Past Captains
Chris McDermott (1991-94)
The honour of leading the Crows in their foundation years in the national competition went to an SANFL player who believed his opportunity to play at the highest level had passed. Chris McDermott had been a star in the SANFL through 264 games with Glenelg, played in premiership teams, won best-and-fairest trophies, was selected in All-Australian sides and led State-of-Origin teams.
McDermott, 27 when the Adelaide Football was formed, played a huge role in the Club’s early days as it tried to pull together more than 60 players from all the SANFL clubs. But the tough midfielder also proved he could play at the level, winning Adelaide’s 1992 Club Champion award.
Tony McGuinness (1995-96)
1982 Magarey Medallist Tony McGuinness left Glenelg in 1986 to join VFL club Footscray but returned to South Australia to join the new Adelaide Football Club at the end of 1990. He was vice-captain under McDermott in the first four seasons and was a consistent star, winning the Club Champion in 1993 and finishing runner-up in the other three seasons. He was also an All Australian in 1992 and 1993.
McGuinness was elevated to captain when Robert Shaw took over as coach in 1995 and finished playing at the end of 1996.
Mark Bickley (1997-2000)
One of the last players signed by Adelaide to its foundation list for the 1991 season, Mark Bickley quickly developed a reputation for courage, hard work and team values, winning best team man award in 1992 and ’93. Then, in 1997-98, Bickley became a dual premiership captain after his first two seasons in the captain’s role. He opted to step down as skipper at the end of 2000 but played on for another three seasons.
Mark Ricciuto (2001-07)
Already ranked among the game’s elite, Mark Ricciuto took his game to another level after taking on the Crows captaincy for the 2001 season. He won a Brownlow Medal in 2003, Club Champion awards in 2003-04 and was selected in four All-Australian sides during his seven seasons in the role, before injuries forced his retirement at the end of the 2007 season.
Simon Goodwin (2008-10)
Simon Goodwin was aged 32 when he replaced close mate Ricciuto as captain for the 2008 season, but was still performing at a high level, having been an All-Australian in 2005 and 2006 and following up consecutive Club Champion awards by being runner-up in 2007. He also earned All-Australian selection in 2009, but announced his retirement during the 2010 season and was unable to complete the year because of injuries.
Nathan van Berlo (2011-14)
A member of the Crows leadership group from 2008, Nathan van Berlo was appointed captain ahead of season 2011. ‘VB’ finished runner-up in the Crows Club Champion award in his first season as skipper and played an integral part of Adelaide’s finals assault the following year.
The West Australian was a benchmark of professionalism on and off the field during his tenure, winning the Dr Brian Sando OAM Trophy in 2014 despite missing the entire season with an Achilles injury. He led the Crows in 66 games across four seasons.
Taylor Walker (2015-19)
Taylor Walker captained the Crows for five seasons before stepping down from the role which saw him twice named AFL Players Association best captain twice (2016-17).
From Broken Hill, the key forward and passionate leader was handed the captaincy for 2015 from Nathan van Berlo. Walker guided the Crows to a grand final appearance in 2017, the first to do so since Mark Bickley.
Ahead of the 2019 season Rory Sloane was named co-captain and the pair led throughout the year, however Walker chose to step away from the role at the end of 2019.
Rory Sloane (2019-22)
Rory Sloane was appointed co-captain alongside close mate Taylor Walker in 2019.
Sloane, who joined the leadership group in 2012 after playing only 33 AFL games, assumed the sole captaincy for 2020 when Walker stepped down. In round one he played his 200th AFL game against Sydney at an empty Adelaide Oval, silenced at the start of COVID-19 pandemic.
Sloane had surgery on a detached retina early in the 2021 season and was out for a month as the Crows continued to rebuild under his leadership. During the season he was selected on the wing in Adelaide’s “Best 22 of 30 Years”.
Sloane ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in round five of 2022. He was determined to return to the field but passed the captaincy to Jordan Dawson before the 2023 season to focus on his recovery.
