‘Talented’ but ‘easily led’ and ‘a follower, not a leader’ - those were the notes in Michael Doughty’s recruiting file when he caught former Crows recruiting manager James Fantasia’s eye as a 20-year-old playing for South Adelaide.

For those not intimately involved with Doughty’s career from the beginning, including his younger teammates and first-year coach Brenton Sanderson, it’s difficult to imagine those remarks were made about the Michael Doughty they know and love today.

Since being picked up by Adelaide as a rookie at the end of 1999, Doughty has transformed himself into one of the most reliable and respected players to walk through the doors at West Lakes.

The 33-year-old has played 226 games - ranked eighth of all-time at Adelaide - and hopes to add another five or six to this tally before hanging up the boots at the end of the season. He was the eighth Crow to reach 200 games, and is one of only 15 players in AFL history to achieve this milestone after starting their career on a rookie list.

Today, Doughty reflects on his early days at the Club as a ‘low point’ of his 13-year career. He regrets letting his family, who “raised me so well”, down.

But he should be more proud of how he was able to turn things around.

“I was pretty immature coming in. I was a bit wild as a young kid and it took two or three years for me to settle,” Doughty said at a press conference to announce his retirement on Wednesday.

“I was easily led and my social behaviour was probably below standard for an AFL footballer. It was okay in Reynella - and they’re great people the Reynella boys - but I was led easily. I had some great times, but my work ethic and discipline to play AFL were probably what I struggled with early on.

“I was lucky enough the Adelaide footy club had enough belief they could turn me around.”

The turnaround started when Neil Craig was appointed senior coach ahead of the 2005 season.

“When ‘Craigy’ first took over we started the Ray McLean leadership program,” Doughty said.

“At the start of ‘05’, I had a pretty confronting session where I had to face some things that people don’t like hearing about themself. I took that feedback onboard and it was probably the starting point of where I turned my career around. I began to understand what it took to be an AFL player.

“The influences I surrounded myself with helped me develop quicker, and no doubt have allowed me to stay in the AFL system as long as I have.”

Those influences included Craig, former captains Simon Goodwin and Mark Ricciuto, and current teammate Brent Reilly.

“I learned some good habits from Simon Goodwin. Neil Craig taught me a lot about life, and Mark ‘Roo’ Ricciuto about leadership.”

Despite an age gap of five years, Doughty and Reilly have developed a close bond.

They spend a lot of time together off the field, often heading out for a hit of golf or a quiet dinner.

Crows teammates joke the pair is joined at the hip, to the point that Reilly was given a framed photo of Doughty in the football department’s Kris Kringle last December. The duo’s families are also close. Reilly was a member of Doughty’s wedding party when he married long-time partner, Sara.

Reilly credits his “best mate” with teaching him many life lessons.

“Dogga took me under his wing. I’ve had some very good mentors throughout my career in Dogga, Roo and Goody. I’ve seen the ups and downs of Dogga’s career. He’s been sensational to me. We’ve worked well together to get the best out of each other and that has showed on the footy field.

“His wife Sara has been really good with my fiancé Jamie, helping her deal with all the things that come with being a footballer’s wife/girlfriend. The whole family has been great. I’ve gotten to know his parents Keith and Maureen quite well.

“We’re really close mates, and will be for the rest of our lives I reckon.”

Doughty’s increased maturity and attention to detail off the field was reflected in his football.

He established himself in the team in 2004, and has since played roles on a wing, as a tagger shutting down stars of the competition including Chris Judd, Gary Ablett Jr and Sam Mitchell, and most recently as a rock in the team’s inexperienced defence.

The evergreen utility made up for a late start to his AFL career by hitting peak form in his later years.

He finished top-five in the Club's best and fairest award in successive years between 2008 and 2010, climbing one spot on the leaderboard every year, from fifth place in 2008, to fourth in 2009 and culminating in a career-best third-place finish in 2010.

Remarkably, he’s only missed 10 matches in the past eight seasons - playing 173 of a possible 183 games.

“As you get older, you learn you have to treat your body like gold,” he said.

“I think I’ve been able to do that, and I’ve been fortunate not to have picked up many injuries late in my career.”

But most significant in the evolution of Michael Doughty has been his jump from a ‘follower’ to a leader.

