Matt CROUCH

2017 Digest:   Unlike his brother made it through summer unscathed and hit the ground running early in JLT series. Pure ball magnet.

2017 NAB Cup:  

2017 Season

1	GWS	Always presents himself in and around the stoppages.	7
2	Haw	Racked up stats in usual fashion; 22 of his touches were handballs and as a result gained 158 metres. Handy performer.	7
3	Port	Leading disposal winner in the game with 32 including eight clearances.	7
4	Ess	Just keeps racking up disposals, needs to be contained from an opposition point of view.	7
5	GCS	Team high 35 possessions and nine clearances and also booted a goal.	8
6	Rich	Won a whopping 10 clearances and was the leading disposal winner on the ground with 38 and kicked a great goal from outside 50.	8
7	NM	Big possession-getter, even when Crows were being belted. Ended with nearly 40 touches and can hold his head high.	8
8	Melb	Keeps racking up plenty of possessions but they didn’t go anywhere.	6
9	Bris	Was the perfect foil to both Laird and Sloane, having five effective clearances among his 32 disposals.	7
10	Frem	Won the personal battle against his by five touches (35-30) and led the way when the heavens opened up in the first term.	8
11	Geel	Burrowed in all day. One of few Crows to stand up in the first half then effort petered out. Seven clearances.	7
12	StK	Continues to rack up possessions, more outside work than inside grunt in this game.	7
13		Bye.
14	Haw	Much more precise with his disposal efficiency and the Crows best player when too many were average at best.	8
15	Carl	Got the goal in the last term to give the Crows back the impetus to win, great head to head battle with Cripps in the centre.	8
16	WB	Leading possession winner in the game including a great goal on the run to start the third term.	8
17	Melb	Lots of the footy again and five clearances. Not dominant, but a good contributor.	7
18	Geel	Around the clinches he was tough and gritty with his ball winning. Capacity to win the sherrin around the contest.	8
19	Coll	Perhaps the opposition should put more time into Matt Crouch than Rory Sloane, played a lone hand at times in the middle.	8
20	Port	Leading possession winner on the ground and couldn’t get in the three best players on the ground, great team performance.	8
21	Ess	Continues to be a prolific ball-winner with anther 35 touches, and constantly generated moves.	8
22	Syd	Has to be knocking on the door of All-Australian selection, the fifteenth game where he has had over 30 possessions.	8
23	WCE	Like his brother, dominated the midfield. Had 45 possessions and kicked one goal.	8
QF	GWS	Knocked up winning the footy and was very good with his hands in close at the stoppages.	8
PF	Geel	Busier than a set of jumper leads at a country funeral for 31 disposals, six clearances and five tackles.	8
GF	Rich	Led all comers with 35 touches, five clearances and five tackles. Didn’t hurt the Tigers enormously.	7

2016 Season

1	NM	Always around the ball. Ten clearances and 15 contested possessions.	8
2	Port	Won seven clearances and his quick hands were superb around stoppages.	6
3	Rich	Bored in at the contests to win plenty of contested ball. Use of handball a feature at times.	7
4	Syd	Continues to do the in-and-under stuff without too much fuss.	8
5	Haw	Wins a lot of the ball but needs to do more by foot.	5
6	Frem	Ran with Barlow all game and won plenty of his own footy.	7
7	WB	Worked hard in the clinches and among the best. Four clearances and four tackles. Solid ball use.	6
8	Geel	Targeted by the Geelong players, and it worked.	5
9		Soreness.
10		Soreness.
11	StK	Won nine clearances and a whopping 17 disposals in the first term.	7
12	WCE	Good in congestion. Fed the ball to his teammates.	6
14	NM	Two opportunistic goals, eight clearances and 16 contested possessions.	9
15	Melb	Used the ball by hand (seven kicks) and played his part. Four clearances.	6
16	Carl	Racked up a heap of touches and used ball by hand a lot (23 handballs). Handy.	7
17	Coll	Rarely wastes a possession, won five clearances and laid four tackles.	7
18	Geel	One of the best but lot of his possessions amounted to little. One inside-50.	6
19	Ess	Rarely wastes a disposal, surprisingly won more outside than inside footy.	7
20	Bris	Had 27 uncontested possessions to complement his inside game.	8
21	Frem	Like his brother. Had a lot of the ball in contests.	6
22	Port	Showdown medallist a consistent force on the outside and inside.	9
23	WCE	Leading possession winner for the Crows once again.	7
EF	NM	Among best thanks to huge work-rate. One goal, three clearances.	7
SF	Syd	Won huge amount of ball but not always effective. Work-rate enormous.	7

