SA police commissioner Grant Stevens to replace Mark Ricciuto on Crows’ board
South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has joined Adelaide Football Club’s board after replacing retiring club legend Mark Ricciuto.
South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens is joining Adelaide Football Club’s board.
Stevens, who has led the state’s law enforcement since 2015 and is a long-time passionate Crows supporter, has replaced club great Mark Ricciuto.
Ricciuto retired as a director on Thursday after reaching his 12-year tenure limit in line with Adelaide’s constitution.
Stevens has a high public profile in South Australia having played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic as the state co-ordinator.
He has been a member of the police force for four decades, received the Australian Police Medal in 2012 and is now the Adelaide Footy League’s patron.
Crows chairman John Olsen said Stevens was a highly credentialed and respected community leader with a broad skillset that would complement the other directors.
“Grant is a trusted leader, who has a deep commitment to serving our community, and he is particularly well known for his steady leadership in times of crisis,” Olsen said.
“His calm guidance during the global pandemic quite rightly earned him widespread praise and respect, and he has overseen some of our State’s most significant law enforcement and emergency initiatives.
“He also has a proven history in leading large and diverse groups of people.”
Stevens called the appointment a privilege.
“I’ve always been passionate about my footy and been involved in various roles at a grassroots level over the years,” Stevens said.
“I look forward to learning more about the club’s operations and using my many and varied experiences to help where I can.”
Ricciuto, who played 312 games for the Crows from 1993-2007 and captained the club between 2001 and 2007, joined the board in mid-2014 and became football director.
Olsen said Ricciuto was a club legend who had been a composed, reasoned voice around the board table.
“Many people are passionate about the Crows but very few are willing to volunteer their time and energy to the level and longevity which he has done,” Olsen said.
“His vision, football expertise and insights, support and club-first attitude have helped shape our strategic direction and foster a high-performance environment which should hold us in good stead for years to come.”
Ricciuto served on the Crows’ football strategy and list management committees during his tenure, while helping push for and raise capital towards the club’s new headquarters, set to be at Thebarton from the end of 2026.
His decorated playing career includes being Adelaide’s longest-serving captain, winning the club’s first and only Brownlow Medal (2003), holding a joint Crows’ men’s record three best-and-fairests, being part of the 1998 premiership and making eight All-Australian teams.
Speaking earlier this week, before the announcement, Ricciuto told this masthead he’d had a great run and had enjoyed his time on the board.
“I’m not going to be lost to the footy club,” Ricciuto said.
“I’m still going to be hanging around and helping out when needed.
“Everyone at the footy club is really focused .... and hungry for success.
“I’m really confident with average luck the footy club is going to have a good year in 2026.”
Adelaide added more football acumen to its board in February knowing Ricciuto would be stepping down, when it appointed highly experienced administrator Neil Balme and former Crows player and St Kilda list boss James Gallagher.
Stevens joins Olsen, Balme, Gallagher, Linda Fellows (deputy Chair), Richard Fennell, Stephen Roche, Shanti Berggren, Graeme Goodings and Imelda Lynch as a Crows director.
Originally published as SA police commissioner Grant Stevens to replace Mark Ricciuto on Crows’ board
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