Hayden Kernahan was just six years old when he got his first Crows membership.

Fast forward 15 years and the 21-year-old is now playing for the Club in the SANFL.

“I got my first Crows membership in 2007 and it’s pretty surreal that I’m playing here,” Kernahan said.

“It’s a crazy feeling because I used to come and watch blokes like Rory Sloane on the field and I never thought I’d be going to footy training and being able to kick the footy with them.

“It’s pretty cool seeing those players around the Club.”

Kernahan, whose father is first cousins with Glenelg and Carlton great Stephen Kernahan, signed for Adelaide’s SANFL side last season.

He made his debut in a SANFL Showdown win at Adelaide Oval last year and has since played five more State League matches for Adelaide, including the top-of-the-table win against North Adelaide in Whyalla last week.

Speaking to AFC Media, Kernahan said signing with the Crows as a development player had helped fasttrack his footy and he had enjoyed learning in an elite environment.

“We’ve got a great bunch of lads and I get a lot of one-on-one work with the coaches because it’s obviously a smaller list to what other SANFL clubs have,” Kernahan said.

“I’ve found that really beneficial and the opportunities I’ve had to train with the AFL guys every now and then, as well as the facility here is top class.

“Getting access to the coaches, like Michael Godden who has so much experience, has also been great. It’s just a really cool environment.”

Kernahan first picked up a footy when he was about eight years old and began through Auskick.

He then went on to play with Southern Football League club Cove, before being scouted by South Adelaide and working his way through the Panthers’ junior development squads.

The defender featured in the 2019 under-18 SANFL Grand Final with South Adelaide alongside the likes of North Melbourne’s Jason Horne-Francis and Collingwood’s Beau McCreery.

Kernahan, who juggles footy with working as an apprentice carpenter, says playing in another finals series, this time with the Crows, is high on his agenda.

“I just want to continue to better myself as a player and a person and keep helping the team when it needs me,” Kernahan said.

“Losing the Grand Final in under-18s with South was tough but it just made me hungrier to get another opportunity to play on Adelaide Oval.”

Adelaide sits top of the SANFL ladder after beating the Roosters last week and will play Norwood at Norwood Oval this Saturday at 1.10pm.

“North was on top of the ladder so we knew it was going to be a big game,” Kernahan said.

“It’s always good to test yourself against the best team and fortunately we came out on top.

“It gives us belief that we can hopefully go all the way this year.

“I still think we’ve got our best footy ahead and it’s pretty exciting.”