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 about their proudest moment of 2022.
TOM DOEDEE
“I love the way we competed towards the end of the year.
“I think the Carlton and the West Coast wins were both huge.
“But I think the Bulldogs win earlier in the year (was my proudest).
“We had some travel troubles with the flight being delayed, the bus rolled in the wrong terminal and then it didn’t pull up to the correct hotel.
“It was all this stuff going on where as a group we all sort of just laughed and took the mickey out of it and got the job done.
“We didn’t let it linger and force us into a poor game.
“The Bulldogs play well in Ballarat, it wasn’t the best conditions, but we just found a way to win that game and it was through a real gritty, contested style of footy.
“That set the precedent for what we wanted to do going forward.”
RORY SLOANE
“I think the way we finished the season (excluding the Showdown).
“The way we were tracking mid-year, we could’ve fallen away.
“There’s probably not one proud moment, but I’m really proud of our group in terms of the way we hung in there.
“We always put up a fight and I think that’s been a pleasing thing watching from the sideline.
“I had never seen us give up and we’ve always just kept fighting which I think is a great quality.”
BEN KEAYS
“The game against the Bulldogs in Ballarat at the start of the year, for me.
“I think that was just a good step for our young group.
“We went down to Ballarat where it’s really hard to win against the Bulldogs - they’ve been pretty good for the past few years.
“It was a funny trip, there were a few things going wrong with a few errors.
“We were driving out on the bus to some strange little town and it was just one of those trips you remember a lot.
“I think it really brought the group together.
“We went out and played the Dogs and won by a point and that certainly sticks out.”
REILLY O’BRIEN
“We had a few really good wins - the first Showdown really stands out.
“The proudest moment for me was probably those wins where we played really well as a team and executed what we tried to do.
“I take a lot of confidence and pride out of those games.
“On a personal level, I’m probably proud of the way I was able to bounce back after being dropped and get back in the team and played some better footy.”
JORDAN DAWSON
“Winning over in West Coast because they had a champion of their Club and the game retiring.
“I think their crowd was 50,000 and to go over there and be challenged, especially late in the game but to come through with the win was a real exciting day.”
BRODIE SMITH
“I’ve got to say Will Hammill kicking a goal because he’ll want to hear that.
“I owe him a night out with a nice steak and a wine.
“I promised him that if he got the goal.
“Being at half-back, we don’t get many opportunities to sneak up there and kick goals, so that was a good one.
“The West Coast game and being Lairdy’s 200th, playing against a tough crowd with 50,000 supporters wanting to see (Josh) Kennedy win the game.
“But it was guys like Soligo and Berry who stepped up and got us over the line.”
