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.
1. Will Jordan Dawson prove to be the correct captaincy choice?
Dawson, preparing to embark on just his second season at West Lakes, was awarded the club's captaincy after a process that included input from players, coaching staff, and the football department.
While tremendously impressive across the half-backline, as well as in one-on-one duels, throughout his debut season, the ex-Swan had played just 22 games in Crows colours before being ratified as skipper by the higher-ups.
The prominent campaigns Laird, Keays and ruckman Reilly O'Brien had last season, compounded by their lengthier West Lakes tenures, made them prime candidates to succeed the departing Sloane, however, they were overlooked in favour of newcomer Dawson.
Whether or not that decision proves to be a hasty one, time will tell.
