Adelaide SANFL player Riley Clamp didn’t start off playing Aussie Rules but instead kicked around with the soccer ball as a youngster.

It wasn’t until he began following his Dad, who was team manager at Mount Compass Football Club, that he started to take an interest.

“I started playing soccer when I was four or five and played until I was 11,” Clamp said.

“My dad was the team manager at Mount Compass Football Club’s Senior Colts, so I went to training with him and found a love for the game.

“From there on, I played my next four years at Mount Compass and then my first year of Senior Colts was when I moved to Strathalbyn Football Club.”

The decision to give Aussie Rules a crack has paid dividends for Clamp, who was scouted by Adelaide and signed as part of its SANFL squad in 2020.

“I was at work one day and it was when Heath Younie was coaching the Crows SANFL side, he got hold of the Strath coach and gave me a bell and asked if I was keen to come out,” Clamp said.

“It was as simple as going out because I barracked for the Crows my whole life as well, we’ve been Gold Members for the past seven years, so it was pretty cool.

“Being asked to play for the Crows has been an absolute privilege.”

But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Clamp.

“Being asked to play for the Crows has been an absolute privilege.

A carpenter by trade, Clamp was involved in a workplace accident in 2020 and split his kidney. 

That led to him missing the 2020 Great Southern Football League season with Strathalbyn.

With Covid forcing the Crows out of the 2020 SANFL campaign, Clamp was worried a full season out of local footy could ruin his chances of being signed again for Adelaide.

But fortunately the young defender was re-signed for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, and has since lined up in 11 SANFL games for the Crows.

“I fell through a roof and split my kidney, so I missed a full year of footy,” Clamp said.

“Then Goddsy (Michael Godden) gave me a call at the start of 2021 asking if I was keen to come back out, which was great.

“It was a slow recovery because they (doctors) couldn’t really do anything for it, but as soon as I could get back into running I did.

“The first game back was a bit scary but I found my straps pretty quickly.”

The SANFL had a League-wide bye last weekend, with SA Country taking on Perth Country on Saturday, July 30.

Adelaide, who sit third on the ladder, will take on Woodville-West Torrens in a Round 17 clash on Sunday, August 7.

“We know our best footy is good enough to beat anyone, so hopefully we can go deep into finals,” Clamp said.