A season of frustration for Adelaide has paved the way for breakout opportunities, according to forward Tom Lynch who has seen first-hand the impact of the Club’s newest stars.
Headlined by early season debuts to Tom Doedee and Darcy Fogarty, Lynch said good form in the SANFL had allowed a host of players to match it with the AFL’s best.
“We’ve played a number of guys this year and rewarded form,” Lynch said.
“Patrick Wilson’s had a super year; Elliot Himmelberg I know has been mentioned the last few weeks has been in some great form.
“The likes of Benny Davis, Ben Jarman, I know those boys have been playing some fantastic footy.”
Doedee became the poster boy for perseverance following his two years in the SANFL.
Lynch said his consistency had been a highlight of the 2018 season and the Club was excited to see him back in action next year.
“He’s had a super year for us and been a strong contributor all 22 games, been real consistent for us,” he said.
“He’s someone who came back last year and was really diligent in his program and had a great summer.
“His footy reflected that and we’re really looking forward to him backing it up next year.”
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Hot form at the tail end of the season has also shone a light on young forward Elliot Himmelberg and Lynch said there was plenty of excitement in the forward line to see another big man join the ranks.
“He’s been really developing well the last few years and he’s got a few tricks in his kit bag,” Lynch said.
“The one thing which we’re seeing is he’s really filling out and growing into his body… it’s going to be exciting seeing his development over the summer especially moving into next year.”
“He’s got a really bright future for the footy club.”
Reflecting on what has been a difficult year for the Club, Lynch said he was ready to see star players back in the team and for the Crows to bounce back.
“I’m really excited to get back the likes of Brad Crouch who we’ve missed dearly this year,” he said.
“We just need to make sure the guys look after themselves in the break and have a good rest initially, but then work pretty hard to get themselves into a position to have a strong summer so we can get back to where we need to be.”
