Exciting forward Eddie Betts is targeting a team win, rather than his 500th AFL goal, ahead of Adelaide’s trip to Tasmania to tackle North Melbourne.

Betts is just one goal away from the incredible individual achievement. He’s on the brink of becoming just the 57th player to reach the 500-goal milestone in VFL/AFL history.

But the 30-year-old says the four premiership points are more valuable to him as the Crows look to continue their undefeated start to the season in Hobart on Saturday.

“I don’t really think about it a lot,” he said on Inside The Four Walls live on the Club’s official Facebook page.

“You want to go out there and play footy, and enjoy playing footy, and the goals will come after that.

“On the weekend (against Richmond) I was thinking about it a little bit and I didn’t end up getting it, so we’ll see what happens this week.

“I’ve just got to keep playing the team role… some days they fall for you and you get it in your lap and you can kick a bag, and other days they don’t.”

See our interview with Eddie Betts in full via the video player above

Betts has three Goals of the Year among his 499 majors, including the last two titles back-to-back.

A strong mark for his size and skilled on both sides of the body, Betts says family footy outings and an active upbringing helped mould him into the player he is today.

“I grew up with all my older cousins. There’s about 14 boys and they’re all older than me,” he said.

“We played footy in the front yard and in the back yard, and I was the smallest so I had to learn the hard way.

“I played soccer when I was younger, and when I was playing soccer you’d kick with both feet.

“Growing up being an Adelaide Crows fan, you think of Tony Modra and you run around the back yard saying ‘Modraaa’. We always loved taking speccies.”


Betts’ impact at the Club extends far beyond the footy field.

He’s been an important mentor to his young Indigenous teammates in Charlie Cameron, Wayne Milera Junior, Curtly Hampton and injured duo Cam Ellis-Yolmen and Ben Davis.

“I feel like a father figure to them,” Betts said.

“I’m so proud and happy to see the way they’ve developed. If you look at Charlie on-field he’s developed, but what you don’t see is off-field as well he’s taken a real leadership role in the group and he’s been fantastic.

“My vision was to put Wayne Milera and Charlie Cameron up on a wing and in the midfield and give them that space, and I love seeing what are doing now with all that space.

“When Charlie gets the ball, no one can catch him. When Wayne gets the ball, no one can catch him. It’s fantastic to see.

“(Hampton) adds something unique to our midfield. He loves to take players on and it’s fantastic what he’s doing in there with the opportunity that he’s been given this year.”

The Club’s Facebook Live shows run every week Monday-Thursday at 5.55pm.