Adelaide’s 2026 minor round delivered one of the Club’s strongest home-and-away campaigns, with several players producing standout individual seasons across key stat categories.
One of Adelaide’s strongest minor rounds
Adelaide’s 2026 minor round record of 15 wins and eight losses from 23 games is among the Club’s best returns in 36 seasons in the AFL. The 18 wins from 23 games in 2025 ranks highest and in 2017, Adelaide also finished top with 15 wins and a draw from 22 games. Other similar minor round results were achieved in 2002 (15-7, third), 2005 (17-5, top), 2006 (16-6, second), 2012 (17-5, second) and 2016 (16-6, fifth). Adelaide won 13 of 22 minor round games in both the 1997 and 1998 premiership-winning seasons, finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
Most durable Crows of 2026
Max Michalanney, Ben Keays and Josh Rachele were the only Crows to play in all 23 minor round games. Sam Berry, Lachlan McAndrew, Josh Worrell and Brayden Cook all missed just the one game. Thirty-eight players represented the Crows at AFL level this season.
Dawson, Rachele lead key numbers
Captain Jordan Dawson was the leading disposal winner with 526 from 20 games at an average of 26.3. He also had the highest average for score involvements (6.4) slightly ahead of Rachele (6.3). Rachele was the leading goalkicker, with 38, four clear of Riley Thilthorpe and six ahead of Taylor Walker, with 32. Walker holds the season record for goals assists (33 in 2017) but Keays is closing the gap with 28 so far this year. Rachele is next with 22 and then Zac Taylor (18).
Dawson tops Coaches Votes
Dawson also led the coaches votes for Adelaide, with 80 votes in 12 games, including four maximum scores of 10. Izak Rankine polled votes in nine games, for a total of 67, and Wayne Milera was next with 54. The 2026 All-Australian defender started the season with 10 votes against Collingwood and received votes in nine other games.
Borlase climbing the one-percenters list
Key defender James Borlase is moving into Daniel Talia territory on the all-time “one-percenters” list. Talia’s best was 231 in the 2017 season and the two-time All-Australian also holds six of the next seven positions. Borlase has reached 141 from 17 games this season.
Thilthorpe closes in on contested marks record
Riley Thilthorpe is nearing the Club’s contested marks season record. He has taken 44 from 20 games this year, four behind his 2025 total of 48 and six behind all-time leader Kurt Tippett, with 50 in 2012. This season’s average of 2.2 is the highest in the competition.
Berry sets the tackling standard
Midfielder Sam Berry also led the competition, for effective tackles, with 160. He is six clear of Brisbane’s Josh Dunkley. Rory Sloane holds the Club’s tackles record with 186 in 2017.
Home crowds reach decade-high average
The average crowd of Adelaide’s 12 home games (including Gather Round) at Adelaide Oval was 46,771, the highest since the 2016 season. The all-time record average is 48,046 in 2014, the first year at Adelaide Oval.
