After Adelaide’s 2022 campaign came to an end, the leadership group - Rory Sloane, Tom Doedee, Ben Keays, Jordan Dawson, Reilly O’Brien and Brodie Smith - opened up on how it saw the Crows’ 2022 campaign.
The six players spoke to AFC Media and revealed what their biggest takeaways from the season were.
RORY SLOANE
“The way some of our younger players performed.
“I look at how young our backline is, in particular guys like Nick Murray and Jordon Butts, how little footy they have played. Patty Parnell came in and looked really sharp.
“Then through the midfield, I reckon it’s probably the youngest and most inexperienced midfield we’ve had since I’ve been at the footy Club with guys like Sam Berry, Jake Soligo, Harry Schoenberg – these guys are competing really solidly at the level which I love.
“Then you go to our forward line, obviously led by the big Texan (Taylor Walker) and Fog’s (Darcy Fogarty) improvement.
“Tex is 32 and looks like he’s playing career-best footy. That whole forward line group – Shane McAdam has had another incredible season, probably one of the most consistent players we’ve had this year.
“The growth of a lot of our younger kids, led by one of our eldest players in Tex as well, I think that’s been the standout for me this season – how much improvement there’s been from our young kids as well as they’re competing against seasoned players of the footy world.”
TOM DOEDEE
“I love how this group has found ways to win games, both from the perspective of holding onto leads and also coming back and never stopping fighting.
“I feel as the year went on we consistently competed in games but we weren’t exactly sure how to win and we deviated from our way and the way we know works.
“Once we figured that out like in quarters two to four against Sydney and in the last three games we won and earlier in the year against the Dogs and Richmond, it was sort of a clear blueprint on how we can win games.
“As a leadership group member, to see that sort of permeate through the group, especially when the younger boys really buy into what it means to play our brand of football, was really pleasing.”
BEN KEAYS
“For me, the fact our group is good enough to match it with some of the best teams.
“I think we played some real, strong footy this year.
“I can think of a number of games where we played some top sides and we actually matched them really well.
“That’s been a big takeaway for me.
“The emergence of some of the young guys who have really nailed down a spot is also a takeaway.”
REILLY O’BRIEN
“As a team, I think we matured a lot throughout the year.
“We had our challenges and developed a lot as a team, in terms of our consistency with our young guys, particularly in the back end of the season.
“We started to really get some connection with our ball movement as well,
“I think as a team we’ve come a long way.
“Individually, I learned a lot.”
JORDAN DAWSON
“That our best footy and the way we play will stack up, we just need to be more consistent with that style.
“I think that’s the main thing, that the group coming through and the way we play is exciting.”
BRODIE SMITH
“The growth of the young guys, not just the guys who played in the AFL side, but a lot of the young ones who came in and played really consistent footy in the SANFL.
“I think as a collective squad, just the growth.
“Some of the footy we saw from (Jake) Soligo, (Harry) Schoenberg, (Sam) Berry, (Darcy) Fogarty and (Riley) Thilthorpe (Jordon) Butts and (Nick) Murray they started taking really big steps.
“A few of them really stood up for us when we needed it and got us over the line.
“If that growth continues, instead of being competitive against the top sides, we’ll be beating them regularly which is a real positive and something to look forward to.”
