Crows SANFL captain Luke Carey will return to his country club Echunga next season.

Carey joined Adelaide as a development player at the end of 2014, taking over the captaincy last season following the retirement of inaugural SANFL skipper Ian Callinan.

The defender played 27 SANFL games in two seasons with the Crows and won Adelaide’s Dean Bailey Award this year.

The 26-year-old will return to the Demons in the Hills Football League, where he is vice-captain and a dual best and fairest.

Crows SANFL coach Ryan O’Keefe acknowledged Carey’s contribution.

“Luke’s given us great service as part of our SANFL development program, particularly this year as captain,” O’Keefe said.

“We thank him for his efforts and wish him all the best for the future.”

O’Keefe said the Club would make an announcement on the SANFL captaincy in due course.

“We’ll work through that process and make a decision at a later date,” he said.