Alex Neal-Bullen officially joins a streamlined Adelaide Crows leadership group for 2025
Adelaide trumpeted the additions of four new leaders in 2024. Three of them are now gone a year later. Basically, the Crows got it wrong.
Adelaide made mostly obvious changes to its leadership group and in doing so essentially conceded it got it wrong last year.
While annual tweaks at clubs are unsurprising, it is unusual for three players to be dumped after just 12 months.
The Crows last February trumpeted the additions of Darcy Fogarty, Mitch Hinge, Lachie Murphy and Wayne Milera to a leadership contingent that had expanded from five to eight.
Hinge, Murphy and Milera are now gone, omitted as part of what Adelaide’s media release called a “streamlined group”.
Dictionary definitions of “streamlined” do not mention “smaller”, rather “improved or simpler” and “having been made more efficient or effective”.
Adelaide on Tuesday reverted to five members – captain Jordan Dawson and joint vice-captains Ben Keays, Reilly O’Brien, Fogarty and newcomer Alex Neal-Bullen – the same number as 2023 when it fell just short of making the finals.
Having eight players is not an issue if they are the right candidates.
Brisbane won the 2024 premiership with a nine-man leadership group, the biggest in the league.
The Lions voted last week to go again with that many.
It is hard to knock the names: Harris Andrews, Lachie Neale, Hugh McCluggage, Josh Dunkley, Charlie Cameron, Cam Rayner, Brandon Starcevich, Jarrod Berry and Oscar McInerney.
Adelaide’s 2024 leadership group seemed bloated during a campaign that began with finals expectations and finished in 15th spot with a disappointing 8-1-14 record.
Murphy, Smith and O’Brien spent time in the SANFL.
Milera, who featured in two AFL matches across injury-hit campaigns in 2020 and 2021, before playing 34 of 45 the next two years, was back on the sidelines for all bar three games.
His omission makes sense – his focus should be on getting through a full season.
Smith and Murphy being axed are also no surprise.
They have been playing in Adelaide’s B side in most match simulations over summer and no longer in the club’s best side.
Hinge is the intriguing one.
At 25, he should be entering his prime and played all except one game last year.
But you get the sense that perhaps his standing within the group is not as high as one may think from the outside.
The half-back did not finish in the top 10 of the best-and-fairest last year despite the team’s poor showing – he placed fifth in 2023 – and he had trained with the B side at times this pre-season.
With Milera returning from injury, Rory Laird back in defence, Isaac Cumming joining from GWS and Adelaide having greater depth, is his spot guaranteed?
As for the mainstays, Dawson and Keays were obvious choices to continue after sharing the Malcolm Blight Medal last year.
Keays’ story from delisted Lion to rookie Crow to ultra-consistent best-and-fairest winner has been one of Adelaide’s best during the Nicks era.
Fogarty vindicated what the club hoped in promoting him last year – that leadership would help take his game to the next level – and had a career-best campaign.
O’Brien is regarded as one of Adelaide’s best leaders and hardest workers, though you do wonder how many more seasons the 29-year-old will remain the club’s No. 1 ruckman.
Everything you see and hear from or about ex-Melbourne forward Neal-Bullen indicates why he is an immediate inclusion.
The Crows’ only premiership winner talks, trains and plays like a leader.
This 2025 group definitely appears improved and simpler than the 2024 version.
CROWS CONFIRM LEADERSHIP SHAKE-UP
Recruit Alex Neal-Bullen has gone straight into a streamlined Adelaide leadership group, which has shrunk from eight players to five.
Neal-Bullen was touted as a likely addition once he arrived at West Lakes and his promotion became official on Tuesday when he joined captain Jordan Dawson, workhorse Ben Keays, ruckman Reilly O’Brien and key forward Darcy Fogarty in the contingent.
Veteran Brodie Smith was omitted after five seasons, while defenders Wayne Milera and Mitch Hinge, and goalsneak Lachie Murphy were dumped.
Neal-Bullen, the only new member of the leadership group, was humbled to be in the role as joint vice-captain with Keays, O’Brien and Fogarty.
“My intention from the get-go was to understand what this club stands for, what the current leaders and personnel drive within this footy club and to get right in behind that,” Neal-Bullen said.
“This club has also given me the environment to be myself and buy into what the club have already established.”
Dawson will captain the club for a third consecutive campaign, O’Brien and Keays maintain their spots for a fourth year, while Fogarty is the only one of last season’s inclusions to be voted in again.
Keays said Neal-Bullen had been a massive inclusion since joining the Crows for pick 28 last October.
“His training standards stood out from those early sessions, his optimism and positivity to learn everything about everyone, and really try to connect was really remarkable,” he said.
Adelaide’s squad did not get a choice in the number of players in the leadership group.
Keays said he did not feel there were too many in the group last year.
“What’s good with having more voices is you get a lot of buy-in and people talking up, but it’s pretty much going to be on guys to do that anyway,” he said.
“There wasn’t really a number in mind, a lot of names came out, which is a real positive.
“Five is just where we landed.”
Crows coach Matthew Nicks said Neal-Bullen had embraced the club and his new teammates from the first day he joined.
“We had a focus in the off-season to add more leadership and experience to our team and we were fully aware of his ability to impact in this space,” Nicks said.
Nicks said of the new-look group: “Our playing squad is continuing to evolve and improve, and it’s not just about having a greater depth of talent but the understanding of what it takes to be a leader.
“It doesn’t just fall to the guys who have an official title.
“Every player must, and is expected to, drive standards and live our values.
“Importantly, we must maintain a consistent level of performance on and off the field.”
Nicks said Dawson was the obvious choice to captain as someone who was super competitive, driven and brought others with him.
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