Adelaide Head of Development Marco Bello has been impressed by a raft of emerging Crows since joining the Club two months ago.

The former Hawthorn development coach said Tom Doedee’s leadership qualities impressed him from day one, but several unheralded players have been responsible for lifting the standards across the group. 

“For mine, from the outset, was Tommy Doedee who I know is part of the leadership group,” Bello said.

“But then there’s others who are there - like a Will Hamill, a Ned McHenry, a Ben Davis, these types of players. 

“They’ve really been embracing the new group of coaches but also been really vocal out on the field and starting not to rely on (Rory) Sloane and these types to have their say.

“It’s the next group that are really starting to put up their hand and starting to bring up not only the group below them but starting to get that older group to understand that ‘hey, we’re here for the long haul, bring us along for the ride’.”

Two new players who joined Adelaide over the off-season – Jackson Hately (from Greater Western Sydney) and Mitch Hinge (Brisbane) - have also been important in bringing their training habits inside the four walls from their previous clubs.

Bello had one word to describe the pair: ‘Workhorses’.

“That’s the terminology that springs to mind. They’ve brought an elite training regimen. They really work hard on the track, they work hard off the track, they’ve got their ducks in a row,” Bello said. 

“They know what they want to get out of the day, they’ve planned that, and then they go and execute so that’s been pleasing for mine. 

“But both of those have got terrific abilities on the field, but what I’ve also enjoyed is their ability to get amongst the group - no doubt a daunting task for guys who have been part of a different club to come in.

“They’ve settled in really well and I’m looking forward to what they can do on the field – it will be really exciting for everyone.”

With the Club entering a development phase, Bello said having these standards driven from within the playing group was critical to future success.

“It’s ensuring they are starting to create those habits, it’s not coach driven,” he said.

“We’ll certainly guide them in the right direction, we’ll certainly assist them in how to achieve it, but they need to drive those habits, so the peers they associate themselves with will help that in the long run as well. 

“Hopefully in the short term, it’s them coming to us, but then post-that it’s them and the leaders driving that standard.”