Bruce Abernethy

Guernsey number: 5.
Crows debut: Round 3 v Sydney, 1991.
AFC games: 11. AFC goals: 2.
Recruited from: Port Adelaide (SANFL).
DOB: May 10, 1962.
Original squad selection 1991.

Abernethy started his SANFL career with Port Adelaide in 1979 and played in three premierships in his first three years. The classy wingman moved to the VFL in 1982 and played 43 games for North Melbourne in two seasons before joining Collingwood, where he played 58 games in three years. Abernethy then chose to return to the SANFL and Port Adelaide before the 1987 season and played in its 1989 and 1990 SANFL premiership teams. He signed with the new Adelaide Football Club late in his career but his experience and leadership was important to a new club. Played 10 games in Adelaide’s first year but just one in 1992, when he finished his career as a member of Port’s SANFL premiership side.

Greg Anderson

Guernsey number: 1.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Richmond, 1993.
AFC games: 59. AFC goals: 19.
Recruited from: Essendon.
DOB: May 14, 1966.
Trade concession, 1992.

Anderson made his SANFL debut for Port Adelaide as a 17-year-old in 1983 and played 121 games in five seasons at Alberton. The 1986 Magarey Medallist joined VFL club Essendon after earning All Australian selection in 1987. The strongly-built wingman played 103 games for the Bombers in five seasons but chose to join Adelaide in 1993. He played another 59 games, earning All Australian selection in his first year with the Crows, and finished at the end of 1996. He was named on the wing in the Crows’ Team of the Decade. Anderson coached SANFL club South Adelaide for four years from 2000.

Brodie Atkinson

Guernsey number: 2.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Bulldogs, 1999.
AFC games: 5. AFC goals: 1.
Recruited from: Sturt.
DOB: July 31, 1972.
Draft pick No 80, 1998 national draft.

After leaving North Adelaide for a taste of AFL football with St Kilda (two games in 1993), Atkinson returned to the SANFL, first playing with North and then switching to Sturt. He won a Magarey Medal with Sturt in 1997 and his good form at local level was eventually rewarded when (aged 26) he was picked by the Crows. He played in the opening game the next season but only played four more games for the club.

Allan Bartlett

Guernsey number: 14.
Crows debut: Round 2 v Carlton, 1991.
AFC games: 11. AFC goals: 3.
Recruited from: Glenelg (SANFL).
DOB: May 23, 1967.
Original squad selection 1991.

An original Crow who had played 46 league games for Glenelg, Bartlett was a hard-working centre half-forward or key defender. He missed the club’s first game against Hawthorn but was picked the next week against Carlton and and managed to play half the season in the Crows’ first year. He did not add to his AFL tally in 1992, however, and was delisted. Is a member of the SANFL 200-game club.

James Begley

Guernsey number: 28.
Crows debut: Round 8 v Brisbane, 2003.
AFC games: 25. AFC goals: 3.
Recruited from: St.Kilda.
DOB: July 22, 1980.
Draft pick No 68, 2002 national draft.

The talented Sturt utility – an All Australian under 18 in 1995 - played 36 games for St Kilda in an injury-hit four years before returning home to Adelaide through the 2002 national draft. Unfortunately, injury problems prevented Begley from reaching his potential and he retired at the end of the 2005 season.

Bryan Beinke

Guernsey number: 25.
Crows debut: Round 2 v Hawthorn, 1999.
AFC games: 38. AFC goals: 42.
Recruited from: Port Adelaide (SANFL).
DOB: August 5, 1975.
Draft pick No 34, 1998 national draft.

After spending some time with the North Melbourne reserves, Beinke returned to the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL, won the best-and-fairest and had a fantastic 1998 finals series. Consequently he was drafted by the Crows for the following season. Played some good football as a marking forward, kicking a career best five goals against Collingwood in 2000, but his games were spread across four seasons.

Matthew Bode

Guernsey number: 21 and 10.
Crows debut: Round 2 v Melbourne, 2001.
AFC games: 79. AFC goals: 71.
Recruited from: Port Adelaide (AFL)
DOB: June 29, 1979.
Traded from Port for pick 12 at 2000 national draft.

