Andy Otten says Adelaide’s new SANFL set-up will provide genuine benefits for the Club.

Otten, who had been a South Adelaide player in the SANFL since joining the Crows in 2008, played his first game with the new Crows team on Saturday and helped guide the young side to its first win in three outings at the level.

“This is designed to help everyone in the system – us coming back in and the young boys coming up – to play our own game style and it really paid off today,” Otten said.

“I loved my time at South and they were really good to me and I’ll actually miss them, I made some good friends down there.

“But in terms of the younger players coming in to the Club and the blokes from interstate, it’s going to be really good for them to be around our system more playing the Crows way. Getting a bit of camaraderie between the young fellas is really important for us.”

Otten, who missed five weeks after injuring a knee in the last AFL pre-season game, played across half back and finished with 24 possessions. He controlled the defensive area and provided leadership voice to inexperienced defenders including Sam Siggins, Sam Pfeiffer and Matthew Thompson.

“I had to be real loud and get the boys switched on, that’s what happens with the young fellas,  it’s just   a concentration thing,” he said. “So I knew that if I kept everyone on top of their game we’d give us a chance of winning the game.

“It was good to be out there with the boys again. I’ve missed a bit of footy so it’s always good to get out there, and just to get a win as well was great.”