IT IS no secret that Adelaide has been looking to regenerate their list after a preliminary final appearance ended in heartbreak for the third consecutive year. With exceptional stars at the helm and young talent finding its feet, the Crows will look to go again in 2025.

The club has regenerated its list through a recruiting blitz in the Trade Period as well as the National Draft where they featured with picks that gave them an ability to take two top-end talents.

In the case of four of the recruits, the call from the Crows has presented a new opportunity. For Irish utility Grace Kelly, the chance to join sister Niamh Kelly was a strong lure, as well as the opportunity to start afresh.

Former Port Adelaide midfielder forward Hannah Ewings sought a move after personal leave. She arrives with the chance to play alongside her idols and players that she has linked up with in the Crows Academies prior to her being drafted.

India Rasheed has the chance to continue to forge a name for herself on the big stage after playing state league football at 15 years-old, while Georgia McKee will be able to see if she can make her childhood dream of playing for her beloved club a reality.

All have ties to the club through family, former teammates or former coaches, proving that the Crows are trying to cement their dominance in the competition with not only talented players but those that will play for each other.

Grace Kelly

Hailing from County Mayo, Kelly will reunite with her sister Niamh after previously playing together at West Coast for three seasons. She, like Niamh, is a utility that uses her pace and versatility to aid her side across the half-back line, wing or forward.

She spoke about what excited her about being together with her sister on an AFLW list again.

“I was absolutely so excited, I obviously played with Niamh before playing back home with Gaelic and then at West Coast Eagles as well,” Kelly said.

“To be back playing with her again is so good, and obviously it’s a great club too, they’ve had a rich history of success too so I can’t wait to play with some really high performing athletes as well too.”

Kelly revealed that the duo were destined to eventually finish their careers in the league together after wanting to ‘spread their wings’ by choosing separate clubs after the Eagles.

“I suppose we did sort of want to spread our wings a little bit too, after we played at West Coast Eagles which was good but I probably didn’t realise how much I missed her,” she said.

“Probably in the last year or two, [I] was like I’d probably like to finish my career with Niamh I think and I’m looking forward to it now.”

When asked about why she chose Adelaide, Kelly pointed to the success they’ve had in the competition as well as the players she’s eager to play with.

“They have such a rich history of success here, they are a premiership team and have some really high performing players with the likes of Noffy [Ebony Marinoff], Chelsea Randall and all these leaders so I’m looking forward to learning from them,” Kelly explained.

“I’ve heard they’re really good trainers, as well as on match-day so I’m looking forward to the training sessions with all those athletes.

“Niamh has told me so many good things about them but probably Ebony Marinoff [is the player I’m looking forward to playing with].

“The season that she’s had this year and she’s had a lot of good seasons, but the workrate that she puts in, and that Niamh has told me that she puts in at the club, she’s always here I’ve heard, so I’m definitely looking forward to learning from her.”

Having played 44 games in her career, Kelly has been plagued with injury. She has just come off a full season with the Saints, a career-best season for the Irishwoman who’s benefitting from being fit and injury-free.

“In the pre-season I just want to stay injury-free first of all, but also improve my fitness too [and] get more physically contested as well because Adelaide are a very physically contested team,” she said.

“I’d like to improve that area of my game and just contribute to the team where I can and integrate as much as I can [and] get involved straightaway.”

Hannah Ewings

Being traded from Port Adelaide during this year’s Trade Period, 20-year-old Ewings could be a key player to watch for Adelaide if she gets going next season.

Debuting in 2022, she hit the ground running in the competition, winning the AFLW’s Rising Star award and the Inaugural Port Adelaide Best and Fairest. Taking the 2024 season off due to personal reasons, she is positive that the Crows are the best club for her to begin a new portion of her career with.

“I’m feeling really good at the moment,” Ewings declared.

“I had that year off to reflect and I’m really glad I went through those challenges because I’ve come out on the brighter side, and ended up here.

“I lost my way a little bit this year, and ended up taking some personal leave, but I feel really refreshed now and excited by the opportunity to be around a new group and part of the environment the group has built here.”

Having a strong connection to Adelaide through having been a part of their Next Generation Academy, Ewings has idols in Chelsea Randall and Anne Hatchard at the club with the latter having played alongside her at North Adelaide.

“From conversations I’d had with the crew here at the Crows it seems like a great fit, and I could not be happier to be back home,” she said.

“I grew up in Whyalla, which was affiliated with North Adelaide as well as the Crows Academy, and I was lucky enough to be selected in both programs as a junior, where I was able to fast track my development.

“From there, Chelsea Randall, Hatchy (Anne Hatchard), and even Erin Phillips were there coaching me, and they all had such a great influence on my journey. 

“To be back where it all kind of started now, I couldn’t be happier, it definitely feels like a bit of a full circle moment for me and it’s a really nice, warm feeling.

“They are unbelievable players, let alone people as well who have had a great influence on my career so far, and I can’t wait to be able to work with them again. I think they are going to put me under their wing and make me their little project, which is super exciting for me.”

