An emotional tsunami of elation, grief, swings and roundabouts has washed over Adelaide

JOSH Jenkins has revealed the emotional tsunami of elation, grief, swings and roundabouts that washed over Adelaide as skipper Taylor Walker honoured fallen coach Phil Walsh with a symbolic preliminary final sealer against Geelong.

Josh Jenkins celebrates after kicking a goal during the preliminary final win over geelong at Adelaide Oval on Friday night. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

JOSH Jenkins has revealed the emotional tsunami of elation, grief, swings and roundabouts that washed over Adelaide as skipper Taylor Walker honoured fallen coach Phil Walsh with a symbolic preliminary final sealer against Geelong.

Jenkins concedes there’s no script for his journey from anonymous basketballer to making AFL’s big dance with Crows comrades who have responded to unspeakable tragedy. There’s sympathy for conquered friend Patrick Dangerfield and a premiership dream they will never share.

“It is so surreal. As a 17-year-old I was trying to make a buck playing basketball and wasn’t even watching grand finals until about five years ago,” Jenkins told the Sunday Mail.

“The things we have gone through as a footy club away from the field have been immense, really tough to deal with at different stages.”

Walker - the man appointed skipper by Walsh in 2015 - slotted two final-quarter goals with a nod to the heavens on Friday night. Jenkins booted his fourth and final goal of Adelaide’s runaway route to the decider.

Adelaide performed like men possessed against the Cats - hard-boiled by traumatic events that claimed formed head coach Walsh and assistant Dean Bailey.

The recent passing of Sam Jacobs’s brother, Aaron, saw Adelaide respond with a tried and tested support network. The Crows are unbreakable on-field and off under head coach Don Pyke.

“We have leaned on each other, even a month ago with Sam, who had the rest of us to lean on, and that is why we feel we are hopefully a premiership winning team,” said Jenkins.

“Walshy started this and Pykey has taken it to another level, is our coach. Walshy came in and set a standard that we live by until this day. He put things in place around the foot club within our leadership group.

“He holds a special place in our heart the same way Dean Bailey and Sam’s brother. We play for those guys and ourselves. We have put in a lot of effort.”

Jenkins is a refreshing, informative and intriguing media voice but felt uncomfortable with pre-game comments that Dangerfield could have been a Brownlow Medallist and premiership player with Adelaide. Jenkins’ assessment appears prescient but that’s of no satisfaction to the 200cm power forward.

“It was on my mind when I first said it and that was two weeks ago. I admit I could have a few of those words back, it didn’t sound great. We will get together after the season finishes, have dinner. Great friendships last a lot longer than footy careers.

“That is the kind of guy he is, one of my best friends in life and something like that won’t come between us.”

The build-up for a preliminary final is notoriously tense but Jenkins said excruciating nerves gave way to relief as Adelaide hit the ground running with match-winning six-goal first term. It was a tick to progress made under Walsh and Pyke.

‘I was really anxious. We feel like we have played the best footy of anyone for the majority of the year, but it is a one-off game. These Geelong guys had been there and we had the utmost respect for the football club,” said Jenkins.

While Adelaide has overcome exceptional adversity to win a grand final spot, Jenkins empathised with the knee injury heartbreak that Brodie Smith must carry for another year. High-leaping Mitch McGovern is also in doubt with a hamstring strain.

Jenkins noted one man’s pain was another’s opportunity in September with Paul Seedsman booting two goals as Smith’s replacement and Andy Otten one against the Cats.

“I remember sitting with Paul a couple of months ago and saying, ‘we will need you at some stage’. He is an AFL player, showed it and gets a chance to play in an AFL grand final. Andy Otten’s timing is pretty good, he played his role,” said Jenkins.

“Now we have to look after ourselves and embrace it, we all want to win.”