Video messages, highlights and a vow to make sure Rory Sloane’s 200th game does not fall flat in am empty Adelaide Oval
The Crows have watched video messages from former teammates and highlights of their skipper before training as they vow to make sure Rory Sloane’s 200th game in an empty Adelaide Oval does not fall flat on Saturday.
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Adelaide Crows players have promised each other to bring their own noise and energy to an empty Adelaide Oval on Saturday to make sure captain Rory Sloane’s 200th game does not fall flat.
Video messages from former teammates including Nathan van Berlo and Scott Thompson were shown at the club this week and players also watched highlights of Sloane before training on Tuesday and Thursday before they host Sydney in Round 1.
Defender-turned midfielder and new addition to Adelaide’s leadership group, Brodie Smith, said Sloane’s impending milestone was a nice distraction from an otherwise very abnormal week in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.
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“Sloaney’s 200th has been a big focus throughout the week, distracting us from everything that’s going on, but also that because there aren’t going to be any fans we want to embrace the empty stadium,” Smith said.
“We’ve talked about really celebrating goals and trying to find some enjoyment out of it, drive our own energy and have fun with it.
“It’s our first milestone under Nicksy (Matthew Nicks) and a lot of coaches do it differently – so Tuesday and Thursday Sloaney has been a big focus before training – we’ve watched videos and had guys like Scotty Thompson and Nathan van Berlo send videos about what Sloaney meant to them.
“So that’s been a good pump up for us and I know Sloaney has really enjoyed it.
“We’ve spoken a bit about that he won’t have his family and friends there and the fans can’t celebrate his day, so it’s on us to get around him and make it special for him.”
Smith has been named across halfback, where he was All-Australian in 2014, for Saturday’s clash with the Swans but he is expected to play predominantly through the midfield.
He had 34 disposals in Adelaide’s last Marsh Series game against Gold Coast and said both Sloane and midfield coach Michael Godden – who Smith played under at Woodville-West Torrens in his draft year in 2010 – had been a huge help.
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“It was my plan over the off-season that once I met Nicksy I was going to get on the front foot and say I wanted to play midfield and give us a bit of a different look in there,” Smith said.
“Thankfully I walked into the room and he said to me ‘I want you to play through the midfield this year’ and straight away I thought ‘yep I like this new coach’.
“I’ve worked with Mick Godden and Sloaney has been huge for me as well, he’s really taken me under his wing and helped me on the track with little crafty things around stoppages, what he does and how it looks.
“Mick Godden has given me a heap of help with patterns and other things so I’m really confident now that I can stay in that role and put my best foot forward.
“It’s good timing for me because with the new coach and Godsy taking over the midfield they’ve sort of started from scratch and changed it all up.
“So it’s not just me coming in trying to adapt to something that’s always been there, we’re all learning it together.”
Smith said his reaction to news the AFL season would go ahead as planned this week was relief after days of uncertainty.
“I was really happy, this week has been a bit of a mental challenge of ‘are we playing? Are we not playing?’ and the limited time at the club due to not taking any risks, so a lot of time sitting at home just thinking whether we are going to play,” he said.
“It’s good to know we can lock into Saturday and the intensity and energy at training since then has been really good.”
reece.homfray@news.com.au