Adelaide Crows recruit Alex Neal-Bullen looking likely to be in leadership group

Adelaide’s oldest recruit in seven years has already become a mentor at West Lakes. Here’s why the man known as Nibbler is likely to sink his teeth into an official leadership role.

Off-season recruit Alex Neal-Bullen looms as an immediate inclusion into Adelaide’s leadership group.

The Crows vote for the 2025 contingent next month and club sources this masthead has spoken to will be very surprised if the former Melbourne half-forward is not part of it.

Neal-Bullen has made a massive impression since being traded from the Demons in October for family reasons.

Senior coach Matthew Nicks told supporters a fortnight ago the 29-year-old had been one of the team’s best leaders this off-season, while others have said the half-forward had brought a different dimension to West Lakes.

Crows recruit Alex Neal-Bullen could come straight into the leadership group. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Neal-Bullen’s maturity, professionalism, engaging with teammates, encouragement, constructive criticism and training standards are among his traits that have impressed the club.

He is the Crows’ oldest recruit since 31-year-old Sam Gibson from North Melbourne at the end of 2017 and is the only premiership player on Adelaide’s 2025 list.

The club targeted him not only for his on-field ability but believing his experience across 10 seasons and 176 games, including 10 finals, would be extremely valuable for a squad that was the fifth-youngest in the AFL last year and had not reached the major round since 2017.

Earlier this week, Neal-Bullen told this masthead he was not chasing a leadership title.

“Leadership for me is how I go about my business, how I rock up,” Neal-Bullen said.

“I don’t really think about being a leader.

“I just come in each day trying to get better and if people see that as a leadership characteristic, I’ll take that.”

Adelaide was criticised last year for increasing its leadership group from five players to eight: skipper Jordan Dawson, vice-captains Ben Keays, Reilly O’Brien and Brodie Smith, and Mitch Hinge, Wayne Milera, Darcy Fogarty and Lachie Murphy.

The scrutiny only increased when the Crows started the season 0-4 and three members of the group (O’Brien, Smith and Murphy) found themselves in the SANFL.

Voting will help determine its size this year, but a streamlined group may be on the cards given Smith and Murphy could be on the fringes of the AFL side, and Milera is returning from a ruptured patella tendon.

NEAL-BULLEN NOT TARGETING LEADERSHIP ROLE

Alex Neal-Bullen is a contender to go straight into Adelaide’s leadership group, but the new recruit says it is not something he is targeting.

Crows coach Matthew Nicks heaped praise on Neal-Bullen earlier this month when he described the 29-year-old as one of the club’s best leaders this off-season.

He is the oldest Crows recruit since 31-year-old Sam Gibson from North Melbourne at the end of 2017 and boasts valuable experience as the squad’s only flag winner.

Neal-Bullen played 176 games and won a grand final in 2021 with Melbourne before being traded to Adelaide for family reasons for pick 28 last October.

The Glenelg product was unaware of Nicks’ comment, but played down his own leadership traits.

Alex Neal-Bullen leads his running group in a time trial. Picture: Dean Martin

“Leadership for me is how I go about my business, how I rock up – I don’t really think about being a leader,” Neal-Bullen told this masthead.

“It must be something through people I’ve learnt off over my years in my junior footy, senior footy and my parents, giving it everything and displaying a level head.

“I just come in each day trying to get better and if people see that as a leadership characteristic, I’ll take that.

“I’m here the best teammate I can be.

“(Being in the leadership group) is not something I’m chasing.

“I want to earn that first guernsey … and get a game under my belt.

“Hopefully I can make a really positive impact in the early stage of the season.”

The Crows traditionally announces their leadership group in February.

Adelaide was criticised last year for having an inflated eight-person contingent, up from five in 2023.

Captain Jordan Dawson was flanked by three vice-captains (Ben Keays, Reilly O’Brien and Brodie Smith), as well as four others (Mitch Hinge, Darcy Fogarty, Wayne Milera and Lachie Murphy).

Neal-Bullen said he had been very impressed by how aligned Nicks, Dawson and Keays had been during his first two months.

“I’m very excited to play under Nicksy,” he said.

Neal-Bullen won the premiership with Melbourne in 2021. Picture: Josh Chadwick/Getty Images

Adelaide targeted recruits with finals experience to boost 2024’s fifth-youngest squad as the club sought to end an eight-season major-round drought.

Asked if there were similarities between the Crows now and the Demons when he joined at the end of 2014, when Melbourne had not played finals for eight years, Neal-Bullen said: “I’m looking at this more as ‘this is a whole new experience’.

“Coming in as a 28-year-old rather than 18-year-old, I have footy experience I’m looking to use within this group rather than necessarily sitting back and soaking up and learning the game of AFL footy.

“The lens I’m now looking through is ‘how can I help this group of players get to where we want to get to’ and combine that with what they’ve already built.”

Originally published as Adelaide Crows recruit Alex Neal-Bullen looking likely to be in leadership group