Irishman Mark Keane talks committing to Crows, Showdown performances

There aren’t too many household names down back for the Crows, but perhaps their most unlikely hero has shown in back-to-back Showdowns, that he’s ready for the pressure.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 19: Mark Keane of the Crows during the 2024 AFL Round 06 match between the Adelaide Crows and the Essendon Bombers at Adelaide Oval on April 19, 2024 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

This time last year there were still some doubts whether Mark Keane was fully committed to footy after coming back to Australia from Ireland.

Those fears have been set aside as the Irishman continues his rapid rise after another starring display in a Showdown.

Keane’s 17th game on Thursday night against fierce rivals Port Adelaide might have been the best of his AFL career so far.

He finished with 17 disposals, 10 intercept possessions, six rebound 50s and four marks as he again won his battle against hulking Power forward Charlie Dixon.

The 24-year-old ended up with two Showdown Medal votes and probably was unlucky to not have received more.

It followed on from Keane making his debut for the Crows in last year’s Round 20 Showdown, where he also nullified Dixon.

Keane played a vital role in the Showdown win. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

He said he wasn’t too sure what it was about him and Showdown’s.

“Yeah I’m not too sure I just enjoy playing in any game but the Showdown is special,” he said.

But what Keane is sure about is that he is fully committed to his second crack at footy.

At the start of last year Keane was back in Ireland with no intention of leaving.

He had quit Collingwood at 21-years-old, with a year to run on his contract at the end of 2021.

He was homesick as the coronavirus pandemic forced travel restrictions.

So he went back to Ireland and enjoyed life there with his friends, playing hurling for his county Cork – becoming one of few people who have played that sport and Gaelic football at senior level for the county.

But Fischer McAsey walked away from the game in January and the Crows all of a sudden had an opening and needed a key defender.

Within a week Keane was back in Australia.

“It happened very, very quickly,” he said.

“I was playing for my hurling team back home and I reckon it all happened within a week and I was back here in Adelaide.

“I only came out in the second week of February.”

Given he had no pre-season Keane had low expectations of his 2023.

But quickly he impressed playing for the Crows SANFL side.

Keane has had a different journey to most AFL players. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

There were significant question marks about whether he was fully committed to the lifeline the Crows had handed him.

“When I came back out I knew I was ready to commit,” he said.

“When I was at home that’s when I was making those decisions and once I came back out I was fully committed.”

Injuries gave him his debut with the Crows towards the end of the season, featuring in the final five games of the year for Matthew Nicks’ side.

Because he didn’t have a pre-season last year Keane, whose girlfriend Caoimhe moved over to Australia in November, stayed down under for Christmas.

It has proven to be an inspired decision, with Keane the pick of the Crows’ key defenders so far this season.

There was a slight hiccup when he was concussed in a trial game against the Power, which meant he was out of the side for Round 1, but since he has returned to the side he has impressed.

And the exciting thing for the Crows is that he still has plenty of scope to improve.

“You talk about upside, he is still learning the game Keaney,” Crows senior coach Matthew Nicks said after the Showdown.

“He is getting huge jobs … and he just keeps getting better. I hope that is a trend because I still think he still has a fair way to go.”

The Crows’ young defenders have stood up. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Keane said he had a “few things I wanted to knuckle down on” across the off and pre-season and was learning all the time.

“Just being a professional athlete, knowing what it takes to play consistent AFL footy, building up my fitness and game and just having the confidence to play the game,” he said.

“I don’t think I have played 50 games of footy so it is also still learning the game and building off that.

“I love playing on the best key forwards. You come out of the games actually being taught something as well.

“Any chance I get I like to play on the best.”

There were question marks on the Crows defence coming into this season, but names not well known interstate such as Keane, Josh Worrell and Max Michalanney have impressed and nullified Port Adelaide in the Showdown.

Keane is the eldest of this trio, an exciting statistic for the Crows.

“I suppose we are very young but we are all very well connected and have great connection with each other,” he said.

“We are all in and around the same age and we work really well together and understand each other really well.

“Hopefully we can keep it going, I think we have been holding up pretty well.

“I think we all just love what each other brings to the table. I think we all have different traits and we all love what we bring to the table.”

Originally published as Irishman Mark Keane talks committing to Crows, Showdown performances