A Glenelg junior who also excelled at cricket, Bode spent three years with Port Adelaide Power for 29 games before seeking a trade to the Crows. He broke his hand in his first outing with the Crows early in the 2001 season and didn’t play another game for the club that season. But he proved valuable in 2002, playing every game and kicking 22 goals, and was solid in 2003. Injuries, however, restricted three of his next four seasons with the Crows. He required shoulder surgery in 2005 but fought back to play 23 games and boot 32 goals in 2006. A knee injury suffered in round two kept him out for the rest of the year and he was delisted, returning to Glenelg where he played one more season before retiring.

Troy Bond

Guernsey number: 18.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Sydney, 1996.
AFC games: 58. AFC goals: 51.
Recruited from: Carlton.
DOB: July 14, 1973.
Traded from Carlton for pick 63 at 1995 national draft.

A disillusioned Troy Bond proved to be a brilliant pick-up from Carlton, where he was dropped for the 1995 grand final after playing 36 games in two seasons with the Blues. The small forward, originally from SANFL club Port Adelaide, returned to South Australia as part of a three-way trade between the Crows, Geelong and Carlton to add speed, skill and game-breaking goals to the Adelaide forward line. Bond kicked four goals in the 1997 premiership win over St Kilda but injuries then restricted his last couple of seasons and he missed the 1998 flag success.

Randall Bone

Guernsey number: 51.
Crows debut: Round 3 v Melbourne, 1992.
AFC games: 12. AFC goals: 13
Recruited from: South Adelaide (SANFL).
DOB: November 13, 1973.
Original squad selection 1991.

Bone looked to be a promising big man prospect for the Adelaide Football Club, showing plenty of ability in his first season when he kicked three goals on debut. He played mainly across centre half forward and as a back-up ruckman. But he struggled to find consistency and moved to Hawthorn in 1995 to play another 16 games in four seasons.

Stuart Bown

Guernsey number: 44.
Crows debut: Round 6 v Hawthorn, 2001.
AFC games: 4. AFC goals: 1.
Recruited from: Norwood (SANFL).
DOB: August 24, 1978.
Rookie elevation 2000.

Bown, a strong-marking forward, was originally listed as a rookie in 1999 and then elevated in 2000. He made his AFL debut the following season.

David Brown

Guernsey number: 21.
Crows debut: Round 12 v Fitzroy, 1991.
AFC games: 69. AFC goals: 55.
Recruited from: Port Adelaide (SANFL).
DOB: September 29, 1969.
Original squad selection 1991.

An unfashionable and courageous small forward/midfielder, Brown played in two SANFL premierships with Port (and missed two through injury) before joining Adelaide’s inaugural squad for the 1991 season. After six years with the Crows for 69 games he was traded to Port to join its inaugural AFL squad in 1997. He played 22 games in two seasons for the Power.

Ronnie Burns

Guernsey number: 5.
Crows debut: Round 4 v West Coast, 2003.
AFC games: 20. AFC goals: 23.
Recruited from: Geelong.
DOB: March 13, 1973.
Traded by Geelong for Ben Finnin, 2002.

The flashy forward pocket specialist came to Adelaide after a 134 game career (239 goals) with Geelong to add the “X-factor” around the goals for the Crows. Burns was a tough match-up for opponents and was a highly skilled footballer. In his first year at West Lakes he kicked 23 goals from 18 games but he played just two games the following year and retired at the end of 2004.

James Byrne

Guernsey number: 6.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Bulldogs, 2000.
AFC games: 24. AFC goals: 4.
Recruited from: Glenelg.
DOB: April 23, 1978.
Draft pick No 4, pre-season draft 2000.

Byrne was an athletic wingman or midfielder. Spent 1998 on Sydney’s rookie list but was claimed by Adelaide in the 2000 pre-season draft, from Glenelg. Produced some solid performances in his first season when he played 13 AFL games but he had a series of niggling injuries and was delisted after his second season at the club. Returned to Glenelg where he won a best-and-fairest and then also won the best-and-fairest with WAFL club South Fremantle before moving back to Victoria. Won the VFL’s JJ Liston Trophy and captained Geelong’s VFL side to the premiership in 2007.

