Adelaide fan favourite Eddie Betts has officially returned to Carlton but his time at the Crows won’t be forgotten anytime soon
Eddie Betts’ extraordinary efforts on the field may have not helped bring a long-awaited third premiership but they have influenced and grown a new generation of Adelaide fans. We look back at his 2201 days as a Crow.
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For the past six years, a Crows jumper with the No. 18 on the back has been a very common sight at school footy clinics around South Australia and at Adelaide Oval on game-day.
Star small-forward Eddie Betts’ extraordinary efforts on the field, while close, may have not helped bring the club a long-awaited third premiership but they have influenced and grown a new generation of Crows fans.
And the memories they have will last much longer than 2201 days — the span between his signing and official trade back to Carlton on Monday.
On Friday, October 4, 2013, after accepting a four-year, $2 million offer to join the club as a restricted free agent, Betts was officially unveiled as an Adelaide Crow.
Despite booting 290 goals in 184 games for Carlton, and ranking No. 1 in the competition for score assists in the previous five seasons, the recruitment was met with mixed reaction.
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Why had Adelaide committed to a 26-year-old small-forward, whose form had waned that season — partly due to injury and suspension — on a lucrative, long-term deal?
It was a question many Crows were asking themselves at the time.
But that was 2201 days ago and, while, they are still asking ‘why?’, it’s now in a completely different context.
The only thing Adelaide fans are asking now is how could a 32-year-old small-forward — who Sam Jacobs described as the ‘most exciting player’ he’s played with and who became a fan-favourite and respected leader on and off the field — leave West Lakes?
Regardless of the reason, they’ll be forever grateful to have been witness to what Betts did in the tri-colours, as he heads back to his former club to finish an outstanding career.
After booting 50 goals or more just once in his nine seasons at the Blues, Betts achieved this feat in his first four seasons at the Crows.
With tallies of 51, 58 and 66, Betts won the club’s goalkicking between 2014 and 2016 and finished equal-first on 49 with Taylor Walker in 2017.
These numbers saw Betts finish in the top-five in the Coleman Medal race and earn All-Australia selection in three consecutive seasons from 2015.
His 310 goals — the third-most in the club’s history — from 132 games at the Crows ranks sixth in the competition over the past six seasons.
And when he wasn’t kicking them off his own boot, the mercurial forward was as selfless as they come, tallying the third-most score assists (198) in the AFL during this time.
Of all general forwards, Betts ranks No. 1 in the game in both categories.
Selfless isn’t a word just used to describe Betts on the field, either.
He’s always helped others, with young Crow Tyson Stengle the most recent example in 2019.
After crossing from the Tigers last year, Stengle moved into the family home, alongside Eddie, wife Anna and the couple’s four kids, and Betts become his mentor for all things football — and life.
Stengle is just one of many young players Betts took under his wing, and had a big influence on, during his time at the Crows.
Betts, who played his 300th game earlier this year, becoming only the sixth Indigenous player to reach the milestone in the AFL, was even happy to help educate — and forgive — a woman who racially vilified him during a Showdown in 2016.
Historically Adelaide fans are unforgiving to players who leave the club but there’s little doubt Betts will be cheered if he makes it back to Adelaide Oval in the navy blue.
Especially in front of the scoreboard and the pocket which he made his own — one which is unlikely to renamed by Crows’ fans anytime soon.
EDDIE BETTS AT THE CROWS
Games: 132
Goals: 310 (3rd all-time at the club)
Score assists: 198
Leading goalkicker: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 (Eq-1st)
All-Australian: 2015, 2016, 2017