Adelaide’s midfield has the right mix of youth and experience to carry the Club forward, according to Crows veteran Richard Douglas.
2010 Club Champion Douglas is among several experienced figures set to lead the next wave of young Crow onballers into battle next season.
Fellow best and fairest winners Rory Sloane and Scott Thompson also remain key heads in Adelaide’s midfield brigade.
But the emergence of youngsters including Matt Crouch, Cam Ellis-Yolmen, Riley Knight and Rory Atkins last season was one of the most exciting aspects of Adelaide’s 2015 campaign.
The return of Brad Crouch from injury, the addition of Trade Period recruits Paul Seedsman and Dean Gore in particular, along with the continued development of a host of players in the SANFL last season suggests Adelaide’s future is in good hands.
Douglas said many younger Crows were already putting their hands up at training as pre-season games creep ever closer.
"A lot of guys have stood up vocally,” Douglas said.
“’Thommo' is the standout on the track with his voice but I think myself and Sloaney and Matt Crouch have really improved in that area.
"We've got some young guys who we're looking to fill that void; Cameron Ellis-Yolmen, Jarryd Lyons, Crouch – these sort of boys.
"If we can get some more out of them and then Brad Crouch, he's been talked about, he'll come back this year and hopefully play a role for us.”
Jarryd Lyons is one Crow in particular eying more opportunity in 2016.
The 23-year-old has proven himself a big contested ball winner at SANFL level and he's skilful enough around goal to play as a forward, but Lyons could not cement a spot in the senior team last season and often started as the substitute.
Of his 13 games this year, he began nine in the green vest.
"We had Kris Kringle and I think someone got him a sub's vest," Douglas joked.
"It's exciting that a young guy gets a chance that had probably been pushed out or been the sub in previous years."
"I think he (Lyons) wore it 12 times … it's hard for him to develop when he's playing probably a quarter, a quarter and a half max each week.
"He's been good around training and he's got to step up this year.
"He's got the talent, he's just missed the opportunity so this is his year, I'm sure."
With a new coach at the helm in Don Pyke and a mass of players looking to play their part of what looms a promising 2016 campaign, the Club's NAB Challenge shapes as a telling lead-up.
Adelaide faces West Coast at Unley Oval on February 21 before taking on Fremantle a week later in Mount Barker and then Gold Coast on March 21 at Metricon Stadium.
