When Alex Neal-Bullen made the move to the Crows, it wasn’t just a change in clubs - it was the return of a local SA lad coming home, and finding something special.

Neal-Bullen joined the Crows during the 2024 off-season following a trade with Melbourne after a decade at the Demons and 168 games - including the 2021 Grand Final win.

Now, halfway through his first campaign with Adelaide, Neal-Bullen joined teammate Ben Keays in the bZ4X on this week’s episode of The Crows Show and reflected on his first half of the season.

Neal-Bullen said he was embracing South Australian life again and having his family close by was making the journey even better.

“To still be able to live out my childhood dream and play AFL footy, but now having the family and friends come along for that journey - whether that’s game day, training,” Neal-Bullen said.

“I’ve had my daughter out at a fair few of the training sessions, and that to me is gold.

“You play footy because you love it and you love the competitiveness, I feel very valued here at the Adelaide Football Club. I’ve felt so much love and also just value with the role that we play, running out onto Adelaide Oval.

“From Round One, we played St Kilda in our first game, the momentum that game gave us, but every time we get to play at home the noise of the crowd, and whether it’s a day game, or a night game, all the seats are filled and I’ve just loved it.”

Neal-Bullen is preparing to face his former side this weekend when the Crows take on the Demons at Adelaide Oval.

He said he had nothing but respect for his old Club and hoped to experience the same success he had at Melbourne with his Crows teammates.

“That journey at my former Club was something that as a playing group, we all started day one together. We came in and had already started a rebuild,” Neal-Bullen said.

“But the special thing about that was we started the journey together and we got to the ultimate success, riding the highs and the lows of footy, the wins and losses, the momentum swings, but we got to where we wanted to over eight years.

“That’s something that this group (at the Crows), you’ve started that journey for or five years ago, people coming into the Club are now at the stage where they’ve got that level of maturity, and understand what it takes to perform each week.

“I’m sure that in the near future, whether that’s in the near future or down the track, this group has an understanding of each other and the moment you can create is a special one - hopefully we can all be a part of it one day.”

Catch Neal-Bullen and Keays, a chat with midfielder Sam Berry, plus a look into the business AFLW star Maddi Newman shares with her twin, Hallie - Seeing Double - this week on The Crows Show.

The Crows Show airs on Channel 7 Adelaide this Sunday at 11am.