He was elevated to the peer-voted leadership group midway through Craig’s tenure, only relinquishing the role to allow a younger player to assume more responsibility this season. He still holds an unofficial role as a mentor to the Club’s emerging leaders.

“Mark Ricciuto, Simon Goodwin and Brent Reilly, to name a few, taught Michael to be good. And what Michael did was turn it around, and become a leader in his own right … he taught others to become good,” Harper said.

Reilly describes Doughty’s growth as “enormous”.

“The way Dogga has changed his behaviour, his professionalism now, the way he goes about this footy and the way he’s developed as a leader … you look back and think, ‘where did that come from?’” he said.

“He’s certainly become a strong and courageous leader of the football club.”

Doughty’s selfless attitude was recognised at the 2008 and 2011 Club Champion awards nights, where he received the Best Team Man awards.

Coach Brenton Sanderson only met Doughty (away from the football field) for the first time last October. But it didn’t take the new coach long to develop absolute trust in the veteran defender.

“Dogga has been a great Club man throughout his career,” Sanderson said.

“He is the typical back-pocket, who puts the team before the individual. His ability to mentor those who will eventually take his place in the side is testament to his character.

“While I have coached him for only one season he has quickly become a player I can rely on. He will certainly be difficult to replace.”

In Doughty’s typical ‘no-fuss, no fanfare’ approach, he requested players and staff weren’t present at Wednesday’s press conference. Only Sanderson and Reilly snuck in at the back of the room. The timing of his announcement - three weeks out from finals - was designed to cause minimal distraction to the team.

“It was the hardest thing, speaking to the boys … I started with a joke, so I wouldn’t get any tears,” he said.

“I thought it was best for me and the Club that I spoke about it now. I’ve probably known for 12 weeks and have been speaking to the Club about it for the last two or three.

“We don’t need any distractions going into finals and I don’t need any distractions, personally. I wanted to get it off my chest. I didn’t want it to be about me. I’ve never played for it to be about me. I just want this team and this Club to have success.”

Despite Doughty’s reluctance to be singled out as inspiration, Reilly believes the popular Crow’s imminent retirement will have an effect on the group.

“It’s going to be a big few weeks for us and it adds a little bit more emotion to it, knowing a bloke who has given his all to the footy club is finishing up … we want to send him out with a bang,” Reilly said.

A veteran of 11 finals, including the heart-breaking Preliminary Final losses to West Coast in 2005 and 2006, Doughty hopes to go a step (or two) better this season and reach that elusive Grand Final.

But he says his career won’t be defined by a ‘fairytale finish’.

“It’s not about getting in a Grand Final for me, but for the team and the Club,” he said.

“It could’ve gone either way for me at the end of last year, with the shape of our playing list. So to get the opportunity to play again this year, and end my career the right way … whether that’s with (a premiership), a Grand Final or at least a Finals Series I’m very happy I was given the opportunity to go out on my terms.”

Doughty used his address to the players to deliver a message, which he hopes will resonate with the group in the coming fortnight, heading into September.

“I’ve been involved in a lot of finals series where you’re in and then you’re out. You wake up and think, ‘what happened there?’” he said.

“When I spoke to the playing group, I emphasised the importance of making everything from here on in count. And to make sure we’re able to look each other in the eye after every game, no matter of the result, and hold our heads high that we gave it our all this year.

“This opportunity might not come around again. We’ve had a really good year, but you’ve got to make the most of these opportunities when they come and that’s probably something we didn’t do in ‘05’ and ‘06’. You’ve got to be ruthless in finals and I think this group can do that.

“I’d love that (a premiership) but … either way, I’ll know these blokes gave me everything and that I gave them everything, win or lose.”

Doughty has completed his Level Two Coaching Certificate and plans to stay involved in football after he retires. He also plans to spend some more time with wife Sara and son, Max.

He will leave the game having got the best out of his ability.

“As a player, you just know when it’s time to throw it in,” Doughty said.

“I’ve given everything over the last 13 years. I don’t want to be a player that’s hanging on the list, maybe, going down to South Adelaide very second week. I’ve got a little bit left in the tank and I’d like to end it that way.

“It’s every footballer’s dream to play with the team they support. It was definitely mine … I’ve loved every minute of my time here.”