When Adelaide defender Josh Worrell arrived at the Crows nest five years ago, by his own admission, he had no idea what it took to become a successful AFL footballer.

He loved the lifestyle professional football had to offer, but was less enthused by the work that had to be done behind the scenes.

Fast forward to 2025 and Worrell, who is in the midst of a career-best season, now prides himself on strict preparation and doing all the extras required to match it with the best in the competition.

“I really enjoy doing the small things (in terms of preparation) now,” Worrell said.

“I liked the picture of being an AFL footballer before (in my early years), but didn’t like doing those small things that really help you get the best out of yourself on the field. 

“Whereas now, being able to do those small things well, such as doing extra touch, going in on my off days for extra bits of recovery and stretching.

“It’s had such a positive impact on my game and helped give me that extra one to two percent that has allowed me to get into the AFL side and have an impact.”

The Victorian’s journey to becoming a consistent AFL contributor does not mirror that of the average player coming through the system.

His first three years at the Crows were riddled with home truths, none bigger than his AFL debut in 2021, where he recorded just three disposals and admitted he was not yet at the level.

He explained how his experiences had helped him become the best version of himself.

“I’ve definitely had a different journey and career path compared to most players,” Worrell said.

“I had to bide my time a bit, developing through the SANFL and stuff, which I think has really helped me now in the AFL side. 

“My first game certainly wasn’t ideal, but after that I felt I was able to come and impact the team, and that came as a result of the hard work and experiences I had in the SANFL leading up.” 

Worrell has shown continued growth throughout this season, and has cemented himself as a key cog in the Crows’ back six.

He said versatility had been key to his success in this campaign, as he was willing and able to perform any role required for the team.

“What I value most in my game is my intercept marking, and that ability to play on talls and smalls, that’s huge and really handy when it comes to being a defender in the modern game,” Worrell said.

“I can do whatever job the team needs me to do down back, whether that’s playing on a small forward that is quite quick and dangerous, or defending against a bigger bloke, versatility is a really important aspect of my game.”

Catch the rest of the chat with Worrell, and plenty more, on this week’s episode of The Crows Show, airing on Channel 7 Adelaide this Sunday at 11am.