Brad Crouch and Taylor Walker are off and flying at the Crows' first pre-season training session at Max Basheer reserve. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser
IT took Adelaide 20 years to win its first AFL Rising Star Award.
Now a Crows teenager has been heavily backed to make it consecutive young player of the year awards for the embattled club.
Last year's mini-draft pick-up Brad Crouch - whom coach Brenton Sanderson continues to rave about - has been backed into third favouritism to win next season's Rising Star trophy.
Defender Daniel Talia this year became Adelaide's first winner of the award after a standout 23-game season at centre half-back.
Midfield ball magnet Crouch - who has set his sights on debuting in round one against Essendon at AAMI Stadium - trails only Gold Coast mini-draft selection Jaeger O'Meara and Melbourne father-son pick Jack Viney in early betting markets.
The 18-year-old has been backed in from $15 to $13 with sportsbet.com.au.
O'Meara is favourite at $6 and Viney is $10. No. 1 draft pick, GWS's Lachie Whitfield, and Croweater Jimmy Toumpas, who has joined Melbourne, round out the top five fancies at $14.
Port Adelaide's top draft pick, Ollie Wines ($16), also is tipped to make a big impact in his first year,
"The Crows have lost a heap of draft picks but they still have Crouch up their sleeve," sportsbet.com.au's Shaun Anderson said. "He killed it in the SANFL last year and has easily been the best-backed player."
Victorian Crouch spent last season playing SANFL football for West Adelaide because he was too young to make his AFL debut.
He starred in the local league and improved his game enormously while training alongside Adelaide midfield stars Scott Thompson, Patrick Dangerfield and Rory Sloane.
Crouch said he was now ready to step up to AFL ranks.
"I think I'm pretty lucky because I've had the year to develop, so I think that's the big thing," he said. "But I'm not trying to put too much pressure on myself.
"I just want to get through the pre-season and keep things pretty simple.
"I try not to think about next year at all at the moment. I just want to complete every session in the gym and out there (on the training track) and I know that'll keep me in good stead."
When Crouch does finally don a Crows jumper, his debut will be one of the most anticipated in Adelaide's history.
Sanderson described Crouch as "a beauty" and said he would benefit enormously from having a year developing in the club's system.
"He knows the game plan already and he's got an AFL body now compared to the kids in this year's draft pool," he said.
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