The Adelaide Crows, preparing to enter the 2023 season with one of the youngest playing lists in the competition amid their continued rebuild, are expected to be among the lowliest teams in the league in terms of win-loss ratio.
As senior coach Matthew Nicks ticks over his fourth year at the helm, the Crows' football department has continued to add assets to his youthful squad, the most notable of which being ex-Suns forward Izak Rankine, while also subtracting in the form of Billy Frampton via trade and the retirements of Fischer McAsey and Luke Brown.
Taking into account the aforementioned player movement at West Lakes over the off-season, as well as Jordan Dawson's appointment as the club's new skipper, we present our five burning questions lingering over the Crows' 2023 campaign.
5. How much of an influence will the new recruits have in 2023?
The obvious name that pops to mind when assessing Adelaide's fresh recruits is Izak Rankine, and it's hard to argue that anyone else bests him as it pertains to potential on-field influence.
Crossing over from the Gold Coast Suns in a highly-publicised move during last year's trade period, Rankine will be seeking to prove he is worth the hefty price tag he has appropriately drawn, particularly after it was reported Rankine may be making in excess of $800,000 per season at the Crows.
Representing the Suns in 2022, Rankine's goal assists (1.0) and score involvements (6.2) per game numbers were rated by AFL Stats as elite among players at his position, demonstrating the lethal impact the youngster is sure to make, provided the Crows can get the ball in his hands.
Adelaide also took low-risk-high-reward punts on ex-Pies Mark Keane and Tyler Brown via the Supplemental Selection Period, and while their potential impacts don't come close to what the livewire Rankine was brought to Adelaide to do forward of the ball, they will each be given their chance to prove they still belong on an AFL list.
