A familiar issue threatens to undo a leading flag contender, while the Saints’ biggest issue remains obvious despite lucrative recruiting.
Plus, more of the biggest talking points ahead of Round 4, as well as the commentators for every Fox Footy game, in Foxfooty.com.au’s ultimate weekly preview: The Blowtorch!
Watch every match of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE and ad-break free during play on FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
‘HAVE THEY MISSED A TRICK?’ BIG WATCH ON CROWS
There’s a big watch on one part of Adelaide’s game that could see it slip behind other contenders.
While utilising handball has become a popular new trend in the AFL this season to create more free-flowing play and scoring opportunities, the Crows are still going in the other direction.
Matthew Nicks’ side is ranked just No. 16 in the AFL in handballs, including No. 12 in handball metres gained.
The numbers reflect that when they did use handballs more, it worked for them.
The Crows had 93 handballs in their midfield in their only win for the season so far against Collingwood, but have had just 63 and 80 in losses to Western Bulldogs and Geelong, respectively.
Despite being elite defensively, Adelaide’s ball movement was already an issue last year and proved part of its undoing in a straight-sets finals exit.
And Kangaroos legend David King fears their kicking game has become obsolete and will hinder their offence.
“I like the coach, and I like what they’ve done over the last couple of years. (But) the game is saying if you haven’t got the capability to take metres by hand with handball chains, you’re in a bit of trouble,” King said on Fox Footy’s The First Crack.
“Because it’s incredibly difficult to kick through teams now.
“And if you can’t score, you’re going to have to win it defensively, which bucks the trend.
“So I look at the handball metres gained, and I think it’s going to be one of the major statistical indicators this year.
“I just wonder, are they an outlier? Or have they missed a trick? Are they playing a model that’s now defunct?”
A series of clips from The First Crack showed the Crows repeatedly ignore handball opportunities against Geelong that could’ve opened up play.
“I know Geelong had a loose man behind the ball, but then you went slow and you’ve still got to go through that same phase anyway,” King added.
“There’s no randomness, there’s no freak play with that sort of thing.
“Once you have to go long and down the line, you’re in real strife.
“I just think they’re lacking a bit of dare and playing a bit safe. And I don’t think there’s a safe option to 2026.”
It comes despite Adelaide having one of the most potent forward lines in the competition, led by Riley Thilthorpe, Taylor Walker and Darcy Fogarty.
So, does King think Nicks will make an adjustment?
“It’s a philosophical shift for the coach, so maybe they won’t, and maybe they’ll just try and get better at what they’re doing,” King continued.
“They’ve got the talls down there, but they’re getting average supply.
“I just think it’s Josh Rachele or Izak Rankine in the middle, or bust … without random, I think it’s really hard to score heavily.
“Let’s wait and see if they make a change.”
Crows welcome back BIG trio | 02:56
MAX KING IS STILL SAINTS’ MOST IMPORTANT RECRUIT
Lucrative recruits aside, Max King’s long-awaited return will decide how far the Saints go this year and in ensuing seasons.
Tom De Koning, Sam Flanders, Jack Silvagni and Liam Ryan all fill respective holes, but St Kilda’s glaring void remains a King-sized focal point in the forward half.
In last Saturday’s loss to Brisbane, second-year utility Alix Tauru was thrust into prominence as the focal point, with smalls Jack Higgins and Liam Ryan also forced to present as marking options, while Cooper Sharman and Mitch Owens continue to feign roles as spearheads.
“For me, there’s one thing missing. Out of all the recruits they’ve got at the moment, their best recruit is still in the stands — and that is the return of Max King, and what he can offer,” club great Leigh Montagna told Fox Footy’s First Crack.
“A fit Max King at his best and what he would do to this side, because they are getting looks — they’re averaging eight more inside-50s per game than they did last year, but still not converting.
“I think they’ve got an issue where they need a focal point. They need the one guy that most teams have that you can kick to and rely on.”
St Kilda currently ranks seventh in the competition for inside-50s, but they sit 12th for scores-per-inside-50 and 15th for goals-per-inside-50.
In short, whether it be due to lesser-quality entries or the lack of genuine marking targets — or a combination of both — scoring has been hard work for Ross Lyon’s side, which is now 1-3 on the season.
