When second-year Crow Dan Curtin found out he had received the Round 13 Telstra AFL Rising Star nomination, it brought about a moment of reflection.

Arriving at the Crows as a top 10 draft pick at the end of 2023, the West Australian was made to earn his place at AFL level, playing just seven matches in his debut campaign.

Understanding where he needed to improve, the 20-year-old went to put his head down over the summer and impressed with his work-ethic, willingness to learn and team-first approach.

His stand-out pre-season earned him a spot in the Crows’ 2025 Round One team, and he has since played all 13 matches this season.

Curtin said receiving the Rising Star nomination had allowed him to think about  the hard work that had gone into getting to this point, and how it was starting to pay off.

“For me this nomination is just further reinforcement that I’m on the right track, which is great for my confidence moving forward,” Curtin told AFC Media.

“It’s been a long time coming for me, I’ve put in a mountain of work to get to this point now where I’m playing consistent AFL footy.

“The pre-season was massive for me, I made sure I was in the best possible condition to start the season, and learnt so much about my game that I’ve been able to implement on the field.

“But it’s just a small stepping stone for me and my journey, it’s nice to be appreciated, but even if I didn’t get this I’d still be really happy with where I’m at and how I’m tracking.”

Standing at 197cm, blessed with silky skills and a strong running capacity, Curtin has been utilised in a number of roles throughout his 20-game career. 

Over the past month the coaching staff has decided to settle the 20-year-old on the wing, a position that he has thrived in, averaging 14 disposals and six marks in his past four games. 

“I’ve absolutely loved the move up to the wing, I love being up around the ball and I think this move is going to put me in good stead moving forward,” Curtin said.

“I’m really enjoying having some good consistency with a role, and playing on the wing for the past month or so. I’ve settled really nicely into it and been able to play some strong footy.

“It (playing on the wing) has allowed me to show my running capacity, my skills and ability to win the ball and make good decisions.

“Being around the ball more has been great, and hopefully I can continue to keep playing my role on the wing for the next few weeks and beyond.”

Having an extended run of games at the highest level has helped Curtin grow in a variety of ways.

He said each week he was learning something new about his game, which had helped boost his confidence.

“I think I’ve grown a lot, in both my confidence and actual game itself,” Curtin said.

“I’ve really improved in things like having the composure to find targets consistently, having the confidence to go for marks and impact in the air.

“The biggest thing I’ve noticed is that I’m really starting to belong at the level which has seen me play some better footy, but the most important thing is to not get complacent and continue to work on the areas I need to get better in.”

Adelaide faces Hawthorn at University of Tasmania Stadium in Launceston, this Friday night, with the first bounce at 7.10pm (ACST). 

The match will be broadcast live on Channel 7 Adelaide, Fox Footy and Kayo.