Two-time Crows Premiership ruckman Shaun Rehn has been inducted into the Adelaide Football Club’s Hall of Fame. 

Three knee reconstructions in five seasons did not stop Rehn from being one of the most influential ruckmen of his era.

Handed the now iconic No.52 guernsey when named on Adelaide’s inaugural list in 1991, he made his AFL debut later that season and made a rapid rise to be among the AFL’s best players.

At 203cm, Rehn combined a powerful presence in the centre square and at stoppages with marking strength, courage and classy skills.

Rehn, from Arno Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, was only a few months out of country football when listed by Adelaide.

In 1994 he was named in the All-Australian side, represented South Australia against Victoria and won the Club Champion award. 

But in round three of 1995 he suffered a torn ACL. 

Three games into the 1996 season, the right knee buckled again, and he was out for another season.

Rehn’s courage and commitment to returning to the game was eventually rewarded with two Premiership medals. 

In 1997, Rehn took some time to regain top form but he lifted for September.

Rehn received Club Champion votes in all four finals.

He was rated best in the semi-final win against Geelong, third best in the preliminary final (when he famously took off his knee brace at half-time) and fifth best in the grand final.

In 1998 he was selected as an All-Australian for a second time and toured Ireland with the Australian squad. 

That year, in addition to earning his second premiership medal, he polled 22 Brownlow votes, finishing fourth. 

Crows great Mark Ricciuto believed Rehn was one of the key figures behind the Premiership triumphs.

“He was super passionate and super competitive, so he was the perfect teammate. You knew he was never going to give up,” Ricciuto said.

“He had really high standards and didn’t like anyone giving less than 100 percent, he drove other players to be better around him. He was just crucial to the Club.

“His marking around the ground was probably as good as there has ever been from a ruckman, I think that’s what separated ‘Rehnny’ from the rest of them.”

Rehn endured a third knee reconstruction, this time on his left knee, before the start of the 1999 season but returned to play out one more season for the Crows in 2000 and then two seasons with Hawthorn.

Crows career

Played 134 games and kicked 55 goals for the Crows (1991-2000)

2x Premiership player (1997 and 1998)

2x All Australian (1994 and 1998)

Crows Club Champion 1994

2x Fourth Club Champion (1992 and 1998)

Fifth Club Champion 1993

Club Champion overall: Top ten, four times

State-of-Origin SA captain 1998

Australian International Rules squad 1998

AFC Life Member 2000

Selected in Adelaide’s “Best 22 of 30 Years”

SA Football Hall of Fame 2006