Experienced Crow James Podsiadly has encouraged the Club to invest time in its young forwards rather than recall him to the AFL team in the latter part of the season.

Podsiadly played 21 games for Adelaide last year after making the switch from Geelong, where he played 83 matches including the 2011 premiership.

The 33-year-old, who has bagged 10 goals in his last two SANFL outings, is yet to play an AFL game this season. But instead of pushing his case for promotion, a selfless Podsiadly urged the Crows match committee to show faith in the Club’s blossoming goalkickers.

“If I’m needed, I’ll put my hand up to play but I think our forward line in the AFL at the moment is functioning fantastically well,” Podsiadly said on FIVEaa on Wednesday night.

“The development of Josh Jenkins, Tom Lynch and Taylor Walker this year has been phenomenal.

“I’d rather see guys like, maybe, Keenan Ramsey, Luke Lowden and Mitch McGovern probably get a go before I do, but we’ll wait and see. It all depends on match committee.”

Podsiadly is one of the great football stories.

Despite being rookie-listed by both Essendon and Collingwood early in his career, the strong-marking forward had to wait until the age of 28 to make his AFL debut.

He was working as a fitness coach for the Cats and playing for their VFL team when the Club offered him a spot on their rookie list ahead of the 2010 season. Last year, Podsiadly became one of the oldest players to reach the 100-game milestone.

The left-footer passes on his vast football and life experience in a mentoring role with Adelaide’s younger players.

“It’s not a formal role, but I do try and pass on as much of the knowledge that I’ve got over my 16 years of playing footy to these younger guys,” he said.

“We’ve got some fantastic talent playing alongside me in the SANFL. Mitch McGovern played his first game back (from a knee injury) on the weekend and he oozes talent. Keenan Ramsey is going under the radar and Lukey Lowden is another guy, who I think can make the next grade.

“Working with those guys and a few others has been fantastic for me.”

Podsiadly is out of contract at the end of the season.

He’s yet to declare his hand on his playing future, but is keen to remain at Adelaide regardless.

“I’m really keen to stick around. I really believe that the Club, the way they’ve developed over the 18 months … it’s not miles apart but I just think we’ve developed really nicely. It’s really exciting,” he said.

“I think the events of the last month have been quite tough, but from a group perspective I haven’t seen a group be closer. I think it’s really important from a culture perspective that we continue some of the stuff that we’ve developed over the last month.

“It’s something I want to be a part of.”

Podsiadly, who has a degree in Exercise Science and is also studying Business Management, said a possible role at West Lakes in 2016 and beyond was yet to be defined.

“I’m just happy to be around the place. If I can be of value, I’d like to stick around but we’ll see what happens,” he said.

“I actually don’t know what (role) I want to do. I’ve got a business on the side as well - Reactivate Group, (which specialises in) digital behavioural change platforms for workplaces – which is growing, so I’ve got to be mindful there. I don’t want to spread myself too thin.

“It’s something I’ve got to sit down over the next month or two and speak to Nobes and Fages as well.”

Podsiadly praised the leadership of the Club, especially Interim Coach Scott Camporeale, during the difficult time following the tragic passing of Senior Coach Phil Walsh.

“I think Nobes, Fages and Campo have really stood up,” he said.

“Campo has carried on Phil’s message and I think you’ve seen that on game day, which is fantastic. He’s a leader of men, or players and I can see that come out now. Campo is a guy who is quite jovial behind the scenes, but when it comes to training and playing games he really has a straight forward message and keeps it simple.

“Also the leadership group, Tex and the guys, have been really hard on the players to keep going on the journey that we started.

“To get a couple of wins onboard this time of the year (is important), not only from a culture perspective and what we’ve gone through, but we actually want to play finals. I think we’re seventh on the ladder now and it’s really tight in that part of the ladder.

“We’ve just got to continue to win games.”