Adelaide Crows coach Neil Craig is confident his side can compete in the AFL this season despite crashing out of the NAB Cup at the weekend with a 123-67 drubbing at the hands of fierce rivals the Port Adelaide Power.
Craig was shell-shocked after watching his Crows – fifth favourites at 9.00A$ with Sportsbet.com.au to win the AFL title – put in a less-than acceptable performance at the AAMI Stadium on Saturday.
Craig understands the result has now passed and what is important is that the Crows learn from their mistakes and rectify them before they kick off their AFL season on Sunday, March 28 with an away date at Freemantle.
Craig said: “The only positive we take out of it, is that it's not for four (premiership) points.
"And we get a very strong reminder that if we serve up that sort of effort, if any team in the AFL serves up that effort, you will finish bottom. The reasons why? I don't know. You will go around in circles finding out why.
"I'm more interested in how we are going to address it and get rid of it. You can also argue you need to know why so you can pick the times when it starts to surface again, I don't want to be flippant about that.
"Whether it's seduction about where we think we are at the moment, and I still believe that we have a squad here ... if we get this part of our game in order, we are ready to challenge for higher places on the premiership table.
"But this is a step backwards."