Crows ruck Lachlan McAndrew relishes the chance to play in enemy territory and is expecting nothing but a hostile crowd when Adelaide faces Brisbane at The Gabba.
Adelaide earned the right to take on the Lions in a knockout Semi-Final clash on Saturday night after beating the Western Bulldogs in its Elimination Final.
McAndrew said the challenge of playing in Brisbane and silencing the crowd was something he was keen to embrace.
He also hoped for a sea of navy, red and gold to pack out The Gabba.
“I am really looking forward to the opportunity to play away from home and in front of a hostile crowd and hopefully get the win,” McAndrew said.
“I do love it.
“I sort of tune out the crowd a little bit when I'm out there and really focus on my role.
“But when I do hear the crowd cheering along, it definitely helps.”
McAndrew’s journey has been anything but linear.
He spent four years on Sydney’s list after being recruited in the 2021 Mid-Season Rookie Draft and played two AFL games, before he began training with the Crows late in 2024.
The 201cm big man officially became a Crow via the AFL’s pre-season Supplemental Selection Period in February, 2025, but only made his Club debut in Round One this year.
“Being a late bloomer in the AFL world, only starting when I was 20 and not realising what would lay ahead of me over the next five to six years, so to be in this position and to be playing a Semi-Final is awesome,” McAndrew said.
“I remember watching last year’s finals and I remember getting tingles as the team ran out, the crowd was so loud.
“To be out there in the middle this year was a really cool experience, I really enjoyed my time out there.”
Since Round One, McAndrew has held the Crows’ No. 1 ruck mantle, having only missed one game.
And against the Bulldogs, McAndrew recorded a game-high 30 hit-outs in a strong performance against his opponent in Dogs ruckman Tim English.
The 26-year-old said he was determined to leave no stone unturned ahead of this season and was pleased he was getting some reward for his hard work.
“This time last year, I probably wouldn't have seen myself playing a full season, so I am really happy with it,” McAndrew said.
“I obviously had to put on some size, and well, I'm not the strongest fella ever, so to be able to keep whacking on some size has helped.
“Running probably wasn't my strongest point, so to be able to get in the pool and do some swimming and add some extra aerobic base increase was good.
“I'm just really excited for the opportunity of playing in a Semi-Final, and I'll do my role and help other people play their role throughout the team.”
Adelaide faces Brisbane in a Semi-Final at The Gabba on Saturday at 7.05pm (ACST).
For information on how to secure tickets and what’s on in Adelaide ahead of the game, head to the Cub’s finals hub here.
