Karl Gallagher (Category B rookie), Oscar Ryan (No. 27 draft pick), Charlie Edwards (No. 21 draft pick), Daniel Curtin (No. 8 draft pick), and Chris Burgess (trade, Gold Coast)
OUT
Tyler Brown (delisted), Andrew McPherson (delisted), Tariek Newchurch (delisted), Paul Seedsman (retired), Shane McAdam (trade, Melbourne), Jackson Hately (delisted), and Tom Doedee (free agent, Brisbane)
hospital room
After enduring further surgery to treat a detached retina in his right eye, Rory Sloane is fighting to make it to the first round. The following Crows have suffered with injuries during the preseason: Harry Schoenberg (Achilles), Patrick Parnell (shoulder), Jordon Butts (hamstring), Daniel Curtin (knee discomfort), and Jake Soligo (ankle). According to reports, Nick Murray is recovering from his ACL injury earlier than expected.
Three burning questions
Is this the year the Crows move out of the rebuilding phase into finals mode?
Adelaide is by no means the finished product after a four-year rebuild under Matthew Nicks, but playing finals for the first time since 2017 is absolutely on the agenda at West Lakes in 2024. A core of seasoned veterans is now complemented by a host of exciting young stars ready to propel the team into the finals.
Will Taylor Walker continue to age like a fine wine?
Walker is coming off a superb season where he kicked a career-high 76 goals, earning All-Australian honours for the first time, and appears primed for another stellar campaign. The veteran forward, who turns 34 in April, has enjoyed an excellent pre-season and is every chance to add an eighth club goalkicking award to his tally.
Can the high-scoring Crows stop leaking goals the other way?
Nicks’ high-powered game plan saw Adelaide lead the competition with 2193 points at an average of 95.3 points per game last season, but the Crows’ propensity to leak goals at the other end was a key factor in their 10th-placed finish. There are ongoing personnel queries with Tom Doedee departing for Brisbane and Nick Murray rehabbing an ACL injury, but Nicks will have spent a good portion of the off-season tweaking his overall structure to make it more difficult for opposition teams to get a run on.
Track watch
Despite a minor ankle injury late in the program, Jake Soligo has been one of the top trainers at the club this pre-season, which will be music to the ears of Crows fans. The classy midfielder has won plenty of admirers across 37 games in his first two seasons and was rewarded with a six-year contract that ties him to the club until the end of the 2029 season. With a bigger engine to go with his undoubted toughness and footy smarts, 2024 could be a big year for the 21-year-old.
