Former Crow and Tigers big man Ivan Maric has found two great joys in life these days - time with his young son and helping the next generation of footballers grow, not just as players, but as people.

The 157-game ruckman, who lined up in 77 matches for Adelaide, before adding a further 80 at Richmond, has settled into a quieter life since retiring at the end of 2017.

But he has not been lost to the game, slotting seamlessly into a coaching role with the Tigers after retirement, where he currently holds the role of the Club’s player development coordinator and ruck coach.

Speaking to AFC Media at a business event in Melbourne earlier this month, Maric reflected on his post-playing life.

“I like to stay local these days, I feel like I've moved around a lot with football, which was great, and I had some great memories, but I am happy to stay local in the backyard,” Maric said.

“I am married and I have a little boy, he's three years old, his name's Ivan as well, so he's the fourth Ivan Maric in a row. I just like sitting in the backyard growing my veggies, being with my little boy, keeping it pretty simple.

“I transitioned straight into coaching after playing. I sort of knew what was happening with my playing career, and that it was coming to an end, so I planted a few seeds about what I was interested in with the club and they’ve really looked after me.

“I love passing on knowledge. When I was at the Crows, I had these really great ruck coaches - Matthew Clarke, Mick Redden - and they gave me all this info, and it was so valuable to me, I want to pass that on, along with my own personal experiences in trying to help young players be the best they can be, but also push them to be good men as well.”

Maric was selected by the Crows with Pick No.40 at the 2004 AFL Draft, but had to wait until 2006 to make his League debut.

And as the current crop of Crows prepare for Showdown 60, clashes with Adelaide’s crosstown rival remain ones Maric watches closely for two reasons - his debut came in Showdown 20 (Round Six, 2006), and he also played SANFL footy with Port Adelaide under the old system.

“I love watching the Showdown,” Maric said.

“I'll always try to watch the Showdowns because I was lucky enough to debut in one, and I played in a few, and I loved them. 

“They bring out so much passion in fans, and I played for the Magpies, so I knew the rivalry from both sides.”

That debut game, however, came as a shock to Maric, who wasn’t originally named in the team and ended up being a last minute selection to cover the injured Mark Ricciuto.

He finished in the 50-point win with seven disposals, five hit-outs and a goal.

“I remember sitting in the ice bath the day before the game, because I wasn’t in the team, Mark Ricciuto pulled out through injury and Neil Craig walks in and goes ‘are you ready?,” Maric said.

“And I said ‘yeah!’

“I played about 18 minutes, but it was awesome, and a really great memory.”

Across the seven seasons he spent at West Lakes, there were countless moments of joy for Maric, but it’s the friendships and people he met along the way that he’ll always cherish.

“My time playing with the Crows was awesome, I just loved it, when I think back, it brings a lot of joy to me,” Maric said.

“You have to surround yourself with good people and seek out the good people in the team, so for me it was like Scott Stevens, Mark Stevens, Andrew McLeod, Tyson Edwards, Scott Thompson, those are the guys I really looked up to, and then I learned as much as I could off them.

“It was just my family, Adelaide Footy Club is my family, and what they did for me was incredible. I'll probably never be able to thank them enough, really, what they did, and how they supported me.

“I was 18 years old, they helped me and shaped me into who I am.”

Maric was traded to Richmond ahead of the 2012 season - a time he describes as bittersweet because he was able to return to his hometown, but was leaving his second family behind.

“It was sort of a tough time, because, like I said, Adelaide Footy Club was my family to me, so I was like leaving my family growing up where family is the most important thing in life,” Maric said.

“I was given an opportunity to go back home to Melbourne and Sam Jacobs got to come back to Adelaide, which was his hometown.

“It was hard, but both clubs have been so caring and good to me, so I'll just look back feeling very, very lucky to be looked after by two really great clubs.”

Reflecting on his time at the Crows, Maric said his appreciation for the Club was still as strong as ever.

Even now, years removed from his playing days, the connection remains something he doesn’t take for granted.

“My contribution was really small, and for the club to just acknowledge that just by inviting me, I appreciate that, and it goes a long way,” Maric said.

“The Club has had some incredible players over the years, like some of the best players that I've ever seen, so it means a lot to me. “