“Being able to play AFLW with ‘Hatchy’ and ‘Chels’ is a dream come true for me, and running out with them will be a special moment.”

When speaking about her goals for the season, Ewings is laser-focused. She wants to just put her head down and let her footy do the talking come 2025.

“Earning the respect from all the coaches, players and staff is my first priority,” Ewings explained. 

“From there it’s just about putting in the work. I’ve already connected with the High Performance Team, and we’ve already mapped out a bit of a training program which will be good. 

“Having that year off, building my fitness back up will be crucial, and I can’t wait to take on the challenge.”

India Rasheed

A lot has been said about Rasheed, she’s the daughter of former Sturt footballer and international tennis coach Roger Rasheed, but also she’s one of the most exciting young prospects in the game currently.

Winning the SANFLW’s Breakthrough Player Award, finishing third in the league’s best and fairest count and being given the vice-captaincy of the South Australia Under 18s team, she’s a player that has a lot of expectation. But having played in the SANFLW for three years before being drafted, she’s very ready for the opportunity that presents itself at Adelaide.

She explained how she felt about being drafted by the Crows and being able to stay in her home state.

“It was pretty cool, I sort of had an inkling before so it was just pretty surreal, my family were super stoked that I’m staying in Adelaide,” Rasheed said.

Despite supporting Port Adelaide, Rasheed has watched the Crows with interest, having connections with a fair chunk of the playing list at her new club.

“Definitely [comforting for me], it’s more comforting knowing a few people,” she said.

“I’ve played with about six of them, I’ve played with Zoe Prowse, Kiera Mueller, Hannah Ewings, Sarah Goodwin, Georgia McKee, Keeley Kustermann, Brooke Boileau.”

“My friendship with Sarah [Goodwin] has been really strong over the last couple of years, she’s been one of my best friends since we played state together, when I was 15 she was 18, so she’s been super supportive of my journey so far.”

When asked about her goals, she is just focused on doing the little things right in the eyes of her teammates.

“Not really any goals specifically, obviously just want to play a game, so that’s just my first thing but just want to earn the respect of my teammates.”

Being a forward with the potential to play as a midfielder once she gets entrenched in the system, Rasheed has some players that she is looking forward to playing with, one being none other than the reigning League Best and Fairest.

“[I’m looking forward to playing with] Ebony Marinoff, ‘Goody’, Niamh Kelly [and] Madi Newman.

“[I’ve] definitely looked up to ‘Noffy’ a fair bit growing up, she’s such a good player so it feels surreal to be on the same team as her hopefully.”

Georgia McKee

With their second pick on draft night, Adelaide continued to select local talent choosing Central District small forward McKee.

Coming off an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury which put her out of action through the 2023 season, including her bottom-age championships, she has worked hard to earn a spot on a list this year.

McKee spoke about being drafted to the Crows and how likely she felt that she was to get drafted.

“When it first came out I was coming to the Crows, I was so excited, obviously to have the opportunity to join the Crows and be around the girls that I’ve grown up with when I was younger in the academy,” McKee said.

“It was really surreal when I got that moment of celebration when my name got called out on the TV.

“I didn’t have any idea who I was going to be picked up by, so it was really just such a surprise moment for myself.”

McKee’s ties to Adelaide come, not only from her love of the club, but through her mentee-ship of her now coach at the Crows in Courtney Cramey. Having played 20 career games through her four years in the AFLW, Cramey is an established and respected face in women’s football in her own right.

McKee is also eager to link up with those players that were key figures in her journey through the Crows academy in forward Eloise Jones and midfield star Marinoff.

“I was selected in the Crows academy [and] it was such a good experience, obviously getting to come [to West Lakes], getting to hang out with some Crows girls such as ‘Noffy’ and ‘EJ’ [Eloise Jones], which was really good,” she said.

“They are going to be my teammates so it’s such a great opportunity but super excited to be with them but especially Courtney [Cramey], she coached me out of junior level as well so I also had her as a coach so now I’ve got her here as well.

“CJ (Cramey) has been amazing for my football journey, obviously having her at Glenunga was such a help, knowing that she was an AFLW player herself and knowing that she could bring a lot to her coaching role and she taught me heaps.”

Playing at Central Districts for a few seasons, McKee has also spent time with the Crows’ number one ruck Jess Allan. She described the impact she had on her for the short time they had together a few seasons ago.

“I did have Jess Allan, she was obviously over with the Giants but when she came [back] over to the Crows,” McKee continued.

“She’s such a good player [and] such a friendly person, so she was a teammate of mine and it was surreal to have her and look up to her when I was at the Dogs.”

The road to getting drafted was far from smooth, especially with the doubt over whether the clubs would see past the ACL injury that kept her sidelined. McKee credits her hard work for being able to realise her dream.

“it was a long journey but [I] learnt a lot, knowing that I needed to push myself to be where I am today,” she said.

“It’s really good that I got picked up and I was really surprised, coming from such a long [term] injury, knowing that I couldn’t be here, I might not be here today but I am now so I’m super excited and can’t wait to get into it.”