Queenslander Ben Keays made the move to Adelaide over the weekend after being selected by the Crows in Friday’s Rookie Draft.
The 22-year-old officially began his AFL journey in South Australia’s capital, our number one fact among 10 things you may not know about ‘Keaysy’.
1. He joined Brisbane's list at the 2015 National Draft in Adelaide, picked up by the Lions as an academy selection with pick No.24.
2. Before this year’s draft, he had signed with the Box Hill Hawks in the VFL and was set to play alongside retired Crow Andy Otten until he found out he had been selected in last Friday’s Rookie Draft.
3. He loves basketball and is a big Brisbane Bullets fan. Keays knows 2019 NBL Rookie of the Year Harry Froling personally and plans to attend a few games at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Question is, can we convert him into a 36ers fan?
4. He won two NEAFL premierships with the Brisbane Lions in 2017 and 2019. In 2019, he won the Andrew Ireland Medal for best on ground with 30 disposals, nine tackles and two goals. In this year’s flag victory, he recorded 24 disposals and four goals.
5. One of his teammates in the Lions’ 2019 premiership win also moved to Adelaide, with Ryan Bastinac joining Norwood in the SANFL over the off-season.
6. He also is good friends with Port Adelaide’s Sam Mayes, another former Brisbane teammate, but Keays joked saying he doesn’t think he’ll be spending much time with him as the enemy.
7. Another familiar face is fellow Crows rookie selection Ben Crocker, with the pair spending time together in the AFL Academy during under 18s.
8. He describes himself as a bit of a footy head and is looking forward to immersing himself in a football state after spending most of his life in Queensland.
9. After his first day of training he said was “grateful” for the cooler weather in Adelaide, but we’ll see if Keaysy feels the same in the middle of winter next year.
10. His great-grandfather Fred played football for Fitzroy and Collingwood and served in both World Wars.
