Crow Rory Atkins can be one of best wingers in AFL, says Josh Jenkins
RORY Atkins, rumoured to have been on the trade table as the Crows chased Blue Bryce Gibbs, showed against GWS he was a must-keep player - and may end being one of the AFL’s great draft steals.
RORY Atkins was so concerned about hearing his name floated as part of a potential blockbuster trade for Carlton’s Bryce Gibbs in last year’s exchange period that he made an emergency call from the United States to his manager.
“I called my manager (Paul Connors) and he said ‘no, mate, don’t worry about it because we haven’t spoken about that’,’’ the Crows wingman recalled of speculation that he, while on an end-of-season holiday, was part of a trade package that was about to be shipped to the Blues for 2006 No. 1 draft pick Gibbs.
Key forward Mitch McGovern was the other emerging star whose name was continually floated in the media as trade bait for Gibbs, who Adelaide desperately wanted to bring home to improve an underperforming midfield.
Whether the Crows ever considered making Atkins expendable for an All-Australian nominee might never be revealed.
But from what we’ve seen during February and March it would take a special deal to move the Victorian now.
Atkins, 22, has become one of the key movers and shakers in an Adelaide midfield that has been considered the club’s weakness since superstar Patrick Dangerfield joined Geelong at the end of 2015.
The classy left-footer — nicknamed “The Rat’’ by his teammates — enjoyed an excellent JLT pre-season series, leading the Crows in metres gained with 1226 at an average of 409.
Then in Round 1of the premiership season he helped ignite a stunning 56-point triumph against flag favourite Greater Western Sydney.
Statistically it was Atkins’ greatest performance.
He recorded career-highs in SuperCoach points (116), inside 50s (10), goals (three), tackles (seven) and pressure points (50).
Sweet-mover Atkins also gained a whopping 655 metres for his team, had a game-high four running bounces and eight score involvements.
His line-breaking ability was illustrated by his big territorial coverage coming from just 19 disposals.
No other player in the competition averaged more metres per disposal in round 1 than Atkins (34.5).
Significantly, exclusive Champion Data heat maps show Atkins won more ball where it hurts the opposition (in the middle of the ground) than he did last season, when he primarily was used as an outrider.
His performance against the Giants prompted teammate Josh Jenkins to declare he “can be one of the best wingers in the AFL this year, like (West Coast’s) Andrew Gaff and (GWS’s) Tom Scully’’.
“He’s not going to kick three goals every week but he can be really damaging because he’s got such poise with the ball and he’s a guy who we want to have the ball in his hands as much as possible,’’ Jenkins said.
Atkins looms as one of the AFL’s great draft steals.
Tipped as a top-40 selection at the 2012 national draft, he slipped all the way to No. 81 in a year where the Crows were stripped of their top two picks for the Kurt Tippett salary cap saga.
Atkins did not play an AFL game in his first two years at the club as he battled injury and took time to come to terms with the requirements of an AFL program.
But he broke through for eight games in 2015 and played all 24 last year, including two finals, averaging 21 disposals and kicking 11 goals.
Categorised as an “average’’ midfielder by Champion Data at the start of the season, he is poised to quickly jump to above average or elite status.
“I feel I can go to the next level and really make my mark on the competition,’’ Atkins said when pre-season training began.
He has started with a bang!
Rory on the rise
Rory Atkins recorded career-highs in ranking points, inside 50s, goals, tackles and pressure points against GWS. His standout game followed a stellar pre-season series where most of his key statistics were above his career averages, despite the matches being shorter.
* - denotes career highlights
The metre eater
Atkins averaged more metres per disposal than any other player in Round 1.
Here’s how Round 1 looked for average metres gained (per disposal, minimum 10 disposals)
andrew.capel@news.com.au
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