Adelaide Crows forward Riley Thilthorpe signs new contract until the end of 2028

After what he showed late this season, many think Riley Thilthorpe will explode in 2025 – and the young Crow will remain at West Lakes a lot longer than that.

Simeon Thomas-Wilson

@Simeon_TW

2 min read

September 2, 2024 - 4:25PM

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Adelaide key forward Riley Thilthorpe has signed a new contract until the end of 2028.

The former No. 2 draft pick was contracted for next season but the Crows have extended one of their brightest young talents.

While he missed much of the 2024 campaign, after a knee injury in the final moments of the Crows’ last pre-season game, a bulked-up Thilthorpe showed why many at West Lakes were predicting a breakout campaign when he did return to the side.

He kicked 15 goals from seven games, with 2025 looking like a massive year for the 22-year-old if he can stay injury free.

“It (injury) was obviously pretty unfortunate but I wouldn’t change anything, I learnt so much about myself during that time and watching from the outside I saw a different perspective of the footy club and how it works,” Thilthorpe said after re-signing

“It brought me back to a better spot post the knee injury where I’m really happy.

“I can’t wait for pre-season, I feel like I was just starting to get going at the back end of this year so I’m excited for a full year and see how we go.

“I believe in the group and believe we’re going to do some good things in the future so I’m really excited about signing on.

“We have a really good culture and a lot of boys signing on just shows that.

“I can’t wait for pre-season, I feel like I was just starting to get going at the back end of this year so I’m excited for a full year and see how we go.”

Riley Thilthorpe has signed a contract extension. Picture: Jason McCawley/AFL Photos

It comes as premiership Demon Alex Neal-Bullen officially informed the club of his desire to be traded to West Lakes next year on Monday.

Melbourne will attempt to secure a quality pick for the hard-running half forward, who is not only an exceptional character, but does a power of work surging up and back and will help the Adelaide forward line function.

That forward line might be unrecognisable in 2025 with the Crows leading the race to land Gold Coast’s Jack Lukosius, if he leaves, while they’ve also shown interest in his Suns’ teammate Malcolm Rosas.