As the Crow flies: Mathews out to give ex-club a case of the Blues

James Mathews was on the verge of winning a spot on Adelaide’s AFL list three years ago. Now, with his new club Sturt, he is trying to deny the Crows a slice of SANFL history.

It could all have been so different for James Mathews.

As the Sturt speedster prepares for Sunday’s SANFL preliminary final against his former club Adelaide, his mind casts back to a career-defining knee injury suffered three years ago.

Mathews, a classy small forward who was in the Crows’ SANFL development squad, was on the verge of earning a spot on the club’s AFL list via the pre-season supplemental selection period when he fell at the last hurdle, breaking down in an under-23 practice match against Port Adelaide.

Scans revealed he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, costing him the 2020 season and a Crows contract.

His AFL dream had been shattered.

“I did everything right for that four-to-five month period over the pre-season, doing a full AFL pre-season and training with the best, which was an awesome experience,’’ Mathews said.

“It was a good test of my ability and I felt like I took it up to them.

“What happened next was unfortunate but sometimes in sport that’s the way it goes, you can get an injury at the wrong time.

“It was disappointing but I am a big believer that everything happens for a reason.’’

Sturt’s James Mathews at Unley Oval this week. Picture: Matt Turner

At first, the 174cm Mathews’ injury seemed innocuous.

“It just happened over the course of the game,’’ he said.

“I got a knock to the outside of the knee and then had a couple of landings where I felt it slip a little bit.

“Then there were the scans, which showed the damage. It was a bit of a bugger but it’s alright, it’s another part of my story.’’

Mathews’ story will take another twist on Sunday when he tries to prevent his former club from playing in its first SANFL grand final.

He will be donning the blue colours of Sturt, the club he joined last year, despite being offered another SANFL development deal with Adelaide.

The Crows will be coached by Michael Godden, who witnessed just how close Mathews came to earning a spot on their AFL list.

“He was very, very close but unfortunately got injured at the wrong time,’’ Godden said.

“It was really tough on the young man because he did that whole pre-season and was pushing hard for a spot.

“There was a position available and he was right in the mix, doing everything he possibly could to get it, but unfortunately injuries are injuries.’’

James Mathews celebrates one of his four goals for the Crows in their 2019 SANFL first semi-final win against Norwood at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Sarah Reed

Matthews, now 27, had wowed Adelaide with his blistering speed and X-factor in the 2019 SANFL finals, which saw the damaging left-footer kick four goals in its semi-final win against Norwood.

He played five SANFL games that year as a top-up player from McLaren in the Great Southern League - a club he joined as a 16-year-old after switching from soccer, where he had been a standout midfielder, making country representative teams.

After spending a year on the sidelines rehabbing his rebuilt knee, Mathews stayed with Adelaide’s SANFL team in 2021 but kicked only five goals in 12 games.

He was then recommended to Sturt by his McLaren coach Gianni Petrucci, a former Double Blues reserves coach.

“Gianni was a big advocate of Sturt and their culture and I knew Marty (coach Martin Mattner) from my time at the Crows (where he was an assistant coach), so I met with him and things progressed from there,’’ Mathews said.

After a modest first year at Unley, where he kicked only eight goals in 13 games, Mathews has enjoyed a much stronger, 18-goal campaign and shone in some key moments, including kicking a late matchwinning goal against Central District in Round 16.

A flying James Mathews is tackled by Glenelg’s Liam Wisdom at the Bay in Round 9. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

He was electric on the wide expanses of Adelaide Oval in Sturt’s impressive, 32-point first semi-final win against the Bulldogs last week, kicking two goals from 12 disposals, having five inside 50s and laying five tackles.

Mathews threatens to haunt his former club in the preliminary final in what will be his 50th SANFL game.

“He’s been building towards this (finals series),’’ Mattner said.

“Last year he took a while to get going and to understand the way we wanted to play but this year he’s been great and also helped guys like Josh Hone (Sturt's leading goalkicker with 44) and Lachlan Burrows because of his pressure up forward and speed around the ground.’’

Mathews loves playing on the fast deck of Adelaide Oval and said he was looking forward to locking horns with some former Crows teammates in a battle for a grand final berth.

He sees the irony in trying to stop Adelaide from making its first state league grand final after being a member of the side that fell at the final hurdle in 2019, when the Crows lost the preliminary final to Glenelg.

“It’s a bit of fun and adds to the occasion, playing against some blokes you have played with,’’ said Mathews, who is studying teaching.

“You always have a bit of a laugh and extra competition coming up against old mates.’’