AFL: How Adelaide Crows young gun Riley Thilthorpe is targeting a breakout year in 2024

Riley Thilthorpe is Adelaide’s highest ever draft pick. He’s shown glimpses of his incredible talent but is yet to fully make his mark. This is how he is going to change this.

Pre-season is a grind for many players, but not for Riley Thilthorpe in 2024.

With a focus on getting stronger, Thilthorpe has barely missed a session ahead of his fourth-year as a Crow making it his most enjoyable pre-season to date since he arrived at West Lakes as Adelaide’s highest ever draft pick.

He is hoping it leads to him turning flashes of his considerable talent to much more consistent performances for a finals-chasing Adelaide outfit, whatever position he is required in.

Last season for Thilthorpe almost summed up the 21-year-old’s career to date.

He showed at his best that he can be as damaging a key forward in the competition, such as his five goal display in the Showdown against Port Adelaide in round 3.

Yet to end the season he was the sub for the Crows as he kicked just the 13 goals on top of that haul, with just one coming in his final six games of the season.

“It was a tough one,” Thilthorpe said of last season as he spoke to this masthead from the Crows’ Community Camp in Port Lincoln.

“Because I showed at my best I was good enough at the level but I definitely wanted more of a consistent impact.

“So that has been a big focus, consistency and I think a big part of that is getting my body right which should allow me to feel better going into games and hopefully be more consistent for the team and have more of an output.”

Thilthorpe said 2023 was a “tough” year for him. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

To do this Thilthorpe changed his off-season focus.

Regarded as one of the best trainers at the club, Thilthorpe’s running ability for a 202cm tall forward who can ruck has always been one of his big strengths.

But at the end of 2023, it was decided that strength would be his focus.

“I’ve always been a decent runner so I sat down with the coaches and Burgo (Darren Burgess) early on and sorted that all out,” he said.

“I knew that I wanted to run less in games and try and have more of an impact and physicality is the way that I do that in my position.

“You have to be pretty strong against the key backs as well as when you are second rucking, it has always been a key focus for me.”

This has resulted in Thilthorpe being ever-present for the Crows this pre-season.

It’s made his fourth edition his favourite so far.

“It has probably been my most enjoyable one because I have been on the track for most of the sessions so I have loved this pre-season to be honest,” he said.

“The last three years I have always had niggles going on and couldn’t quite get the body right so it is nice to be in a spot where I can train every session and I think it is putting me in a good spot for the first part of the year.

“I think it has played a little part but I have put in a lot of work for the past three years now and that has all come together for me and that is why I have got my body in a reasonable spot to attack the year now.

“It has changed a fair bit, I’ve put on a few kilos and lost a lot of that puppy fat that you have when you come in.

“I’ve also gotten a bit leaner so I feel good right now.”

Thilthorpe celebrates a goal for the Crows. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Just what position Thilthorpe takes this pre-season into is still a bit in the air.

Post Christmas his time between forward and ruck has been 50/50 and Thilthorpe himself is still a bit unsure of what this looks like during the season.

“Pre-Chrissie was a lot forward but now we are getting into games it is more ruck work,” he said.

“To be honest I’m actually not sure yet, I’m just trying to make sure that I am going well in both areas and wherever the team needs me we will see.

“I’m feeling pretty good up forward at the moment so I am pretty excited to give up forward a good crack.

“Probably at the moment it is looking forward/second ruck again as in the last couple of years.”

With Adelaide hoping to end a finals drought that stretches back to 2017, Thilthorpe and fellow key forward Darcy Fogarty will be big watches for the Crows.

Taylor Walker is coming off his best ever season of 76 goals but did the Crows not take advantage of the incredible year by the 33-year-old?

Thilthorpe said Fogarty and himself knew they had to step up, but Walker could keep this late-career resurgence going even though he turns 34 in April.

“We both know that Tex is in a great spot at the moment and I don’t expect him to slow down at all but myself and Darce want to help lighten that load and have more of a consistent impact,” he said.

“I think we are both in good spots to do it… the forward line should be pretty good this year again.

“I don’t know how he does it, every year you think he can’t do it again and he just finds a way.

“His marking and his smarts around the game are just so incredible to learn off, and he looks so fit, I’m excited to see him go around again.”

Originally published as AFL: How Adelaide Crows young gun Riley Thilthorpe is targeting a breakout year in 2024