“At the moment, they’ve got a lot of no.2 and no.3 key forwards, like Mitch Owens and Cooper Sharman. They’ve tried Tauru,” Montagna continued.
“If this is Max King coming out of the goalsquare, you’re just kicking it to him and trusting your big man — like Gold Coast with Ben King and Jack Gunston at Hawthorn.
“I think the return of Max King will determine how far this team can go this year, and over the next couple of seasons, because they’re lacking that player they can kick to, and a lot of their goals are hard work.”
The 25-year-old King, who’s managed to play a combined 23 games over the past three seasons amid plaguing injuries, remains without an official timeline for return from his current knee issue.
Higgins and Owens currently have seven majors apiece to lead the Saints’ goalkicking thus far this year, after Higgins claimed the honours in the past three years — continuing to punch above his weight.
‘Get him off!’ Gaz on Butts brain injury | 03:10
‘HISTORY REPEATING’: BLUES NEED TO BREAK RECRUITING CYCLE
Amid a scrutiny-filled start to the year, Carlton’s recruiting remains a contentious topic, as discussion continues over whether the club’s offseason additions “move the needle” in what’s a transformative period for the list.
And a lack of A-graders within their recent recruiting history remains worrisome.
Specifically, dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna put a question mark on the club’s recruiting from rival clubs — currently with 19 players originally from other clubs currently on its list.
The Blues introduced Will Hayward, Ollie Florent and Ben Ainsworth as the big-name arrivals last October, yet Hayward had more than a few errant moments in Carlton’s capitulation against Melbourne last Sunday.
“Looking at where they are making decisions with their list, and I’m not convinced that over summer they made the right decisions with what they with who they brought into the football club,” Montagna began on Fox Footy’s First Crack Preview.
“Not who they lost, because they couldn’t do much about that, but what they are trying to achieve. Because, for me, it’s a bit of history repeating, with the players from other clubs that they have brought into the team.
“Are they really going to help them? If you take a little trip down the last five years … right now, on their list, they’ve got 19 players from other clubs — clearly the most in the competition — but no A-grader.”
In 2020, the Blues recruited Lachie Fogarty (from Geelong), Adam Saad (Essendon) and Zac Williams (GWS).
In 2021, it was Adam Cerra (Fremantle), Lewis Young (Western Bulldogs) and George Hewett (Sydney Swans), and the following year Blake Acres (Fremantle).
And across 2023 and 2024, they brought in Elijah Hollands (Gold Coast), Orazio Fantasia (Port Adelaide), Francis Evans (Port Adelaide) and Nick Haynes (GWS).
Carlton has had just 16 national draft picks over the past six years, with Montagna going as far as to say it hasn’t recruited a rival A-grader in almost 20 years.
“You couldn’t say that any of those guys — and even before that, the Mitch McGovern types — they (the Blues) haven’t brought in an elite A-grader,” Montagna said.
“Elijah Hollands is maybe the only one you could say hopefully he could get to that level, but they’ve brought in a lot of B-grade players.
“And it’s fascinating when you look at Carlton over the history, I could not find an A-grade talent they have recruited from another team since Chris Judd in 2007. Have not brought one in.
“The two that they got that have probably had the most success have been Sam Docherty … and Saad had one year where he was an All-Australian. But other than that, they have never been able to attract an A-grade talent from another club, which I thought was fascinating.”
Montagna’s concern was around whether the Blues’ six recruits from rival clubs in the offseason were going to “move the needle”.
“I just think, why do they need to go and get those three (Hayward, Florent and Ainsworth), because they have enough experience — it’s not like they needed to bridge the gap with some experience — and for me, again, they are all just B-grade footballers,” he said.
“They’re all good, average footballers in their own right, but are they actually moving the needle on what Carlton are trying to achieve with this list reset that they’ve said themselves that they’re going down the path of?
“I’m just not sure what they’re trying to do with their list at the moment, because they should be trying to blood their own talent and reset with their kids that they draft.
“I’m just worried they’re stuck taking B-grade talent which doesn’t give them a high ceiling — makes them competitive — but doesn’t get them to where they want to get to.”
