Recruited from the ten SANFL clubs or enticed home to South Australia from interstate clubs, the 52 players were pulled together over the summer of 1990-91 as the Adelaide Football Club prepared for its entry to the national competition.
This is the fifth in a series of articles to recognise the players’ role in the first year of the Adelaide Football Club.
Peter McIntyre
Guernsey number: 23.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Hawthorn, 1991.
AFC games: 14. AFC goals: 19.
Recruited from: South Adelaide (SANFL).
DOB: January 6, 1967.
Original squad selection 1991.
McIntyre, recruited from country Victoria by South Adelaide, kicked four goals from full forward on debut against Hawthorn in Adelaide’s first game in the AFL. He had injury problems in the first half of the season but he had two more bags of four goals in consecutive weeks later in the season. However, he played only one more AFL game in 1992. Continued to play for South until 1996 and then returned to country Victoria.
Damien Mellow
Original squad selection 1991
Did not play an AFL game.
Recruited from: Norwood (SANFL).
DOB: September 13, 1973.
One of the young guns listed by the Crows, Mellow made his Norwood debut in 1991 but never cracked it at the highest level.
Mark Mickan
Guernsey number: 25.
Crows debut: Round 4 v Essendon, 1991
AFC games: 37. AFC goals: 12.
Recruited from: Brisbane.
DOB: January 30, 1961.
Original squad concession selection 1991.
Recruited from Renmark, Mickan was a late starter in the VFL/AFL despite winning three club best-and fairest awards at West Adelaide, including its 1983 premiership year when he missed the finals because of a knee injury. He was West’s skipper in 1986 and then joined new club Brisbane Bears in 1987 and was appointed as the team’s first captain. An All-Australian ruckman in 1988, Mickan was Brisbane’s leader for three years. But after playing just two games in 1990 (for a club total of 48) he joined Adelaide for its first year in the competition and revived his career in spectacular fashion. Although he missed the first three games, Mickan went on to win Adelaide’s inaugural club champion award. He played only two games in 1993 but still managed to win West’s best-and-fairest award for a fourth time before retiring at the end of that season. He has had two stints as an assistant coach at the AFC and also coached SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens in 1998-99. Now coaching SANFL club Glenelg.
Michael Murphy
Guernsey number: 22.
Crows debut: Round 2 v Carlton, 1991.
AFC games: 16. AFC goals: 41.
Recruited from: Glenelg (SANFL).
DOB: September 8, 1965.
Original squad selection 1991.
Murphy was a strong key forward from Renmark who played three games for North Melbourne in 1988, returned to Glenelg, and then was added to the inaugural Crows list in 1991. Kicked six goals in his second game for the club and then three times bagged five goals in the 1992 season. But injuries and suspensions limited him to 16 games with Adelaide and he then moved to Brisbane where he played 10 games in 1993, including a bag of eight, before a run of hamstring, shoulder and then knee injuries ended his playing career.
Romano Negri
Guernsey number: 1.
Club Debut: Round 1 v Hawthorn, 1991.
AFC games: 6. AFC goals: 0.
Recruited from: Woodville (SANFL).
DOB: September 30, 1964.
Original squad selection 1991.
Recruited by Woodville from Tasmania in 1987, Negri captained the club in its last two seasons before the arrival of the Crows. He was the tallest player in the AFL in 1991, towering over all opponents at 204cm, and played in the Crows’ first match against Hawthorn. But after a promising start he played only four more games in 1991 and then the opening game of 1992. Finished in the SANFL in 1995.
Paul Patterson
Guernsey number: 46.
Crows debut: Round 19 v Richmond, 1991.
AFC games: 9. AFC goals: 2.
Recruited from: West Adelaide (SANFL).
DOB: September 28, 1965.
Original squad selection 1991.
Patterson was a strong, disciplined defender who spent his much of his limited time at the Crows playing full back or centre half back. He was reliable but did not receive many opportunities and he was delisted at the end of 1993.
Andrew Payze
Guernsey number: 24.
Crows debut: Round 19 v Essendon, 1991.
AFC games: 14. AFC goals: 2.
Recruited from: West Torrens (SANFL).
DOB: August 25, 1966.
Original squad selection 1991.
Payze, runner-up in the 1986 Magarey Medal to Greg Anderson, had long been a target for VFL clubs. The West Torrens wingman won a spot on the inaugural Crows list but played only five games in the first season and another nine in 1992. He retired in 1998 after 308 SANFL games with Torrens and Woodville-West Torrens. More than a decade after finishing with the Crows, Payze took up a position on the Adelaide Football Club board. Awarded life membership in 2011.
