Adelaide forward Alex-Neal Bullen says being the Crows’ stand-in Skipper against the Cats is an honour he will remember forever.

The Crows entered last week’s match against Geelong without Captain Jordan Dawson due to a calf injury, and Neal-Bullen was selected to lead the team out, and toss the coin.

Neal-Bullen, who holds the vice captaincy position alongside fellow forward Ben Keays, speaks about the experience on this week’s episode of The Crows Show.

Although he enjoyed being the stand-in Skipper for his boyhood club, Neal-Bullen said he hoped Dawson would return to the team line-up soon.

“What an experience that was. I am very grateful to have gone and flipped the coin, and I won the toss, which was a great feeling. I went back to the group and they were stoked,” Neal-Bullen said.

“To be honest, it didn’t actually change anything from my mindset point-of-view. It was a night that was challenging from a team aspect, we didn’t start the way we wanted to.

“But I am so proud of the group and how we can fight through games like that and no matter what challenges are presented, we often find a way to get into the game.

“Personally, I was very honoured to Captain the football Club, but also very eager to get Daws back in the team.”

Neal-Bullen, who is in his second season with the Crows after joining Adelaide during the 2024 trade period, also spoke about the evolution of his role as a high half-forward.

The 2021 Premiership player said he enjoyed playing the position and doing what he could to help the team.

“(It's) a role that requires high work ethic, strong fundamentals are required to play the high half-forward role,” Neal-Bullen said.

“When you get an opportunity to tap into the offensive side, making the most of the moment, whether that be connecting with a forward, or taking your moment in front of goals.

“There’s an element of you’ve got to do sacrificial running, but then also you can look at it through a lens of ‘this is going to get the team better’.

“Whether that be working back to help in defence, or flipping that back to your goals and trying to get on the end of the goal or set up a goal.”

Catch the full Neal-Bullen interview, plus Ben Keays’ chat with Max Michalanney in Toyota’s bZ4X, and meet AFLW draftee Lucy Waye on The Crows Show this Friday on Channel 7 Adelaide from 1.30pm.