Would Adam Simpson coach Carlton? | 05:36
‘PUT A LINE THROUGH THEM’: FEAT FALLEN GIANTS MUST HIT
Despite a fledgling start to the season, the Giants are set to be in real trouble if they can’t win four of their next six games.
And decision-making is impairing their ability to convert forward-half chances, according to leading analyst David King.
After four rounds, GWS ranks dead-last for scores-per-inside-50, with its measly 37.8 per cent success rate the only clip in the AFL that’s in the 30s. Geelong’s 17th-ranked rate is 40.7 per cent.
Spearhead forward Jesse Hogan isn’t getting it done as a result, with the 2024 Coleman Medallist kicking just five goals from four games thus far in the campaign.
“In the forward half is where it’s all coming home to roost, and without Hogan taking control down there, you’re (wondering) what the others are doing,” King began on Fox Footy’s First Crack.
“What’s the support crew up to? Is it the quality of supply, or is it the guys inside forward 50?
“They’ve been a team that’s relied on a little bit of talent over the journey, and now it’s not working, so I wonder whether you have to question the method in how they’re bringing the ball in.
“I don’t know if they scan enough (for their teammates) … I think there are options for them to do different things with the ball. The Tsunami hasn’t really fired this year.”
First Crack exhibited several examples of Giants players blazing away with a lower-percentage kick inside 50 rather than another handball or two to generate a cleaner look in attack.
“They’re fundamental things, they’re basic things, but they’re cruelling their forward line with their lack of vision and even the preparedness to scan and give to a better user,” King said.
“Sometimes it’s about understanding that you’re not competent in certain areas — give it to Whitfield, give it to Callaghan.
“I think they’re seriously battling, they really are. They’ve got to get on a run … they’ve got a good run the next six weeks. If they don’t win four of their next six, you can put a line through them.”
After their bye this weekend, the Giants face Richmond in Gather Round, Sydney at the SCG, the Kangaroos at Manuka Oval, the Suns in Carrara, Essendon at home and West Coast at Optus Stadium.
The Tigers, Roos, Bombers and Eagles shape as most gettable for Adam Kingsley’s men, but North Melbourne nor West Coast will be straightforward tasks.
AFL ROUND 4 (all times AEDT)
BRISBANE LIONS v COLLINGWOOD
Thursday April 2, 7.30pm at the Gabba
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall and David King, with commentary from Matt Hill, Mark Howard, Leigh Matthews, Alastair Lynch, Ben Dixon and Jon Ralph.
NORTH MELBOURNE v CARLTON
Friday April 3, 3.15pm at Marvel Stadium
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 2.15pm on Channel 504, hosted by Garry Lyon, Tom Hawkins and Jordan Lewis, with commentary from Anthony Hudson, Gerard Whateley, Jason Dunstall, Ruby Schleicher and Jon Ralph.
ADELAIDE CROWS v FREMANTLE
Friday April 3, 7.15pm at Adelaide Oval
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Dwayne Russell, Leigh Montagna, Mark Ricciuto, Ken Hinkley and Kath Loughnan.
RICHMOND v PORT ADELAIDE
Saturday April 4, 4.15pm at the MCG
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 3.30pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Dwayne Russell, Kelli Underwood, Gerard Healy, Brad Johnson, Nick Dal Santo and Jay Clark.
WEST COAST EAGLES v SYDNEY SWANS
Saturday April 4, 7.35pm at Optus Stadium
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7.15pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Adam Papalia, Anthony Hudson, David King, Jack Riewoldt, Will Schofield and Jay Clark.
MELBOURNE v GOLD COAST SUNS
Sunday April 5, 3.15pm at the MCG
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 2.30pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Corbin Middlemas, Jordan Lewis, Gerard Healy, Sarah Jones and David Zita.
WESTERN BULLDOGS v ESSENDON
Sunday April 5, 7.20pm at Marvel Stadium
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Matt Hill, Dwayne Russell, Garry Lyon, Nathan Buckley, Eddie Betts, Brad Johnson and David Zita.
HAWTHORN v GEELONG CATS
Sunday April 5, 3.15pm at the MCG
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7pm on Channel 504, hosted by Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, David King and Leigh Montagna, with commentary from Anthony Hudson, Mark Howard, Cam Mooney and Jon Ralph.