Young midfielder Mitch Grigg embraced the traditional Powerade shower after being involved in one of the best wins in Adelaide’s recent history on debut against Geelong.
Grigg, 20, earned an AFL call-up on the back of six weeks of solid form for SANFL club, Norwood. But he was forced to wait a little longer for his first minutes as a Crow, starting as the substitute.
The rugged midfielder made an unorthodox entrance into the game, activated as the ‘concussion substitute’ while teammate and housemate Rory Laird was assessed by Adelaide’s medical staff with less than 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
“It was a bit different,” Grigg said of his start in AFL.
“The first five or so minutes came in a bit of a burst and that got me tired. It was a bit of a buzz and I was just running like crazy. The pace of the game compared to SANFL, it went up by about 10 times
‘Lairdy’ is my housemate, so I think he planned it to get me on early.”
Grigg collected two quick possessions and a couple more on the other side of the half-time break before returning to the interchange when Laird received medical clearance. The left-footer came on for good midway through the third quarter, replacing Club Champion Scott Thompson.
He finished the match with 12 possessions and looked comfortable at the level. More importantly, he was part of a victorious Adelaide side that upset Geelong by two points to keep its season alive.
“It was amazing and to be involved in something as special as that, it was an absolute dream come true. A debut and a win … it’s awesome,” Grigg said.
Grigg admitted to having a few nervous moments in the final two minutes of the game when Geelong premiership stars Jimmy Bartel and Harry Taylor both missed shots at goal, which would’ve snatched victory for the Cats.
“The last 60 seconds were probably some of the most nervous moments of my life,” he said.
“Having guys like Jimmy Bartel and then Harry Taylor taking those shots, your heart sinks because they’re quality players. Obviously, they both missed and we’ve come away with an amazing win.”
Grigg was one of seven Crows with fewer than 30 games of experience in action against Geelong at AAMI Stadium on Sunday – and all seven contributed to the thrilling win. Rising Star nominee Brad Crouch continued to impress, collecting 23 possessions and a goal. Laird finished with 21 touches despite spending significant time off the ground, while Luke Brown had 17 in a polished display across half-back. Josh Jenkins and Tom Lynch, who kicked three goals in a crucial third-quarter performance, combined for four goals.
“Crouchy really got us going with that goal. He’s improving each week and he’s going to be a star of this Club,” Grigg said.
“Lairdy and Browny just keep doing their jobs and are really strong back there for us. It gives you confidence coming into the team when you see the young guys doing so well.”