Bryce Campbell

Guernsey number: 31.
Crows debut: Round 17 v Essendon, 2007.
AFC games: 8. AFC goals: 1.
Recruited from: Norwood.
DOB: September 7, 1984.
Draft pick No 78, 2006 national draft.

Bryce, whose father Russell played some football for South Melbourne in the late 1970s, hailed from Wagga Wagga and graduated through the NSW/ACT Rams program before playing a season in Canberra, then moving to Norwood for the 2004 season. Following a standout 2006 season for Norwood in which he was named State ruck-rover, the Crows took a punt on the mature-age midfielder with draft pick No 78. Campbell had a frustrating first year at West Lakes. He had shoulder surgery at the end of the 2006 season and then badly injured an ankle just before the first trial game and missed ten weeks. After coming back through SANFL club Norwood, Campbell made his debut for the Crows in Round 17 against Essendon. With the return of players from injury Campbell was pushed out of the side and did not play again in 2007. He played seven AFL games in 2008 but was delisted at the end of the year.

Wayne Carey

Guernsey number: 2.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Fremantle, 2003.
AFC games: 28. AFC goals: 56.
Recruited from: North Melbourne.
DOB: May 27, 1971.
Traded from North Melbourne for draft picks No 2 and No 18, 2002 national draft.

Regarded as one of the best AFL footballers of all time, Carey made his return to AFL football with the Crows in 2003. He had missed the 2002 season after a public fall-out with the Kangaroos, where he captained the club in two premierships, played 244 games, kicked 671 goals, won four best-and-fairest awards and was a seven-time All-Australian. In 2001 he was named as centre half-forward in North Melbourne’s ‘Team of the Century’. Although “The King” was in the twilight of his career, Carey still managed to have a big impact on a number of games and also played an important role with Adelaide’s younger players. He kicked four goals on debut for the Crows in 2003 and finished with 29 goals from 16 games. Carey then played the first 12 games of 2004 but a month after kicking six goals against Essendon in 2004 a serious neck injury ended his career. Carey played some junior football with SANFL club North Adelaide before joining North Melbourne in 1989.

Peter Caven

Guernsey number: 44.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Sydney, 1996.
AFC games: 82. AFC goals: 55.
Recruited from: Sydney.
DOB: May 16, 1970.
Traded from Sydney for Paul Rouvray, 1995.

Peter Caven was one of the Adelaide Football Club’s most successful recruits, playing in both the 1997 and 1998 premiership sides. Caven started his AFL career with Fitzroy in 1991 and played 39 games in three years before switching to Sydney for another 18 games in two years. Adelaide was his next home and where he had his greatest success. He had a fantastic left foot kick and had the ability to play at either end of the ground but made his mark with the Crows as a key defender after spending most of his first year at West Lakes as a forward. Injuries restricted his last two seasons with the Crows.

Brett Chalmers

Guernsey number: 19.
Crows debut: Round 4 v Geelong, 1994.
AFC games: 50. AFC goals: 8.
Recruited from: Collingwood.
DOB: April 23, 1973.
Traded from Collingwood for pick No 34, 1993 national draft.

Originally from Port Adelaide in the SANFL, Chalmers was drafted by Collingwood at the end of 1992 but stayed in South Australia. He was then traded to the Crows but never settled in the side in a key position and stayed four years for his 50 games. When Port joined the AFL he stayed with the Crows for one year before switching to the Power’s AFL squad for another 25 games.

Justin Cicolella

Guernsey number: 42.
Crows debut: Round 3 v Geelong, 2000.
AFC games: 5. AFC goals: 1.
Recruited from: Woodville/West Torrens.
DOB: September 12, 1978.
Rookie list promotion 2000.

Cicolella was introduced to AFL football through the Rookie List system and showed promise but struggled to find opportunities and played just five AFL games. A hardworking midfielder, Cicolella went on to forge a successful SANFL career and captained the Eagles in its 2006 premiership win.

Matthew Collins

Guernsey number: 17.
Crows debut: Round 10 v West Coast, 1996.
AFC games: 14. AFC goals: 2.
Recruited from: Northern U18.
DOB: February 2, 1977.
Draft pick No 38, 1994 national draft.

