Two Adelaide greats played their final games for the Club on this day seven years ago.

Andrew McLeod and Simon Goodwin made their final appearance in the tri-colours in Round 16, 2010.

Under Friday night lights at AAMI Stadium, Adelaide faced off against a Geelong team sitting second on the ladder and widely recognised as the measuring stick of the competition.

Plagued by injuries in their final season, little did the 41,195-strong crowd know that they’d be seeing the pair in action for the last time.

Goodwin had announced his intention to retire at season’s end, while McLeod’s future remained uncertain after undertaking knee surgery one month earlier.

After a disappointing start to the year, the Crows were coming off a three-game winning streak and were determined to keep their strong form at home intact.

In a thrilling contest, Adelaide held off a fast-finishing but inaccurate Cats outfit to win by 11 points.

Geelong’s inaccuracy in the final stanza in particular, when the Cats kicked 2.6 to Adelaide’s 3.0, opened the door for the upset.

Goodwin was prolific on a wing for the Crows with 29 disposals and four rebound 50ms as he drove the ball forward for Adelaide while McLeod showed his class and pace right to the end with 14 disposals and five marks.

The against-all-odds win was a fitting result as Adelaide farewelled two of the Club’s favourite sons.

While it was the last time we’d see two of Adelaide’s stalwarts in action, it was the beginning of a new era, with young prospects Rory Sloane and Taylor Walker playing their ninth and 27th AFL games respectively.

The young pair had 27 disposals and six goals between them in a sign of things to come.

At the end of the 2010 season McLeod announced his retirement from the AFL, joining Goodwin as the Club farewelled 615 games of experience.

The pair – who boast six Club Champion awards between them -  were given the send-off they deserved, farewelled in a lap-of-honour around AAMI stadium following the final minor round game of the year.

Inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2014 and 2017 respectively, the pair have an illustrious list of accolades between them and hold an esteemed place in the history of the Adelaide Football Club.

A born leader, Goodwin is now Senior Coach at the Melbourne Football Club. The former Captain has fast become one of the most respected tacticians in the league.

McLeod remains involved with the Club to this day and manages Adelaide’s Indigenous Programs with his wife Rachael.

Friday, July 16, 2010 - Round 16

ADELAIDE   2.3   4.3   8.8   11.8 (74)
GEELONG   3.1  5.3   7.3   9.9 (63)

GOALS: Walker 4, Sloane 2, Henderson 2, Tippett, Dangerfield, van Berlo

BEST: Vince, Walker, Goodwin, Johncock

ATTENDANCE: 41,195 at AAMI Stadium

 

Andrew McLeod - Career
340 games and 275 goals 1995-2010 
Member of the 1997 and 1998 Premiership teams
Member of the 2003 Pre-season premiership team 
Two-time Norm Smith Medal winner 1997, 1998
Michael Tuck Medal winner 2003 
Three-time Club Champion (1997, 2001, 2007) 
All Australian 1998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007 (Captain) 
Runner-up in the Brownlow Medal 2001 
AFL Player’s Association Most Valuable Player award 2001 
Member of the Indigenous Team of the Century
Jim Stynes Medal winner 2005 
Life Member of Adelaide 2003 
Games record holder for Adelaide

Simon Goodwin – Career
275 games and 162 goals (1997-2010)
Captain 2008-2010
Member of the 1997 and 1998 Premiership teams
Member of the 2003 Pre-season premiership team 
Three-time Club Champion (2000, 2005, 2006) 
Michael Tuck Medal winner 2006 
All Australian 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2009 
Life Member of Adelaide 2005