New Crow James Peatling says there are a few key people who have had the biggest influence on his football career so far.

And two of those are former AFL players - including a Crows great.

Peatling, who joined Adelaide via a trade with GWS in October, credits his Dad, Justin, former Sydney and St Kilda player Adam Schneider, and ex-Crow Ben Hart for helping to shape him into the footballer he has become.

His Dad, who was originally from Bendigo, ignited his passion for Aussie Rules, while Schneider and Hart both had a hand in his development during his time at the Giants.

“Early on, my Dad was my biggest influence and then one of my first local footy coaches, Kane Smith (from Westbrook Bulldogs), he was very influential in my development,” Peatling said.

“Then once I started getting into state league footy, Adam Schneider (former Sydney and St Kilda player) was massive for me.

“He really gave me the belief that I could be the player I am, before I even thought about it myself.

“More recently, the big one has been Ben Hart, who obviously played at the Crows. He was my midfield coach at the Giants and he was a guy who gave me the trust and belief that I could perform at AFL level.”

Peatling played 45 games for the Giants after being selected in the 2021 mid-season draft, but with a desire for a fresh start and a new challenge, he made the move to Adelaide.

The 24-year-old, who grew up in NSW, crossed to the Crows’ nest with good mate and ex-GWS defender/wingman Isaac Cumming.

Speaking to AFC Media, Peatling said he still had plenty of improvement ahead of him and was looking forward to working with his new coaches and teammates at the Crows.

“When I came over and met with Nicksy (Senior Coach Matthew Nicks), Daws (Captain Jordan Dawson) and a few of the people at the Club, I was intrigued,” Peatling said.

“I got on well with Nicksy, my initial reaction to meeting Daws and a few of the boys was really good, so I thought it was promising, trending in the right direction and something I wanted to be a part of.

“Moving from Sydney was definitely something I had to think about, growing up in Sydney and having my parents still there, as well as my partner being from there, but having Cheese (Isaac Cumming) move over was always going to help.

“All things footy related, I thought signing with the Crows would be the best opportunity for me and I feel like the Club is going to be in a good spot in the next couple of years.”

Peatling joined his new teammates for the start of pre-season training this week and said Crows fans could expect to see plenty of speed and versatility from him in 2024.

“I think I can add some leg speed, my ability to play different roles but also just with a bit of burst around the stoppages and winning my own footy,” Peatling said.

“It’s a pretty young group, so everyone has a lot of energy and everyone is very positive.

“Doing the few training sessions I have, everyone works really hard, so I am looking forward to getting stuck into it and getting to know the boys.

“I’ve only ever played on Adelaide Oval once, so I am looking forward to it. It is one of the premier decks in the competition with the surface and obviously Crows fans pack it out, so it’s going to be great to play in front of a full house.”