Adelaide has added former Sydney big man Lachlan McAndrew to its senior list

Backup Adelaide ruckman Kieran Strachan has been moved to the inactive list after an injury setback – but the Crows snuck in some paperwork to replace him.

Adelaide has pulled an SSP swiftie with the Crows signing former Sydney ruckman Lachlan McAndrew.

The former Swan was added to the Crows’ SANFL squad after backup ruckman Kieran Strachan suffered a foot injury last year.

The 210cm McAndrew has impressed during the pre-season at West Lakes, getting the better of the Crows’ No. 1 ruckman Reilly O’Brien in their internal trial in Port Pirie two weeks ago.

This prompted calls from fans online for the Crows to find a vacant list spot to add McAndrew via the pre-season supplemental selection period.

Crows footy boss Adam Kelly said McAndrew’s performance would mean they would have to look at what they could do, while senior coach Matthew Nicks said he had really challenged O’Brien during pre-season.

Lachlan McAndrew, pictured being tackled by James Rowbottom, is now a Crow.

“Lachy’s been great. We brought him in, knowing that Kieran (Strachan) wouldn’t be there throughout this pre-season, and we needed someone to really work hard and challenge ROB,” he said.

“Credit to him because he’s really taken it to ROB, and ROB has improved because of it.”

Strachan, who has played seven games for the Crows at AFL level, was set to return around the start of the season next month and had been running in recent weeks.

But the 29-year-old suffered a setback over the last week with scans revealing stress fracture in his right heel, unrelated to his previous injury.

After meeting with Strachan, the Crows moved quickly to put him on the inactive list and get in before the SSP deadline to snap up McAndrew for the 2025 campaign.

Crows list manager Justin Reid said Strachan was a popular member of the playing group.

“Kieran has made a very selfless decision and put the team first,” Reid said.

“Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game and his latest setback exposed us to significant risk in our ruck stocks particularly in the early part of the season.

“He is a very popular member of the playing group, which obviously shares in his disappointment, and at the same time would acknowledge the significance of his decision to be placed on the inactive list for the rest of the year.”

Kieran Strachan has been moved to the inactive list. Picture: Mark Brake

McAndrew, who played two AFL games for the Swans after joining them in the 2021 Mid Season Draft, played for the Crows in the practice match against Port Adelaide on Friday night.

Reid said the Crows submitted the paperwork to sign the 24-year-old prior to the clash at Mount Barker.

“Given the timing of Kieran’s latest injury and the importance of the ruck position, it was crucial we moved quickly to find a replacement,” Reid said.

“Lachie has been very impressive with us over summer and has earned the spot on the list and I’m sure he will make the most of his opportunity.

“We completed the necessary paperwork before the SSP deadline on Friday, but with the timing of our pre-season match-simulation against Port Adelaide on Friday night, it was important for us and Kieran to be able to inform the whole playing group together on Monday.”

South Australian Sam Draper. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The Crows have sought to bolster their ruck stocks in recent years and are expected to make a big play to bring Essendon’s Sam Draper back to South Australia.

It is understood Draper is expected to wait until the middle of the year before making a call on his future, to see how the Bombers and the Crows are faring.

The Reynella product also enjoys living in Melbourne.

The Crows pursued Gold Coast backup Ned Moyle but he chose to remain at the Suns, while North Melbourne selected South Adelaide’s Taylor Goad a pick before they could in the 2023 Draft.

Adelaide did try and get Alex Dodson – who was selected by St Kilda with the 53rd pick of the 2024 Draft – as a Category B rookie when he was still playing basketball.

But once he decided to focus on footy full time, that scuppered any hopes of that for the Crows.

‘He can do everything’: Crows still at loss on Curtin’s role

Adelaide could still deploy young gun Dan Curtin around the ball, with Crows assistant Nathan van Berlo saying they still aren’t sure what his best position is.

The West Australian’s form at training has led to the Crows going with four talls in their forward line with Curtin joining Taylor Walker, Darcy Fogarty and Riley Thilthorpe.

In the Crows practice match against fierce rivals Port Adelaide in Mount Barker on Friday, the former No. 8 pick started forward, spent time on a wing, then returned to attack.

Drafted as a key defender, Curtin played as a big-bodied midfielder at times for the Crows last year.

Van Berlo said the Crows would continue to give Curtin chances to improve his game in different positions.

“I think Dan has demanded a spot in the side for us at the moment with his training form and just his growth since the end of last season,” he said.

“He spent a fair bit of time forward, a bit on the wing and he may spend some time around the footy as well.

“We are trying to build his repertoire, he can do everything which is why we love him and I have full confidence that he will continue to grow his game and we will see a pretty handy player emerge for us.”

Dan Curtin is set to make his mark in 2025. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Curtin as a forward has the Crows bucking the league trend with a taller attack – one that Van Berlo said can work at AFL level.

“They’ve got some size about them, but equally they’re pretty nimble and quick at ground level,” he said.

“I wouldn’t want to be going for a ground ball against Darcy Fogarty or Dan Curtin and even Riley for that mix.

“Tex I might try my luck, but he is still better than me.

“They’ve got their strengths at ground level, they’re super competitive in the air and they give us another dynamic ahead of the ball.

“We are in a position at the moment where we feel like competition for spots is going to be a real challenge and that’s what you ultimately want.”

Jake Soligo gets a kick away in front of Power skipper Connor Rozee on Friday. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Midfielder Jake Soligo was impressive with three goals for the Crows, during the three terms they had their strongest team on the park, as he looks to build on his breakout 2024 season.

The Crows increased depth in the midfield could mean Soligo has to spend some time on a wing but van Berlo said he was excited about what the 22-year-old could do in 2025.

“He’s a very hard worker, he constantly asks for ways to get better, absorbs that information and goes away and gets to work on it,” he said.

“He’s very coachable, he’s very self-driven… that creates a real contagious working environment where they just get better.

“We have done a lot of work over summer to try and build that depth in the midfield, we recruited James Peatling, we saw Sid (Draper) spend some time in the middle and guys like Josh Rachele will spend some time there, Izak Rankine didn’t play but he will spend some big minutes there.

“That builds the depth and gives us a different dynamic around the footy which we have tried to work towards that for the last couple of years.”