How Eddie Betts has gone from “overpaid’’ to a bargain buy for the Adelaide Crows

EDDIE Betts has been worth his weight in gold since moving to Adelaide from Carlton. Andrew Capel reports how a Phil Walsh decision to give him more time in the midfield has proven a masterstroke.

“HE’S everything I thought he was and a bit more’’.

That’s Crows coach Phil Walsh’s description of Fast Eddie – Adelaide’s dynamic pocket rocket Eddie Betts.

When the Crows’ splurged out $2 million over four years to entice the free agent from Carlton at the end of 2013, the perception among the football public was Adelaide had overpaid in a desperate bid to strike back for losing ace forwards Kurt Tippett to Sydney and Jack Gunston to Hawthorn in the previous two years.

But Betts has been worth every cent and more.

Already a highly-accomplished small forward at the Blues, in two seasons at Adelaide the 173cm dynamo has become the best game’s premier small goalsneak and turned into a bargain buy.

The 28-year-old kicked a career-best 51 goals in his first season with the Crows last year, winning the club’s leading goalkicker award.

After six rounds this year, Betts is on pace for a 70-plus goals season.

He is averaging a career-high 3.3 goals a game and sits second in the race for the Coleman Medal as the league’s leading goalkicker, with 20.

Only West Coast’s Josh Kennedy, with 23, has booted more. But Betts is not just a key goalkicker, he is elite at setting them up too.

In statistics which should bring tears to the eyes of long-suffering Carlton fans, Betts leads all small forwards in goals, scoreboard impact (29.2 points a game), Champion Data ranking points (106), marks inside 50 (2.5 a game) and groundball-gets inside 50 (average 3.7).

He also ranks second in score assists with 14 – two behind leader, Hawk Cyril Rioli.

“He’s been in terrific form,” Walsh noted after Betts bagged five majors in the Crows’ 41-point win against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium last Saturday. “He brings other people into the game, plays a bit of a role in the midfield and hits the scoreboard for us.

“I’ve scouted against Eddie Betts and know what a good player he is, but getting to know the guy, he’s just a terrific fella.

“He thinks team first, wants to make the club better.’’

Betts is in the middle of a career purple patch.

He has kicked goals in all six matches, including four bags of four or more.

Betts booted four against North Melbourne in round one and the Western Bulldogs in round four and five against Port Adelaide in Showdown 38 and against the Suns.

He’s so popular among Crows fans he has a pocket named after him at Adelaide Oval in front of the scoreboard.

It was last year dubbed the “Eddie Betts Pocket’’ after he booted some miraculous goals from the boundary and memorably hugged a fan after one remarkable shot.

Betts was the AFL’s score assist king in the five years before joining Adelaide, recording 27 more than any other player. He kicked 290 goals in 184 games for the Blues at an average of 1.57 goals a game but was renowned as much for his baggy shorts as his game-changing ability.

He has more than doubled his Carlton goals average this year while recording a career-high disposals average of 15.5.

Walsh’s decision to release him for short stints into the midfield has reaped dividends.

“I’ve been playing as a small forward my whole career and it’s a hard position to play,” Betts said.

“You’ve usually got an opponent who nags you the whole game, so it’s good to get up the ground, get a few touches and get your confidence going.”

The statistics show Walsh has pulled off a masterstroke.

POCKET ROCKET

Crow Eddie Betts is the AFL’s most dominant small forward, this season leading or ranking highly in a host of key categories.

2015 rankings for small forwards

Betts’ Ave AFL Rank

Ranking Points 106 1

Marks inside 50 2.5 1

Groundball-gets inside 50 3.7 1

Score assists 2.3 2

Score involvements 8.3 1

Goals 3.3 1

Scoreboard impact 29.2 Pts 1

STANDING TALL

Leading goalkickers after Round 6

Josh Kennedy (WCE) 23

Eddie Betts (Adel) 20

Jeremy Cameron (GWS) 19

Taylor Walker (Adel) 18

Josh Bruce (SK) 18

Jay Schulz (Port) 17

Score assists after Round 6

Cyril Rioli (Haw) 16

Eddie Betts (Adel) 14

Jack Gunston (Haw) 14

Jordan Lewis (Haw) 13

Tom Lynch (Adel) 13

Darcy Lang (Geel) 13

GETTING BETT-ER

Eddie Betts has taken his game to the next level since joining the Crows.

2009-13* 2014-15

Goals 1.9 (Eq 15th) 2.5 (Eq 7th)

Score assists 1.8 (1st) 2.0 (Eq 2nd)

Scoreboard impact 20.1 Pts (5th) 24.6 (4th)

* min. 75 games

CROWS SCORE INVOLVEMENTS 2014-15

Eddie Betts 27.0%

Patrick Dangerfield 24.3%

Rory Sloane 24.1%

Sam Jacobs 22.6%

Taylor Walker 21.4%