A COINCIDENCE of circumstance has seen Kuwarna embark on a greater reset than first anticipated, and it's likely to be one of the biggest shake-ups of the 'big four' since expansion.
Long-term coach Matthew Clarke and inaugural head of footy Phil Harper both stepped away at the conclusion of the 2025 season, with first-time AFLW senior coach Ryan Davis and experienced administrator Bree Brock appointed in their stead from Brisbane.
Three-time club best-and-fairest Anne Hatchard was seeking a fresh start, joining former teammate-turned-footy boss Erin Phillips at Gold Coast during the trade period.
Young key back Zoe Prowse – who had long been courted by rival clubs with bigger offers – finally took up a deal with Essendon, while second-year midfielder Brooke Boileau headed to Carlton.
Veteran Stevie-Lee Thompson, who played nine games in her final season but wasn't picked for finals, also hung up the boots.
That was meant to be it for the changes – a bit of a freshen up, lose of a bit of experience, maybe one step back, but a jump forward would soon follow.
Then halfway through June, two months before round one, Danielle Paredes (née Ponter) announced her pregnancy.
One week later, Chelsea Randall was forced to retire due to issues stemming from repeated concussions over her long and storied career.
Suddenly, Kuwarna was down six regular players, a coach and their only footy boss in the space of one off-season.
The Crows' 2025 semi-final team had 1212 AFLW games of experience, while the round two version sat at 969. Given the short AFLW seasons, that's a much more significant drop off than it would be in the men's competition.
While Brisbane fans may look at that result and scoff, given the significant turnover the Lions experienced over the expansion period, we've rarely seen one of the top AFLW sides take such a hit over one period.
Throw in injuries to Grace Kelly (hamstring) and Indi Rasheed (shins/conditioning), and the redeployment of Eloise Jones to the backline after Prowse's departure, and Kuwarna's forward line was looking decidedly skinny against Carlton in round two.
Caitlin Gould was sat on by the Blues' backline, recruit Grace Egan was barely sighted across half-forward, and the rest of the attack was made up of inexperienced Irish duo Amy Boyle-Carr and Kayleigh Cronin, third-game small Christina Leuzzi and second-gamer Chloe Bown.
Last year, Kuwarna's top goal-kickers were Jones (15), Gould (10), Hatchard (10), Paredes (nine), Grace Kelly (seven) and Randall (six).
Just Gould has played in attack over the first two matches of this year.
And the numbers are even more stark when looking at the 2024 goal-kickers: Gould (20), Paredes (16), Randall (10) and Hatchard (six).
The Crows have handed debuts out like lollies in the first two rounds, blooding Bown, Juliet Kelly, Olivia Gorman and Jemmika Douglas (all 20 or younger), while three more first-years in Ava Stewart, Alice Tentye and Lucy Waye have been emergencies.
There's an early watch on the middle of the ground too, with the Crows ranked equal-second last for average clearances (17.5), albeit from a small sample size. Last year, they averaged 24.0 clearances a game, sixth in the league.
Paredes featured in 55 per cent of Adelaide's centre bounces last year, with Hatchard at 40 per cent and Boileau at 31.
Sarah Goodwin's average centre bounce attendance has risen from 64 per cent last year to 82, Teah Charlton has increased from 16 to 70, and 19-year-old Juliet Kelly has attended 67 per cent.
The backline remains steady as a rock and will keep Kuwarna in matches, with Jones able to cover for Prowse, and Chelsea Biddell and Sarah Allan holding down the fort.
But it's certainly a different looking Crows outfit in 2026.
Changes between the 2025 semi-final team, and round two 2026:
Out: Anne Hatchard (Gold Coast), Brooke Boileau (Carlton), Chelsea Randall (retired), Danielle Paredes (pregnant), Grace Kelly (hamstring), India Rasheed (conditioning), Kiera Mueller (knee), Zoe Prowse (Essendon)
In: Brooke Tonon, Chloe Bown, Christina Leuzzi, Grace Egan, Hannah Munyard, Jemmika Douglas, Juliet Kelly, Olivia Gorman
