Growing up, Joseph Haines looked up to premiership Crow and Brownlow Medallist Mark Ricciuto.

A Waikerie local, Haines was an avid Adelaide fan, and Ricciuto, who was also originally from the Riverland region, was his favourite player.

Now, decades later, Haines is set to don the tri-colours after signing with the Crows’ SANFL side ahead of the 2026 season.

And the former South Adelaide star was shocked to receive a text from Ricciuto after committing to the Crows.

 “Being from Waikerie, Mark Ricciuto was massive when I was growing up, and he sent me a message about all of this,” Haines told AFC Media.

“He just said it was good to have another Waikerie person at the Club and wished me all the best.

“I am very excited and looking forward to getting started.”

Haines, 31, hung up his SANFL boots at the end of 2023 after 137 games with the Panthers, due to the then pending arrival of his first-born son.

The defender then spent the past two seasons lining up in the Adelaide Footy League with Port District, where he helped the team to back-to-back flags (2024, 2025).

Although Haines didn’t have his sights on returning to the State League, he said the opportunity the Crows presented him with was too good to pass up.

“I had a couple of years off SANFL, I was playing at Port District after South with the birth of my first son, Lenny, I just wanted to have a bit more time to spend with him,” Haines said.

“Then Jarrod (Meers) just reached out after we (Port District) made the grand final and it just snowballed from there.

“I wasn’t sure if I’d ever come back to the SANFL, but when I retired I did think I could keep playing. It was a bit of a funny one - I just wanted to spend more time with my son.

“This program (at the Crows) allows that, so I get the best of both worlds, now.”

Haines, who teaches Health and PE at Westport Primary School, is one of four new Crows to sign with the Club’s SANFL side.

He says he is looking forward to the challenge of playing in the SANFL and is happy to play whatever position the team needs.

“There’s some good players around the program, so it will be good to play alongside those who are aspiring to play AFL, I’m looking forward to it,” Haines said.

“Most of my football has been at half-back, maybe a tiny bit on the wing, so I am pretty happy to play wherever. 

“It’s the coach’s call, really, and I’ll just fit in wherever I can, but I’m really looking forward to it.”

Adelaide’s 2026 campaign kicks off with a clash against West Adelaide on Saturday, March 28.

Click here for the full fixture.