Crows defender Tom Doedee ‘a pretty special player’, says dual premiership coach Malcolm Blight

Crows legend Malcolm Blight has forecast stardom for AFL Rising Star runner-up Tom Doedee, declaring he is on track to become one of Adelaide’s great players.

Crow Tom Doedee celebrates after kicking a goal against Port Adelaide in Showdown 45. Picture: SARAH REED.

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CROWS legend Malcolm Blight has forecast stardom for AFL Rising Star runner-up Tom Doedee, declaring he is on track to become one of Adelaide’s great players.

Stuck in the SANFL for two years before making his AFL debut last season, the shock 2015 first-round draft pick was a rare shining light in a horror 2018 campaign for Adelaide, finishing second behind Collingwood sharpshooter Jaidyn Stephenson for the AFL’s best young player award.

Now the Crows’ only premiership coach Blight, nicknamed “The Messiah’’ for leading the club to consecutive flags in 1997-98, says the 22-year-old defender has the attributes to become one of the league’s genuine stars who can impact games at both ends of the ground.

He compared the 188cm Doedee to West Coast premiership utility and triple All-Australian Jeremy McGovern.

“Doedee has all the tools to develop into one of Adelaide’s most important players,’’ Australian Football Hall of Fame legend Blight told The Advertiser.

“He’s fearless and just wants the ball in his hands, either in the air or on the ground.

“A lot of blokes want it on the ground but not everyone wants to go hard in the air like he does. He loves the contest in the air, which is terrific.

“He’s only young, in his second year (of AFL) really, but somewhere down the track he might be like the McGovern boys — Jeremy and Mitch — because of the ability he has which should allow him to play well at either end.

“He is shaping as a really important player for his football club because he has all the tools.

“If there are 10 qualities you need as a player, he’s probably got eight of them.’’

Crows recruiting guru Hamish Ogilvie pulled a rabbit out of the hat when he drafted Victorian Doedee — a former gun basketball junior who dreamt of playing at a US college — at pick 17 from TAC Cup club Geelong Falcons at the 2015 draft in Adelaide.

Most clubs, it is understood, had Doedee rated as no higher than a third-round pick and Adelaide was criticised for taking him ahead of local boy Ryan Burton, who went to Hawthorn two selections later at 19.

A fine athlete rather than a polished footballer when he arrived at West Lakes, Doedee spent two years refining his game — and working on his kick — in the SANFL before being blooded in round one against Essendon last year.

He became a mainstay in the Crows’ AFL side, missing only two games — through injury against Melbourne in round 19 (concussion) and Carlton in round 23 (broken collarbone) — and averaging 18.1 disposals, 7.5 intercept possessions, 5.6 marks and 3.2 rebound 50s to finish sixth in the club’s best and fairest award.

Blight believes he can quickly push for All-Australian selection.

“He’s a good athlete, he’s got pace, spring, courage, timing and awareness and he can mark it,’’ he said.

“Once he gets some more game time into him I think you’ll have a pretty special player.’’