1. Brodie Smith was made for the midfield

Brodie Smith earned All Australian honours in 2014 as a rebounding defender, but it appears his future at the Crows is as a full-time midfielder. 

Smith was electric against Gold Coast, particularly over the first three quarters, to finish as the leading possession getter on the ground with 34 disposals, nine marks and five clearances.

His 28th disposal, at the 24-minute mark of the third quarter, resulted in a goal which gave Adelaide its first lead of the game. 

Smith’s class was evident throughout the contest, gaining a game-high 633 metres for his side in a performance that left AFL Fantasy coaches around the country salivating.

“I thought Smith was outstanding in the stuff we’ve worked on,” coach Matthew Nicks said. 

“He didn’t miss a beat today. The way we’re trying to play suits his game.

“I thought he was a standout for us in the game and a real positive.”

2. Seedsman goes into the square 

Smith won’t be the only fresh face rotating through the Crows’ midfield this season, with Paul Seedsman adding another string to his bow against Gold Coast.

In 2019, he spent almost 80 per cent of his game time on a wing and registered just three centre square attendances for the season. 

On Friday, Seedsman attended nine centre bounces as Matthew Nicks once again rotated several players through the side’s engine room. 

Nicks said post-game he was pleased with Seedsman’s work inside the contest, crediting his toughness and ability to absorb pressure. 

He finished the game with 29 disposals, seven marks, six clearances and a goal.

3. Fischer McAsey did his Round One chances no harm

Top Crows draftee Fischer McAsey showed glimpses of why Adelaide took him at No.6 in last year’s AFL Draft.

The 18-year-old demonstrated composure beyond his years, including booting his first goal in Crows colours late in the second quarter. 

After taking a strong mark on the wing, McAsey received a 50-metre penalty before converting a clean set shot from 45 metres out.

McAsey finished the game with 12 disposals, three marks, three rebound 50s and seven spoils to earn praise from his senior coach.

“Fischer McAsey down back I thought stood out,” Nicks said. 

“He’s composed, he doesn’t make too many mistakes, solid as a backman.” 

Nicks stopped just short of locking him in for a Round One debut, however, with two weeks remaining before the Crows host the Swans at Adelaide Oval.

4. Crows ‘cop a punch in the face’ in the opening quarter

Adelaide was slow out of the blocks at Flinders University Stadium, with Gold Coast booting four of the first five goals in the match. 

The Suns controlled the play in the opening term, dominating a number of key indicators including the contested possession count (48-27) and inside 50s (21-7). 

Matthew Nicks conceded post-game the Crows were beaten by a better side inside the contest in the first 30 minutes of game time.

“(Our) start hurts us. When you come out and cop a punch in the face and you’re not ready, that was probably disappointing,” Nicks said.

“But our guys showed resilience for the second, third and fourth (quarters) and we were able to get the game a little bit more back on our terms.”

5. Walker the ruckman 

Without Elliott Himmelberg and Billy Frampton in Adelaide’s 22 against Gold Coast, the Crows looked at something a little different when it came to supporting No.1 ruckman Reilly O’Brien.

Over the summer, there has been plenty of chatter about Taylor Walker moving from the Crows’ forward line and onto a wing… but against the Suns, Walker provided pinch-hitting in the ruck.

Walker’s highlight came in the third term when the former skipper out-bodied Suns ruckman Zac Smith to pluck the Sherrin straight from a boundary throw-in before slamming it onto his right foot and through for a goal. 

While Nicks was pleased with Walker’s effort, it remains to be seen whether the Crows use him as its back-up ruck option in Round One.

“We tried a couple of things today. We tried the one ruck,” Nicks said.

“That means we brought Tex up into the ruck and I thought we saw some really good stuff in around Tex being near the footy.

“What that does do is make you a little smaller ahead of the ball.

"It was pretty obvious towards the end their backs were able to dominate in the air and we couldn't quite get the contest we wanted ahead of the ball.

"It may be that into round one versus Sydney, we may play a little taller ahead."