the players in the red, yellow and blue yesterday were either delisted free agents (Eddie Betts), players acquired in low-risk trades (Sam Jacobs, Luke Brown, Tom Lynch, Josh Jenkins, Paul Seedsman), rookies (Rory Laird, Charlie Cameron, Jake Kelly) or were picked up outside the top 40 in a draft (Rory Sloane at 44, Riley Knight at 46, Taylor Walker at 75 and Rory Atkins at 81 being the most notable of these).
“I think this has been an unbelievable masterclass in how to put a list together without any picks,” said King.
“What a job.”