A promising young defender, Collins failed to reach his potential playing for the Crows after suffering serious injuries including a broken leg late in 1997. After seeking to return home to Victoria, Collins was traded to Melbourne as part of a swap for Nathan Bassett at the end of 1997. He played 29 games for the Demons and had his best season in 2000.

Matthew Connell

Guernsey number: 14.
Crows debut: Round 1 v North Melbourne, 1995.
AFC games: 96. AFC goals: 28.
Recruited from: West Coast Eagles.
DOB: August 3, 1972.
Traded from West Coast for pick No 44, 1994 national draft.

After playing just three games with West Coast in 1993 and none in 1994, the wingman/rover moved to Adelaide and immediately found great success. He won the Crows’ Club Champion award in his first year and was picked in WA’s State-of-Origin side. He then played in both of Adelaide’s premierships 1in 1997-98. He struggled to win a regular spot in his last couple of seasons. Coached the British Bulldogs in the 2005 Australian Football International Cup.

Sudjai Cook

Guernsey number: 40.
Crows debut: Round 9 v Brisbane, 1998.
AFC games: 7. AFC goals: 2.
Recruited from: Norwood.
DOB: June 27, 1976.
Rookie elevation 1998.

The rover , born in Thailand, played in Norwood’s 1997 premiership side and was promoted from the Crows’ Rookie List the following year. He played seven consecutive games but did not return after round 16. His SANFL career ended in 2005 after 26 games for Norwood and 122 for Glenelg.

Tim Cook

Guernsey number: 2.
Crows debut: Round 2 v Richmond, 1997.
AFC games: 8. AFC goals: 5.
Recruited from: Central District.
DOB: February 20, 1974.
Trade from Port Adelaide for Scott Hodges, 1996.

Cook, a rover or half-forward, had already played several seasons of SANFL and State football and was a qualified physiotherapist before he was drafted by Adelaide. Played four games in 1997 and another four late in 1998 but missed out for the finals campaign.

Andrew Crowell

Guernsey number: 1.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Bulldogs, 2000.
AFC games: 44. AFC goals: 15.
Recruited from: Woodville-West Torrens.
DOB: August 15, 1977.
No 12 pick, 2000 pre-season draft.

Crowell came to the Crows through the pre-season draft and proved to be a handy acquisition as a utility with the flexibility to play on a variety of opponents. His AFL career was cut short by a serious knee injury.

Ian Downsborough

Guernsey number: 17.
Crows debut: Round 3 v St Kilda, 1998.
AFC games: 12. AFC goals: 6.
Recruited from: Port Adelaide.
DOB: January 19, 1972.
Traded from Port Adelaide for Brett Chalmers, 1997.

Played 20 AFL games for West Coast before joining Port’s inaugural AFL squad in 1997. After one season with the Power, for seven games, the forward/ruckman was swapped to Adelaide for Brett Chalmers. He spent two seasons at West Lakes.

Andrew Eccles

Guernsey number: 33.
Crows debut: Round 2 v Fremantle, 1998.
AFC games: 41. AFC goals: 22.
Recruited from: Northern U18.
DOB: June 1, 1979.
Pick No 60, 1996 national draft.

Eccles , an All-Australian under-18, was a Rising Star nominee in 1998 when he played 18 games in his first AFL season and was the youngest player (19) in the 1998 premiership team. But the next year he struggled to beat a hamstring injury and then he needed a knee reconstruction. After four years with the Crows he was traded to Carlton, where he played 13 games in two seasons.

Shane Ellen

Guernsey number: 13.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Sydney, 1996.
AFC games: 54. AFC goals: 16.
Recruited from: Footscray.
DOB: January 1, 1973
No 8 pick, 1996 pre-season draft.

Ellen is best remembered for his five-goal performance in the 1997 Grand Final victory after surprisingly starting as a forward. For most of his career he was a reliable defender. He played 11 games for Footscray in two years but was dumped at the end of 1995 and picked up by the Crows in the 1996 pre-season draft. He played 17 games in his first year with the Crows but was out of the side for much of 1997 before returning in time for the finals. He had only kicked one goal for the Crows in his first 26 games before his cameo in the grand final. Also played in Adelaide’s 1998 premiership but had injury problems in his last two seasons at the club.

