Josh Rachele’s plan to become the Adelaide Crows’ next big star after huge off-season

Most people run away from high performance gurus like Darren Burgess. Not Josh Rachele. The Crows’ rising star put in a mountain of work over the off-season in a quest to become Adelaide’s next big thing.

Some Adelaide players might try and steer clear of the Crows high performance guru Darren Burgess as much as they can during their off-season.

Not Josh Rachele.

On a constant basis across the off-season Rachele would regularly check in with Burgess regarding his training data.

“He is someone I can always send my information to, how I was going,” Rachele told this masthead.

“I think it has just kept me accountable, and he has always been a fantastic resource since I first came to the club.

“So it has been really good to have him by my side and he is someone I always get a lot of advice from.”

Going into his third season the information Rachele has been passing back to Burgess has been extremely positive.

Shepparton-born young gun Josh Rachele has put in more work than nearly anyone else at the club over the off-season. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

With barely a session missed this pre-season, Rachele’s repeat speed has improved significantly ahead of more midfield time being on the cards for the young gun.

“When I first came to the club I was someone who probably physically had the strength but I had to focus on getting leaner and fitter,” he said.

“That was something that I had to kind of work on since I got to the club and I think building that aerobic base was something I have done over the last few years.

“And now I think I am at a base where I can kind of pinch-hit in the midfield and play out four quarters a lot better than I have in the past and being able to do those repeat sprints as a high-half forward or in the mid.

“I’ve gotten bigger in size but a lot leaner as well, which was the goal.”

The 20-year-old has also taken big strides with his professionalism off the field.

“I’m still learning right now with little things like recovery and diet,” he said.

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“But the biggest thing I have learnt is around the mental side of things, coming in as an 18-year-old you just go out there and all you really know how to do is play football you don’t know how to do the other things.

“So just being consistent with that, and I have bounced off our leaders like Jordan Dawson, Sloaney (Rory Sloane) and Tex (Taylor Walker) they have been massive for me.”

The people Rachele reaches out to isn’t confined to those at West Lakes with his favourite players Toby Greene of GWS and Melbourne’s Christian Petracca also giving him advice.

Compared to Greene in the lead-up to the Crows taking him with the sixth pick of the 2021 draft, Rachele has also been a key observer of how the All-Australian captain has overcome challenges both on and off the field.

A two-match ban for striking GWS’ Harry Perryman last year led Melbourne great Garry Lyon to say Rachele had just informed the AFL world that “I can be got at”.

Rachele has bounced off Crows leaders like Taylor Walker to learn about the mental side of the game. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

So a big focus for Rachele ahead of his third season has been working with the Crows new performance psychologist Rosie Stanimirovic about this balance, to ensure he keeps his cool when things aren’t going to plan.

“I think I’ve always had that bit of fire in me since I was a young kid so just being able to manage that,” he said.

“I think I did get to a pretty good stage with it but I think definitely last year with some form stuff and how I was tracking I think I just broke out.

“So I think being able to control that when form is an issue and there is off-field stuff and just be consistent with that.

“And that is why I work closely with her like the other players have, she has been massive for us.”

But there is also a focus on Rachele keeping the enthusiasm  that has made him a Crows favourite since he came to Adelaide.

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Being so settled in Adelaide makes this easier for the young gun, who lives with teammates and good friends Jake Soligo and Luke Nankervis.

“We have heaps of fun, love living with the boys,” he said.

“They are quite funny, we have a ball. I’ve been living with them for a couple of years now and I think we will be sticking around for a little bit.

“We all have similar passions and we all like to have fun and the main thing is that we are all pretty competitive. If we are playing basketball or table tennis and little things like that.

“And we also have that common goal of becoming better footballers so we are always doing our recovery and extra things like that together.”

Rachele has taken to Adelaide like a duck to water following his move from Shepparton.

And with younger brother Isaac, 18, recently moving to Adelaide for university the Rachele bond to his new home has become stronger.

Josh Rachele and his brother Isaac, with the younger Rachele making his way across to study at Adelaide. Picture: Ben Clark

“He moved over about three or four weeks ago, he is studying health and medical science at Adelaide Uni,” he said.

“And he is living on campus... so it has been really good catching up with him a little bit.

“He has been quite enjoying the uni lifestyle, O Week the first week he was out and about every night but now he is realising that it is not all fun and games.”

Could more family members be on their way to Adelaide from Shepparton and the family orchard?

“I’ve got my other younger brother, who is Isaac’s twin Lucas. He is just doing his business apprenticeship at the moment and it wouldn’t surprise me when he finishes if he wants to come around,” he said.

“My cousins also love coming over here, they are coming for Gather Round and my 21st so yeah they really love Adelaide.”

But there is nothing like sauce day at the Racheles back in Victoria.

“It’s fun, it’s just an annual tradition we do every year with all my cousins,” he said.

“It has been a bit hard because I am in Adelaide now but we kind of try to fit it in when I can do it. I think they made a batch a couple of weeks ago.

“But I’ll be back in Shepparton in a couple of weeks for my cousin’s engagement so I’m hoping  to make another batch.”

Rachele is yet to compare his efforts in making sauce to that of Crows legend and board member Mark Ricciuto.

But the Rachele product is a hit among his fellow teammates.

“I gave some to Tex and he used it again the other night and he said it was good, so I think myself and Roo will have to check out each others.”

Settled in Adelaide, Rachele has some lofty goals for what he wants to do at the Crows.

“I think definitely long term being in the leadership group is something I have aspirations for,” he said.

“But for me personally now I just want to be a consistent footballer that everyone can trust that I will be doing my role each week.

“I also really enjoy helping the younger kids, I think we have a really good young core group coming in. All of us one to four year boys are quite close.

“So that is one of my other goals.”

Originally published as Josh Rachele’s plan to become the Adelaide Crows’ next big star after huge off-season