SANFL skipper Ian Callinan says Crows youngster Matt Crouch has all the attributes to develop into a quality AFL midfielder.

In wet, windy and slippery conditions at Richmond Oval on Friday night, 19-year-old Crouch battled valiantly against the battle-hardened Bloods to finish with a remarkable 42 disposals and 13 clearances.

The torrid weather made it difficult for players to win clean possession and gain any clear advantage for their team. But Crouch refused to take a backwards step against West Adelaide and almost dragged the SANFL Crows to victory in a low-scoring affair.

Captain Ian Callinan, a respected tough-nut himself, said Crouch showed he has all the tools to carve out a successful AFL career.

“He’s pretty special, and he certainly knows how to find the ball,” Callinan told afc.com.au after Adelaide’s six-point loss to the Bloods.

“He’s built his game on that contested-style footy, so of course he is going to perform well in conditions like we had tonight.”

Rain lashed Richmond Oval for the majority of the evening on Friday night. Despite skipping away to an early 14-point lead, the SANFL Crows were gradually reeled in by the Bloods in a physical contest.

West Adelaide eventually took the lead midway through the third term and withstood a final-quarter fightback from the SANFL Crows to notch a crucial six-point win and rekindle the Bloods’ 2014 finals hopes.

Callinan said Adelaide’s inaccuracy was costly, after the Crows booted five final-quarter behinds on their way to the side’s eighth loss of the season.

“We definitely had our opportunities late in the game to get the win,” Callinan said.

“But in the end, it was just one of those nights. I don’t think it was through a lack of effort because the boys tried their guts out.”

Callinan’s experience was telling in the trying conditions. The 31-year-old veteran was one of the cleanest ball-users on the ground with 16 possessions, three marks and a magnificent fourth-quarter goal from deep in the northern pocket.

“In those sorts of conditions it can come down to a bit of luck here and there, but that’s footy,” he said.

“That takes nothing away from West though, they were pretty good tonight and I thought they played the conditions well.”

The challenge now lies ahead for the SANFL Crows to qualify for finals in the team’s debut season.

Adelaide sits two wins outside of the top five in eighth position on the league ladder, with fifth-placed South Adelaide still to play its Round 12 fixture. Only six matches remain in the 2014 minor round.

Next week’s clash – against the Panthers at Noarlunga – becomes a must-win game if the Crows are to make a late surge into the top five.

“We’ve got to lick our wounds now and move on quickly.”