Ashley Fernee

Guernsey number: 45.
Crows debut: Round 17 v Fitzroy, 1996.
AFC games: 2. AFC goals: 0.
Recruited from: Calder U18.
DOB: June 24, 1977.
Pick No 70, 1995 national draft.

A tall key position prospect, Fernee struggled to force his way into the Crows side and played just two games, both in his first year at West Lakes.

Grantley Fielke

Guernsey number: 30.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Hawthorn, 1991.
AFC games: 24. AFC goals: 6.
Recruited from: West Adelaide (SANFL).
DOB: March 18, 1962.
Original squad selection 1991.

From Loxton in SA’s Riverland, Fielke was star wingman with West Adelaide from 1979 and was a member of the club’s 1983 premiership side. He won the Magarey Medal in 1985 and then had a year with Collingwood in 1987, playing 15 games, but returned to SA for family reasons. Fielke was given another opportunity by the arrival of the Adelaide Crows and he played 24 games in the club’s first two seasons. He played 364 games for West until 1997, a club record.

Ryan Fitzgerald

Guernsey number: 15.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Bulldogs, 2002.
AFC games: 8. AFC goals: 8.
Recruited from: Sydney.
DOB: October 16, 1976.
Traded from Sydney foe pick No 28, 2001 national draft.

A late bloomer at SANFL club South Adelaide, Fitzgerald was secured by the Swans with the No 4 pick at the 1998 national draft. Shoulder and knee injuries wrecked his time in Sydney, although he kicked five goals on debut in 2000. Adelaide took a punt on the exciting forward in trade week but another knee injury ended his AFL career after just eight games. Found national fame as a contestant on TV reality show Big Brother in 2004.

David Gallagher

Guernsey number: 38.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Bulldogs, 1999.
AFC games: 26. AFC goals: 2.
Recruited from: Prahran U18.
DOB: August 5, 1980.
Pick No 32, 1998 national draft.

The wingman/half back, an All-Australian under-18, showed some promise in his debut season (1999) but played spasmodically in the next two seasons and was traded to Carlton at the end of 2001. He played 14 games in 2002.

James Gallagher

Guernsey number: 41 and 21.
Crows debut: Round 12 v Essendon, 2001.
AFC games: 38. AFC goals: 11.
Recruited from: Norwood (SANFL).
DOB: November 17, 1979.
Rookie elevation 2001.

The small midfielder was rewarded for some good SANFL form with a promotion from the Rookie List in 2001, when he made his AFL debut. Played some good games for the Crows but was unable to secure a regular spot and was delisted at the end of 2004. Named Norwood captain in 2007 and won the club champion award that season. He is the grandson of former Norwood and State player ‘Sam’ Gallagher and nephew of Phil Gallagher, who played 292 games for the Redlegs and eight for SA.

Tom Gilligan

Guernsey number: 31.
Crows debut: Round 3 v Carlton, 1997.
AFC games: 3. AFC goals: 1.
Recruited from: Dandenong-Southern U18.
DOB: November 3, 1978.
Pick No 13, 1996 national draft.

The young raw ruckman had a limited football background but made his AFL debut early the next season when the club was hit by a series of injuries to its big men. Played two more AFL games and finished the season in the SANFL but then returned to Melbourne.

Matthew Golding

Guernsey number: 37.
Crows debut: Round 5 v Sydney, 1999.
AFC games: 7. AFC goals: 0.
Recruited from: Glenelg (SANFL).
DOB: December 30, 1980.
Rookie elevation, 1999.

After some terrific performances in the SANFL, Golding was promoted from the Rookie List in 1999. He played seven games for the Crows and was an honest, hard-working performer in the ruck.

Chris Groom

Guernsey number: 50.
Crows debut: Round 1 v Richmond, 1993.
AFC games: 12. AFC goals: 8.
Recruited from: South Adelaide.
DOB: August 28, 1973.
Club selection 1992.

Recruited from the SANFL as a promising key forward, Groom played 12 games in two seasons with the Crows and was then sent to Fremantle as a trade for Andrew McLeod. After seven games for the Dockers (and 18 goals) in one injury-hit season he moved to North Melbourne for another five games in two years before knee problems ended his career.

Return to List