Stay up to date with the latest news out of Adelaide ahead of Round 23
Retiring Crow David Mackay said goodbye publicly on Thursday but he shared an emotional message with teammates behind closed doors. Watch it here.
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Adelaide wanted him to go on, but David Mackay says the time is right to bring an end to his career after 15 seasons.
The 33-year-old will play his 248th and final game for the Crows on Sunday against North Melbourne.
Drafted with the 48th pick of the 2006 draft, Mackay finishes as the club’s ninth highest games played, but most importantly he leaves with the respect of all at West Lakes.
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D-Mac breaks the news to his teammates. Right in the feels ðŸ˜#weflyasonepic.twitter.com/Btvku1quTT
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) August 19, 2021
Crows senior coach Matthew Nicks said he had never met a player more selfless than Mackay.
“Probably one of the most selfless people I’ve ever had the pleasure of coaching,” Nicks said.
“Puts his body on the line every week, is all about the team and he has been super versatile in his footy career throughout.
“He leaves an incredible example in the way he carries himself. When you have young players coming to you and talk about things they have learnt off other players without being asked that’s a sign that David has done a lot of work behind the scenes.
“He is not looking for any accolades or to become the leader of the club. He is just going about it in his own way.
“And over the last two years that has happened more times than I can remember where a young player has come up to me and said I love the way he goes about it.”
Because of that, and still playing some decent footy, the Crows wanted Mackay to go around for another year.
“We would have liked D-mac to go (around again) and we felt like he has performed well over the last few years,” Nicks said.
“But at the same time I 100 per cent supports what he is doing.”
However Mackay decided to go out on his own terms.
“It was a really hard decision,” he said.
“I thought about it a lot over the past number of weeks.
“There was an opportunity to pursue what happened next year but ultimately I knew it was the right time for me and my family.
“I had to be honest with myself and the club, it was an incredibly hard decision to make but I had to make it for the right reasons and that’s where we landed in the end.
“Ultimately from a football perspective I knew the time was right.”
Mackay, a father of three, said he would let the dust settle before deciding on what he wants to do next – but he does want to stay involved in footy.
“I’ve given it a fair bit of thought … I love the game so I hope to see myself involved in the game,” he said.
Despite sitting in ninth spot in the Adelaide games played list, and the 16th player to play 200 games for the club Mackay’s form and place in the team has often been criticised by Crows fans on social media.
But he wouldn’t know about it, with a decision to stay off social media not changing now he is going to retire.
“Nah I don’t think so it seems to be working pretty well for me at the moment so far,” he said.
Reality of Crows axing yet to hit Lynch
Adelaide veteran Tom Lynch says he hasn’t thought about where he could continue his AFL career next year after being told by the Crows that he was not a required player.
Lynch and Daniel Talia were told last week that they wouldn’t be offered new deals as the Crows rebuild continues.
This is despite Lynch playing some good footy since returning to the side after injury this year.
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He had 29 disposals and kicked a goal against Melbourne, which prompted Brownlow medallist Gerard Healy to say he was “baffled” by the Crows’ decision.
Lynch said he did not agree with the decision, but appreciated the club let him know before the end of the season – with his final game for the Crows to come against North Melbourne on Sunday.
“It was obviously disappointing and it stung a lot when you get told that they no longer want you to play there,” he said on SEN SA.
“But at the same time I asked for the clarity.
“There wasn’t too much detail, it was more around that there wasn’t a spot on the list.
“I didn’t seek too much clarity because I had obviously just been dealt the news and I was hoping that I would get another contract. that was my goal this year.”
Lynch said it still didn’t “feel real just yet”.
“I haven’t actually entertained or even thought about playing anywhere else,” he said.
Lynch said if he was to continue his career interstate it would most likely be in Melbourne.
The forward and Talia not getting contracts leaves Matt Crouch as the highest profile Crow who is still in limbo.
On Friday Adelaide senior coach Matthew Nicks said he would like Crouch to stay and it would come down to the length of a deal and how much money both sides are willing to pay and accept.
The Crows are still in talks with Jake Kelly’s camp.
Tex back in fold at Crows after racism furore
Taylor Walker is due to return to West Lakes this week.
Walker took a break from the club “to let people heal” after he was found guilty of using a racial slur when referring to North Adelaide’s Indigenous player Robbie Young at a SANFL game last month.
Walker was banned for six games, and ordered to pay $20,000 to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island charity as well as undergoing education.
It was expected Walker would take an extended break from the Crows but he is expected to return this week – ahead of Adelaide’s final home and away game of the season against North Melbourne.
Teammate and close friend Paul Seedsman said he was unsure what Walker’s return would look like.
“I’m not sure exactly what is happening, I know he addressed the playing group and the Indigenous boys separately (when the ban was handed down),” he said on Triple M Adelaide.
“He is due back this week and I’m sure he will probably get around and speak to everyone again.
“I’m not sure if it will be in a formal setting or if he will catch up with people individually.”
Walker signed a new one-year deal just weeks before he made the slur about Young, when talking to Matt Crouch at the quarter time break at Prospect Oval.
It was overheard by a Crows staffer, who then reported it to the club.
Outside of a written statement, and then a short video with Young, Walker has not addressed questions about the incident – which has been widely criticised.
He has not been on his Triple M slot on Tuesday mornings for the past two weeks.
On Friday Adelaide senior coach Matthew Nicks, who said he would have preferred for Walker to speak publicly, said there was no time frame to decide the future of the club’s former captain and all-time leading goal kicker.
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Originally published as Stay up to date with the latest news out of Adelaide ahead of Round 23
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