Adelaide Crows news ahead of Round 16 home game against Brisbane Lions
First-round draftee Luke Pedlar will make his AFL debut on Saturday. And coach Matthew Nicks is excited. See why, plus the video of Mum’s surprise phone call.
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A club great’s re-signing, naming a debutant and its captain choosing to delay surgery has Adelaide feeling buoyed ahead of its home clash with Brisbane on Saturday despite a hectic few days.
The Crows fled SA on Wednesday night after the state recorded five new Covid cases earlier in the day, only for the club to return on Friday morning ahead of Saturday’s match.
In between, Adelaide announced in-form forward Taylor Walker’s one-year contract extension, called up tough midfielder Luke Pedlar for his first game and skipper Rory Sloane postponed surgery on a flexor tendon rupture of his left ring finger until the end of the season.
Crows coach Matthew Nicks said his side’s preparation and travel arrangements were potentially unique but it had maintained its focus on the Lions.
He expected the team could remain in Adelaide post-game.
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“We’re in a good space,” Nicks said.
“We had a player fly for the first time he’s been to Melbourne and with that comes a bit of excitement and the group gets around him and an announcement about a legend of the footy club signing on for another year, so we were able to let the group know about that.
“Time will tell what it (travel) does to us from a preparation point of view because I’m not sure that’s been done before, leaving the state to come back, but we did what we had to do and will do the same again if we have to.
“When you leave your family you don’t know if it’s going to be for two weeks or six or seven weeks, but on this occasion we’re back.”
The Crows made three team changes on Thursday night, bringing in Pedlar and recalling tall forward Billy Frampton and key defender Nick Murray, while omitting Darcy Fogarty, Shane McAdam and Will Hamill.
Nicks called Glenelg product Pedlar a ferocious attacker of the football.
“We talk about our DNA a bit and the fact that we love a fight, he’s probably our prized fighter,” he said.
“He enjoys body contact - some say a little bit random - but that’s what you get with a younger player coming in and that’s what we love about him.
“He’ll be up against a really strong outfit in Brisbane, which will be a good test, but he won’t die wondering.”
"Just wanted to have a chat" 😅📱 The moment Peds found out about his debut 🥳#weflyasonepic.twitter.com/2bqRul6lBM
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) July 2, 2021
Nicks said Fogarty, who started the year in the reserves then played every match from Round 4 to 15, needed to improve his aerial contest work.
Carlton’s intercept marking hurt the Crows in Sunday’s 10-point loss.
“Fog’s weapons are his ability to hit the scoreboard on limited opportunity ... but there are times we just want him to compete in the air and bring the ball to ground,” he said.
“That gives our smaller players some of an opportunity to crumb and can change the game for us, keep us more front half, rather than defend from our backline.”
Nicks said Walker re-signing was huge for the club and the 31-year-old could continue beyond 2022 if he maintained his form.
The former captain has booted 40 goals from 13 matches this season to become an All-Australian contender.
“He’s been huge for me as a coach, on and off the field,” Nicks said.
“This year the way he started the season, he was at another level.
“I have to be honest, at the start there were things that Tex was doing where I had a smile in the box watching him.”
Nicks said Sloane’s decision to keep playing rather than have season-ending surgery this week followed on with “everything else we see about him as a character: the way he plays his footy, team-first”.
The coach described the third-placed Lions as arguably the most consistent side in the competition right now.
TEX LOCKED IN
- Simeon Thomas-Wilson
Taylor Walker has inked a one-year deal with Adelaide, taking him into a 15th season as a Crow.
Walker has been reborn in 2021 and sits second in the Coleman Medal race.
Discussions over a new deal with the former captain started last month. Arguably in career-best form, the 31-year-old has inked a one-year extension at West Lakes.
Walker said he was excited about where senior coach Matthew Nicks was taking the Crows.
“This club has given me more than I could have ever dreamt of and to be able to play on for another season means the world to me,” Walker said.
“This playing group is a unique group and I come to the club every day wanting to get better personally and wanting to give my experience to the young kids, especially the young forwards.
“Nicksy and the coaches have created an environment that is infectious, hard working and enjoyable.
“I’m excited by the steps we’ve taken this season and believe in the direction we are heading so I am excited to be a part of that for a while longer.”
Adelaide list manager Justin Reid said it was a huge boost for the Crows to re-sign their all-time leading goal kicker.
“Taylor’s record speaks for itself, the most successful goal kicker in club history and a leader on and off the field,” Reid said.
“The way he’s been able to return to some of his best form this year is a credit to all the coaches and fitness staff but ultimately to him because it’s taken a mountain of hard work both physical and mental.
“As well as playing good footy, his role in guiding some of our younger players and helping them develop their own games is invaluable to us.”
It leaves senior players Matt Crouch, Daniel Talia, Tom Lynch and Jake Kelly without contracts for next year.
HOW BRO HELPED SLOANE MAKE SURGERY CALL
Adelaide captain Rory Sloane says his injured finger feels really good so he is keen to see out the season.
The Crows have declared the 31-year-old midfielder available to face Brisbane this Saturday after his decision to postpone surgery on a flexor tendon rupture until the end of the campaign.
Sloane tested his left ring finger at training in Adelaide on Tuesday, then in Melbourne on Thursday and consulted with external specialists, as well as club medical staff.
“It felt really good – that was the main thing for me,” Sloane told the club’s website after Thursday’s session.
“The finger’s got quite good flexibility and it’s just the tip of it that doesn’t move so much.
“The last check off was if it feels good training and I can still mark and kick and tackle, then I’ll continue on playing.”
Sloane sustained the injury in the Crows’ 10-point loss to Carlton at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
He returned to Melbourne on Wednesday night as Adelaide’s full squad escaped SA after the state recorded five new Covid cases.
Sloane said he had a choice between having season-ending surgery that would return his finger to full strength or delaying the procedure and the injury being almost back to normal.
“I spoke to my brother early in the week and pitched him the scenario, if he could have one game of footy but have a slightly stiffened finger in that wedding finger, would he take that and he said ‘of course’,” he said.
“That for me summed it up.
“I want to play as many games and help these kids out as much as I can towards the back part of my career.”
Crows football manager Adam Kelly said the club would continue to monitor Sloane’s issue.
Sloane missed rounds 4 to 7 this year after having eye surgery for a detached retina.
He was sidelined for five matches last season due to a fractured hand.
Adelaide’s injury list may shrink in coming days as Tom Lynch faces a test for a left big toe injury.
The veteran resumed training with the Crows’ main group this week, almost two months after having arthroscopic surgery, and could be available to play this round.
“His most recent weeks have been really progressive,” Kelly said.
Kelly said small forward Lachlan Murphy no longer had an ankle concern after returning from surgery via the SANFL last weekend.
Murphy sustained the syndesmosis issue in Round 8.
Midfielder Matt Crouch (groin) is listed as being five weeks away from returning, while there is still no timeline on key defender Daniel Talia’s comeback from a foot problem.
Both have been running at training this week.
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Originally published as Adelaide Crows news ahead of Round 16 home game against Brisbane Lions
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