Adelaide Irish recruit Karl Gallagher says his first game of Australian rules football is a day he will never forget. 

Gallagher played his first official game for the Club last Friday afternoon in Adelaide’s Round One SANFL victory over South Adelaide at Noarlunga Oval.

Trailing by 26 points at half-time, the Crows flicked the switch after the main break to steal a five point win.

Speaking to AFC Media, Gallagher recounted what was an eventful day at Noarlunga. 

“It was pretty exciting, I was looking forward to it after a long preseason and a couple of practice matches,” Gallagher said.

“It was good to get to play a match, you learn a lot more from a match then you would from practice games, so I enjoyed it.

“It was a good game to be a part of and I am sure for the spectators it would have been very exciting.

“We had a chat at half time to get a few things sorted and I’m glad we came out in the second half and did well to come back and get the win.”

The 22-year-old showcased his talents on debut, kicking an impressive goal in the third term.

Gallagher crumbed the ball off the ground just before the boundary line, dropped it straight onto his boot and snuck it through, as the Crows continued to wrestle back momentum.

“I missed one earlier on in the game and I was quite disappointed in myself,” he said.

“Lucky I got the chance again and when I got the ball in my hands I thought there was only one place to put it.”

Since joining the Club in January, Gallagher has spent time training as both a defender and forward, as he quickly got up to speed with the nuances of the game. 

Making his SANFL debut as a forward, he said he feels most comfortable around the sticks. 

“At the start of the year I had a chat with the coaches and we agreed that it would be a good decision to go down back for a while and learn the game from defense,” Gallagher said.

“They said it is a lot easier because you can see more of the game unfolding.

“I am a forward back at home, I have always been a forward.

“There is still time for change but I am happy playing at forward.”