2015 Season

1		Bye.
2	SANFL	Influential in the clinches with 23 possessions, 12 clearances.	–
3	SANFL	Prolific with 28 possessions but lacked his usual impact.	–
4	SANFL	24 touches, eight clearances. Showed wonderful hands in traffic.	–
5		Senior emergency.
6	GCS	Activated sub in third quarter and OK in first game of the year.	3
7	StK	Second consecutive game and is a disposal machine. Classy given time and space.	7
8	GWS	Did most of his good work by hand – 18 handballs. OK without starring.	6
9	Frem	Ball magnet keeps racking up possessions.	6
10	Carl	Sub. Gave a spark when he came on in third term and it was timely.	2
12	Haw	13 possessions in last term, needs to start in the centre every game.	5
13	SANFL	Limped off early with soreness in his troublesome foot.	–
14	SANFL	Match postponed.	–
15	WCE	One of the Crows’ best with 28 touches including 13 contested.	7
16	Port	Pushed forward for a goal in first term, surprisingly with his right foot.	7
17	SANFL	33 disposals, 11 clearances. Set the tone early in the midfield.	–
18	Syd	Sub came on at last change for Martin and did well.	2
19	Rich	Despite some wayward kicking was great in the engine room.	7
20	Ess	Ball winning ability first class and helped keep the midfield pressure on.	7
21	Bris	Finding more outside ball than inside ball, an area he needs to develop.	7
22	WCE	Two poor turnovers in the third term could be costly in finals.	6
23	Geel	Tried hard through the midfield. Won 13 CPs and laid six tackles.	6
EF	WB	Useful game on wing.	6
SF	Haw	Honest performance and handy all night.	6

2014 Season

1	PM	Continually won the ball. Put his hand up for debut.	–
2	PM	28 touches to lead the way in midfield.	–
3	Syd	Came on early as the sub and showed enough to say there is a bright future.	5
4	StK	Strong all-round game and gave excellent value.	6
5	GWS	Subbed out after producing his best game for the club.	8
6	WB	Solid worker in midfield and not afraid to provide a physical presence.	6
7	Melb	Laid five tackles, had three inside-50s and a goal from his wing.	5
9	Coll	Came on for the last 10 minutes as the sub.	1
10	SANFL	Consistent contributor across four quarters.	–
11	SANFL	Bye.	–
12	SANFL	Racked up 31 touches, equal game-high with brother Brad.	–
13	NM	Seven tackles on his return to the senior side.	4
14	SANFL	Imperious midfield display, 35 touches, nine clearances.	–
15	SANFL	Bye.	–
16	SANFL	Grand virtuoso in tough loss. 42 disposals, 13 clearances.	–
17	SANFL	Tagged hard early but finished with 25 possessions and a goal.	–
18	SANFL	Team-high 28 possessions. Had his moments in big loss.	–
19	SANFL	Ball magnet in close. Racked up 38 possessions, seven clearances.	–
20	SANFL	Racked up 31 possessions and booted an important last-term goal.	–
21	SANFL	Surely close to an AFL berth. Racked up 35 touches, 13 clearances.	–
22	SANFL	Outstanding again with 38 disposals, 12 clearances, 10 inside 50s.	–
23	StK	Sub came on and kicked a goal.	2
QF		–
SF		–
PF		–
GF		–