We complete our two-part series of the most read stories and topics on afc.com.au in 2016.
Fans love to read about what happens behind the scenes and Katrina Gill’s report about Adelaide’s rushed post-match efforts to catch the last flight from Perth to Adelaide late in the season provided great insight to the logistics behind the plan.
The last minor round of the season was ahead so the Showdown win over Port was overshadowed by discussion about Rory Sloane’s clash with the Power’s Brett Ebert. Unfortunately for the Crows and Sloane, the star midfielder received a one-match ban from the Match Review Panel.
To add to the pain, Adelaide lost to West Coast at Adelaide Oval and missed the chance to stay inside the top four, instead sending the Club into an Elimination Final against North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval.
Six days after Adelaide’s season ended at the hands of Sydney at the SCG, Sloane joined elite company by winning his second Crows Club Champion award. Sloane, who also claimed the gold jacket in 2013, edged out Eddie Betts to claim the Malcolm Blight Medal.
And Sloane was back in the news a couple of weeks later after marrying Belinda Riverso in one of the couple’s favourite spots, Byron Bay.
The release of the 2017 AFL fixture was the next big news item at the end of October, with the Crows awarded a series of Friday night blockbusters in its 2017 schedule. Adelaide was given five matches in the showcase timeslot – and four of these games at Adelaide Oval.
The AFL National Draft was an opportunity for the Crows to add some talented young players to the list and everyone wanted to know more about our first selection, midfielder Jordan Gallucci. By the end of the night Adelaide had also picked Myles Poholke, Elliott Himmelberg, Matt Signorello and Ben Davis.
And three days later the Adelaide Football Club finally had its first father-son recruit. Ending months of uncertainty – and years of anticipation because of the first-class family ties - Adelaide activated its father-son nomination for Ben Jarman at the AFL Rookie Draft.
