Adelaide dual-premiership captain Mark Bickley never gave much thought to leadership.

The original Crows No. 26, who was appointed captain in 1997 following the arrival of Malcolm Blight, told The Optus Crows Show he was just focused on his place in the side.

“I was really just battling to establish myself in the team,” Bickley said.

“We were still a fledgling Club and we didn’t know how long it would take to become a real strong competitor. 

“We got there reasonably quickly in 93 and made it to the prelim… then we had a couple of years in the wilderness.

“I hadn’t even thought about leadership.”

As is well-known, Blight’s arrival sparked the Crows into back-to-back premierships.

“When Blighty arrived, there was a lot of uncertainty,” Bickley said.

“We’d missed the finals for a number of years in a row… (but) when things click and go right, there’s no ceilings on it.

“That was particularly true in the back half of 1997.”

Looking back to his first match - Essendon at Windy Hill in Round Four, 1991 - Bickley said he still “couldn’t believe he’d been invited out”.

“I think it was just excitement really, I was a young bloke from the country who'd played for South for a couple of years,” he said. 

“I didn’t have a contact during the week, so Neil Kerley called me into his office and put a contract in front of me and said ‘you’re playing’.

“That was even before selection, which which just shows Kerls had a fair bit to do in what was going on.

“Signing that, ringing mum and dad and telling them… we were all very excited.”

Also on The Optus Crows Show this week, Taylor Walker reflects on the 2017 home preliminary final against Geelong and captain Rory Sloane a kind gesture from a young Crow.

The Optus Crows Show will air on Sunday at 11.30am ACST on Channel 7 and be available to watch in full at afc.com.au.