Naming the Suns, Giants or Dees, even the Doggies is not accepted here. Those clubs were not expected to make the finals. The Suns are playing for maybe 5-6 wins, while the Giants will probably look for one win, and they might not get even that.
My nomination. The Crows have fallen right off the map. Apparently losing Tippet was a big blow, and they haven't played well anyway. With Walker out, I think the 2013 season is a washout.
Others?
Quandary
Favorite Answer
Geelong - too old, too slow - had our time in the sun - too many hangers on - no hunger :-)
In seriousness, the Lions have to be very very disappointed with their efforts so far. They looked like world-beaters pre-season but just haven't been able to stand the heat of the real thing.
Adelaide was always going to find it tougher this year - they have a hard draw and now other clubs will have done their homework. That happens a lot with clubs who improve a lot. Now the question is will they come back to be a champion team or fade back away.
Short answer - Lions
Romper Stomper
I don't think any would or should 'throw in the towel' but Adelaide and WCE are both for whatever reasons not performing how everyone thought they would, whether it be injuries or a tough draw. That might change for WCE but Adelaide are the worry.............
The Crows top 4 goal kickers from last year were Walker, gone for 12 months, Tippet-gone, Callanan (who can't get a game) and the Porpoise,struggling to get a game too. So how do they replace those goal kickers in a hurry, it can not be done over night.
Lexicographer
Throwing in the towel is a totally foreign concept to me, but I understand your meaning in this context viz. concentrate on fixing problems ready for 2014 rather than just flogging a dead horse in 2013.
By the time WCE & Pies get enough injured players back (assuming no more injuries) to warrant a finals berth, it could too late in the season to get enough wins &/or % up so they can be added to the Crows (to the sheik of protests!)
30-40 years ago when training was for long twitch endurance, season ending injuries & reconstructions etc were rare by comparison to the current short twitch speed used in today's game
and the injury havoc it is creating. More often than not, the CAUSE of injuries can be sheeted home to unbalanced muscle focus in training so that muscle which in a sense hold ligaments in place is the wrong type and more susceptible. You'd know this from your tri's. Trying to produce a team equal to Nic Nats abilities has its price so for both teams I have mentioned, I'd say take half a pace off speed and concentrate on stamina. Better to have all players available for a full season at 90% of the opposition's pace than to have half your team out for half the season on average while chasing 100% pace. Restructure to suit.
Enforcer
No club should ever throw in the towel as it results in a poor culture and impacts on player development (Melbourne).
Walker is a massive loss for us but I wouldn't write them off just yet because apparently we were given easy draw this year by the AFL administration.
Anonymous
Yes the loss of Walker is a big blow given that he is our key forward and he is capable of kicking a reasonable amount of goals (last year he averaged 3 goals per game and kicked 63 for the season).
It looks like the goal kicking duties for the POSA will have to be given to the likes of Porplyzia, Callinan and Johnc0ck!
Hey! All of a sudden my beloved POSA are beginning to resemble a team like Carlton, who have no genuine tall marking target that can kick goals, but instead rely on small forwards!