Bickley: How the Crows can unlock Riley Thilthorpe

The Adelaide Crows have suffered a significant form dip from last year, and star forward Riley Thilthorpe is the perfect embodiment of their season slide.

Propelling from persistent bottom-half finishes to minor premiers in 2025, the Crows’ list finally appeared ready to challenge deep into September. However, suffering a straight-sets exit, Matthew Nicks’ men are yet to recover.

With six wins from 11 games, the Crows currently reside in seventh place, losing in every contest they’ve had against top six projected sides.

A major feature of their form dip has been the struggle of Thilthorpe. 14 goals through 10 goals so far – a tally he reached in just four games last season – the superstar key forward is far from his All-Australian best.

Two-time Crows premiership captain Mark Bickley believes he might know the reason why.

“Riley Thilthorpe is interesting,” Bickley told SEN SA Breakfast.

“He was All-Australian last year, and he kicked somewhere close to 60 goals – and that was playing in the ruck as well. Probably 10-15 per cent as a ruckman.

“I think, what Adelaide were thinking is ‘well, let’s just scrap the whole ruck thing, because he is such a dominant forward. Let’s just make him a pure full forward or centre half forward’.

“They were hoping that he could get 70+ goals and be the preeminent forward in the competition. It just hasn’t happened.

“We don’t know how serious his back injury has been and how hampered he has had to play with that or what impact that has had, but he just looks low on confidence. His goal kicking hasn’t been anywhere near as good.

“When he is low on confidence, it feels to me like he runs under the ball or gets eased under the ball a lot. He is often trying to reach back to take marks and it’s just not happening for him.

“When he is at his best, he’s running up and jumping to take it at its highest point in front of his eyes. Too often, he gets moved under the footy.”

Unlocking their key man would go a long way in contributing to the club’s return to form.

So, what can the Crows do to reignite Thilthorpe’s lost form?

“One of the things that I’m thinking about is whether Adelaide go back to having Thilthorpe as their second ruck,” Bickley said.

“We saw when he couldn’t get into the game (against Hawthorn), they moved him into the midfield as a midfielder, and he got a couple of touches in there.

“Then, when the game was on the line, he just played as the second ruck, and he actually looked good around the ground.

“I wonder whether that’s a part of the attraction, or why he played well last year. If he is not touching it up forward, he can go on ball, get three or four touches and still feel like he is involved in the game.

“Then he can go up forward, and he feels a bit better about himself.”

With Thilthorpe out of touch and the Crows continuing to test their three-tall forward line, Bickley wonders whether the side needs to make a shift to amend their season struggles.

“When you’ve got Thilthorpe, you’ve got Toby Murray and you’ve got Darcy Fogarty and/or Taylor Walker, the balance just doesn’t look right,” he said.

“Particularly when we get into the winter months and it’s wet and slippery. Murray - two touches (against Hawthorn).

“You’re literally playing one short when you’ve got a big guy who doesn’t mark it or doesn’t have any impact.

“I just wonder whether they might have to recast that forward line and work out what it looks like.”

With the bye this week, the Crows enjoy a break before preparing for Geelong next Thursday night.