Adelaide on-baller Sam Berry says the volume of players able to run through the midfield gives the Crows an exciting look for season 2026.
The pre-season has given the coaching staff the opportunity to expose some new faces to the midfield mix, with the likes of Josh Rachele, Dan Curtin, Charlie Edwards and Luke Pedlar all spending time around the footy across the summer.
Those additions, along with the existing fleet of on-ballers, has allowed the Crows to experiment more with midfield combinations and give them a dynamic look that Berry said could be a point of difference.
“I really like the mix we’ve got, it’s dynamic, it’s got a few different elements too and it’s super exciting to be a part of,” Berry told AFC Media.
“Don’t be surprised to see more guys get some midfield action this season, and on the flip side, see more midfielders play forward too.
“One thing that differentiates us a bit is we’ve got so many different options to roll through the midfield, and that stems from our forward line being so strong.
“We’ve got the ability to have guys like Rash (Josh Rachele), Ranks (Izak Rankine), Peds (Luke Pedlar) and Keaysy (Ben Keays), come up around the footy and have an impact - Being able to change the dynamic and mix things up in-game is super exciting and a little weapon we’ve got.”
Working closely with the midfield group across the summer, Berry has had a first-hand look at the development of a number of teammates.
He highlighted two in particular that he felt had taken a leap this pre-season.
“Luke Pedlar has been the biggest one for me, he’s been able to get himself fit and on the track for almost every session which has been great,” Berry said.
“Just watching him go about it, he’s definitely taken his game to another level so I’m excited to see what he can bring.
“Charlie Edwards is another one, he showed it in the practice games, but he’s come through the midfield and been really exciting.
“He’s a young guy that’s had to wait a bit and develop his craft, but I think it’s coming together now and we’ll see his debut soon.”
From a personal point of view, continued improvement has been the goal for Berry throughout his sixth AFL pre-season.
He said there were two particular aspects of his game he had been focusing on, as he aimed to take his game to the next level.
“The big thing for me this summer has just been building off what I was able to achieve last year,” Berry said.
“Building that consistency in my game is always a big motivator for me, and that all starts with building good habits on the track, so bringing my best to every session and rocking up ready to compete.
“Then the other one is trying to be as damaging as I can, whether that’s driving my legs with the ball or having a presence tackling, a big part of my improvement is about being more impactful as a midfielder.
“So they are just a couple of the things I’ve been trying to chip away at.”
The Crows will kick off their 2026 campaign with a clash against Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday, March 14, before their first home game of the year against the Western Bulldogs on Friday, March 20.
