Brett James has always been an SA country boy at heart.

Even when he played football at the highest level for the Crows, James’ love for his family’s apple, pear and sheep farm never went away.

So it was only logical for the former midfielder to return to full-time farming once he hung up his AFL boots at the end of the 2000 season.

“My plan was always to end up back there (on the farm),” James said.

“I'm a fifth generation farmer (and) I still work on the family farm in the Adelaide Hills.

“Even when I was playing, I would train in the morning at Adelaide and then go back (to the farm) and work three or four hours, then I’d go and do my afternoon session.”

James, now 48, is married with two children - Archie, 14, and Lily, 11.

He hasn’t been completely lost to football either.

After finishing with the Crows, the former-on-baller went back to Norwood and won three best and fairest awards, as well as captaining the club and his state.

Once his SANFL career ended, James returned to his junior Club, Kersbrook, in the Adelaide Hills Football League’s Division Two competition.

He was a player and coach at the Club for 15 years, before deciding to step away at the end of this season with five flags to his name. 

“I always planned that I’d go back to Kersbrook, too,” James said.

“But it’s kind of got to that point now where my kids are pretty active with sport and between work and their sport, I was kind of just running out of hours and something had to give.

“I thought 15 years is long enough for coaching.

“That (the 2021 premiership) was a nice way to finish up.”

James was recruited by Collingwood at the 1992 AFL Draft with pick No.32, lining up in 42 AFL games for the Magpies before requesting a trade back home to SA.

Adelaide and Collingwood agreed to a trade in 1996 in exchange for another Norwood product, Jonathon Ross.

James went on to play 76 AFL games for the Crows, including the 1997 and 1998 flag wins.

“Collingwood picked me up and then I didn’t go to Melbourne for a year or so, I was happy playing for Norwood,” James said.

“But in saying that, it was one of the best things I did, going up there having to grow up and look after myself a bit more.

“It was a really good experience and I got to play in some really big games.

“Then when the Crows started… bigger opportunities came up with the AFL and I went down that path.”

James said he enjoyed his time with Adelaide and counted his lucky stars he played in the two premierships.

“The first time we won the premiership, we were a reasonably young group and I don’t think the whole group realised, other than a few of the older boys, how hard it was,” James said.

“You don’t realise how hard it is to get there and then to win.

“But I think the second year when we beat the Kangaroos, we actually understood how big of a deal it was.

“It was definitely a fantastic period in my footy career.”

James’ son Archie is involved with Norwood’s development squads, while his daughter Lily plays netball for Tango.

He still follows the Crows and hopes to attend more games at Adelaide Oval now that his country footy coaching and playing career has ended.

“Looking at what Adelaide are doing, I think they're only a couple of years away from, I think, being pretty strong.

“It’s amazing how quickly you can jump if everything falls into place.”