Heading into Adelaide’s Gather Round match against Carlton, co-vice captain Ben Keays refused to shy away from the unpredictable nature of playing a high half-forward role.

Instead, Keays chose to embrace it, and use it as a way to help lift his team out of its three-game losing streak, following a trio of narrow losses by a combined total of 16 points.

The 29-year-old didn’t listen to the external noise, but trusted the work he and his teammates had done over the summer and were continuing to put in.

The reward for effort paid off for not only the Crows, who recorded a 28-point win against the Blues, but also Keays, who finished with three goals, 16 disposals and four tackles.

Speaking to AFC Media after Thursday night’s win, Keays said he acknowledged playing a high half-forward role could be challenging, but he was always determined to find a way through.

“Sometimes it falls your way in my position, sometimes it doesn’t, I had a job to do tonight and I feel like I did it with the help of my teammates,” Keays said.

“It’s the nature of the role, sometimes it falls your way, sometimes it doesn’t. You just accept that some days are not going to be yours, it happens every season that I’ve played.

“There’s always patches where you have to take what the game gives you and sometimes in that role it’s not always your day, but you’ve got to find other ways to impact the game.

“You can’t sulk and try to make it about you, you’ve got to play your role.”

Keays said he had leant on co-vice captain and 2021 premiership player Alex Neal-Bullen who had also needed to adapt over the past few years to the evolution of the role.

 “I’m lucky I’ve got mentors in that space like Alex Neal-Bullen who have done it for a lot longer than I have and have been elite in it,” Keays said.

“I try to learn off him and just get to work and try to help the team in any way I can.”

Adelaide kicked off Gather Round for a fourth consecutive season and managed to hold off Cartlon’s early blitz to take home a 17.12 (114) to 12.14 (86) victory at Adelaide Oval.

Keays said the result was built off the back of a full team performance, with everyone playing their role.

“It means a lot to start Gather Round like that. We were pretty optimistic, heading into the game, I know win/loss we weren’t where we wanted to be, but in all of those games it was slight margins,” Keays said.

“I think everyone was great, especially the front half. I thought all the boys there competed so well and really contributed.

When everyone plays their role, it’s easy to get on the end of a few, so I am going to give credit to the whole squad, but particularly the forward line who help me do my job.

“Just little things, battling in the air, on the ground, Nibbler (Neal-Bullen) being so clean, Milk (Zac Taylor) as well, I could go through everyone, but it’s all about the team.”

The Crows will now turn their attention to next week’s clash against St Kilda at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night, and starting well will again be a focus, according to Keays.

Keays also lauded the Crows fans for once again turning up on Gather Round and hoped to see another packed Adelaide Oval against the Saints next week.

“We will probably look at our start again, try to fix that up, and then keep getting to work and really trusting our way and our game plan,” Keays said.

“Every game at Adelaide Oval in front of the Crows fans is amazing. 

“They’re so loud and sometimes you can’t hear the whistle out there, they’re that loud, which is something I haven’t experienced at many other grounds.”

Tickets to the match against St Kilda are available here.

Although Adelaide’s Gather Round game is complete, fans will have chances to meet their favourite Crows, with players being part of the footy festivities on Friday.

For details on what’s on during Gather Round and how to meet your favourite Crow, click here.