Sydney Swans co-captain Dane Rampe believes Adelaide’s incoming coach and new-look squad have given the Crows a formidable “sense of the unknown” ahead of the 2020 season.
Former 175-game Swan Matthew Nicks will lead the Crows in his first match as coach when they host Sydney at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, while a host of talent has turned over at the South Australian club since the end of last season.
Among the seven players Adelaide drafted in November were top-10 key-position player Fischer McAsey and midfielder Ben Keays, who was last year delisted by Brisbane after 30 AFL games in four years, while the Crows also nabbed former Port Adelaide ruckman-forward Billy Frampton.
They’ve lost Eddie Betts, Sam Jacobs, Hugh Greenwood, Alex Keath, Josh Jenkins and Cam Ellis-Yolmen, clearing the way for a host of promising youngsters and new recruits to nail down spots in the AFL.
Rampe sees the Crows as a genuine threat in the wake of their large-scale change.
“The Crows would be buoyed by the fact that they’ve got a new coach and a new group. You can’t underestimate what a new outlook or a new perspective can bring,” Rampe said.
“They’ve got a number of young new players and some very consistent top-end players like Tex Walker and Tom Lynch, who’s been in great form in the pre-season games over the last couple of weeks.
“There is a sense of the unknown, to be honest, and you’ve got to be wary of those teams because, as we’ve seen in the past, teams with a new coach and a fresh perspective can get out there and play with freedom.
“We’ll be on edge going to Adelaide, even though there’s no crowd, and we’re not taking the Crows lightly at all.”
In another major off-season change, spirited midfielder Rory Sloane was appointed as Adelaide’s sole captain after sharing the top job with Walker in 2019.
Sloane, an All Australian midfielder and a dual best-and-fairest winner, will on Saturday celebrate his 200th AFL match.
The Victorian was drafted to Adelaide in 2008 and, of all players currently in the league, averages the 10th-most career contested possessions.
Two of the most uncompromising inside midfielders of the last 10 years will do battle when Sloane meets Josh Kennedy at the opening bounce on Saturday.
Rampe paid tribute to Sloane ahead of his 200th game.
“Playing 200 games is obviously a pretty incredible achievement,” Rampe said.
“He’s one player you love watching and love playing against because he’s clearly got the heart of a lion. He always competes which is what you want from your leaders, and I dare say he’ll be even more fired up than usual in his first game as sole captain. He’s a classy player and we’re expecting nothing less than a very competitive game from him.”
Keep up to date on the latest Sydney Swans news via sydneyswans.com.au, the Official Sydney Swans Club App or the club’s social media, and sign up for MySwans for even more FREE content.
