When Hugo Hall-Kahan walked off The Gabba following Adelaide’s Semi-Final against Brisbane on Saturday night, it signified the end of a whirlwind chapter of his football journey.
His 2026 season began not in Crows colours, but plying his trade for VFL outfit Williamstown, as he dreamt of a second AFL opportunity after being delisted by Sydney in 2023.
The dashing defender caught the eye of Adelaide’s recruiting team, and in the Mid-Season Rookie Draft the Club gave the 22-year-old the chance he worked so hard to secure.
Fast forward four months, and Hall-Kahan had solidified himself in the Crows’ AFL team and played a key role in their run to the Semi-Final.
Speaking to AFC Media after the match against the Lions, he reflected candidly on his 2026 campaign.
“Absolutely not, at the start of the year I didn’t think I’d be in a position where I’ve played two AFL finals,” Hall-Kahan said.
“I always had belief I could get back here, but you’ve got to have a bit of luck in getting the chance.
“So, I owe everything to this Club, the recruiters, Roughy (Jarryd Roughead), Hamish (Ogilivie) and the list management team, because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here.
“I did the work, and I put myself out there, but ultimately at the end of the day you need to get picked, so for this Club to believe in me and give me a chance at AFL level from day one, it means a lot.
“My job now is to repay the faith, and I’m super determined to keep growing and evolving both as a player and person.”
A hallmark of Hall-Kahan’s play in 2026 was his willingness to take the game on and break lines for his team.
That was well and truly on show against the Lions, as he recorded 24 disposals and 497 metres gained in a spirited performance.
“Nicksy has been huge for me in that space, since I arrived, he’s backed me in to just play my game and be confident out on the field,” Hall-Kahan said about his mindset on the field.
“There isn’t too much instruction for me out there, I’ve just been told to back my ability in, I know what I can do with the ball in hand and run and carry, and how that can help the team.
“You don’t get too many second chances at this level, so this year has been all about going out there and leaving no stone unturned.”
Overall, it was a disappointing night for Hall-Kahan and his team, as they were outclassed by a hardened Lions outfit.
He reflected on the match, and where it got away from the Crows side.
“Obviously very disappointed with how it all went, Brisbane got off to a really fast start, and we were on the back foot from there on,” Hall-Kahan said.
“It was probably lost in the contest early, which is an area we pride ourselves on, we got beaten up a bit around the ball and it was hard to stop them when they got going.
“It just felt like they were overlapping with their run, they got out the back a lot and put us in positions where it was hard for us to defend.
“They’re a great team, they’re probably the benchmark and they showed that tonight, but I’ve got so much belief in this group and what we’re doing.”
Despite the rapid improvement he showed throughout his first AFL season, Hall-Kahan admitted he was still scratching the surface when it came to his game.
He said the prospect of his first pre-season as an AFL player was something that excited him.
“I never actually did a pre-season at Sydney so this will be my first AFL pre-season which I’m really looking forward to,” Hall-Kahan said.
“Just getting to work, building my body and learning the system properly, from day one, will be nice.
“I’m really looking forward to just getting to work, I’ll enjoy a couple of weeks to recharge and get away from everything, but once that’s done I’ll be champing at the bit to get back into it.”
