Adelaide Crows

Adelaide Football Club assistant coach Ben Hart has told the Club that he will not be seeking a contract extension. Hart, who has been ‘defence’ coach since 2008, has decided to expand his coaching experience and knowledge at another club (Collingwood) in 2012. Adelaide is comfortable with Ben’s decision and understands his desire to become a senior AFL coach. CEO Steven Trigg said: “Ben has a desire to pursue a senior coaching role in the future and we both agreed that expanding his knowledge and experience somewhere else will help him in that pursuit. “Ben has been an outstanding Adelaide Football Club player, staff member and then assistant coach and we wish him and his family all the best. The door is definitely left open for a return in the future.”

FORWARD Taylor Walker says he never contemplated leaving Adelaide despite persisting reports linking him to several rival clubs, most notably newcomers Greater Western Sydney. Last week, Walker joined former best-and-fairest winner Bernie Vince, promising young players Andy Otten and Shaun McKernan, and midfielder-turned-half-back flanker Brent Reilly in re-signing with the Crows. Walker was mooted as a potential target of GWS until former teammate Phil Davis blindsided the club earlier this month, revealing his plans to accept a lucrative offer from the AFL's 18th team next season. At the time, Walker told afc.com.au he'd had no contact whatsoever with the Giants, and planned to remain at the club he supported as a child. Recently, the 21-year-old and his management reviewed plans to wait until the end of the season to negotiate a new contract, and promptly agreed to terms of what's believed to be a two-year deal with the Crows.

Crows forward Chris Knights will have hip surgery today. Knights, who has missed the past two games with a quad strain, brought forward the hip operation to give him extra time to recover during the off-season. Adelaide’s main concern from Sunday’s game is Andy Otten, who copped a heavy knock to the head in the second half and had to stay on the bench for the last 15 minutes. He will be assessed during the week. Michael Doughty, who pulled out of the Richmond game because of illness, hopes to be back for the last game of the season against West Coast on Saturday evening. Myke Cook (ankle) should be fit to play in the SANFL this weekend.

A DOMINANT opening term has pushed Adelaide to a comfortable 61-point win over Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday. The Crows kicked seven unanswered goals in the opening term, ensuring they were never seriously threatened in the 18.17 (125) to 9.10 (64) win. Despite winning the second and third quarter, Gold Coast were unable to reel in the 44-point quarter-time margin. The match was also notable for the stunning efforts of veteran Crow Scott Thompson who came close to equalling the record for most possessions in a match. Sitting on 43 touches at three quarter-time, Thompson finished with 51 (21 kicks, 30 handballs) to be just two shy of the record set by Brownlow medallist Greg Williams in 1989. Adelaide fans would also be buoyed by the efforts of young forwards Kurt Tippett and Taylor Walker, who both kicked four goals. For Gold Coast, skipper Gary Ablett was best with 39 possessions and a goal

GEELONG has put an end to Mark Bickley's fairytale start as caretaker coach, holding off a determined Adelaide to win by 11 points in an entertaining twilight clash at AAMI Stadium on Sunday. The 14.12 (96) to 12.13 (85) win was the Cats' fifth straight, but unlike their landslide victories over Melbourne and Gold Coast in the past fortnight, the visitors didn't have it all their own way against the rejuvenated home team. After overcoming a slow start, the Cats kicked away in the third term and appeared to be cruising to victory when substitute Shannon Byrnes put his team 24 points ahead early in the final quarter. However, as they did all night, the Crows responded, closing to within six points late in the game, and threatening to repeat their upset win over Geelong at the same venue in round 16 last season. In the end, it was another goal to Byrnes in the frenetic final minutes of play that ended Bickley's dream run and secured victory for the Cats.

DEFENDER Tony Armstrong admits there have been times over the past 12 months he thought he'd blown his opportunity at Adelaide. The first instance was back in September last year when the 21-year-old was pulled over by police on his way home from a party, and charged with drink driving. He was eventually slapped with an 18-month driving ban, fined the maximum $5,000 by the Crows and barred from AFL selection for the first four games of this season. The second time was during the pre-season competition. Because he couldn't be considered for selection until round six, he was left out of the Crows team in the latter stages of the NAB Challenge, and an ankle injury on the eve of round one limited his preparation with SANFL club North Adelaide. He was also struggling with personal issues off the field, which were affecting his approach to training and triggered concerns among his teammates and coaches. In the end, the decision was made for Armstrong to complete all his training with the Roosters, only returning to the Crows once a week for a meeting with football operations manager Phil Harper and list manager David Noble.

A REMARKABLE fourth quarter comeback from Adelaide has given interim coach Mark Bickley his second straight win, with a five-point victory over the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Sunday. Trailing by 22 points midway through the fourth quarter, the Crows kicked the final four goals of the match to steal the win 16.14 (110) to 16.9 (105). With less than three minutes remaining, Graham Johncock - who had been swung forward by Bickley in the fourth term - took a strong pack mark and converted the goal from 20m. The Lions moved the ball forward in the dying seconds but Andrew Raines' rushed effort went out on the full from near the behind post. It was another soul-destroying loss for the Lions, who are now 0-8 without captain Jonathan Brown and are still in the hunt for the wooden spoon ahead of next Saturday's second edition of the Q-clash against Gold Coast.

Phil Davis has today told the Adelaide Football Club he intends to accept an offer from GWS to join the Giants in 2012. Crows Football Operations Manager Phil Harper said: “The club is extremely disappointed to lose a 20-year old player who was a first round draft pick with outstanding leadership potential. “The club recognises Phil’s honesty in coming forward this morning to inform his teammates of his decision, soon after he made it on the weekend. “To lose another centre half back after the loss to Gold Coast of Nathan Bock last year is certainly not ideal. I can ensure all our members and supporters that we did everything in our powers to get Phil to stay, including putting forward an offer well in excess of any offer to an 18 game player in the club’s history.” Davis, 21 later this month, was drafted with pick 10 in the 2008 national draft. He made his AFL debut in 2010 and has played 18 games. He suffered a shoulder injury early in the season, requiring a shoulder reconstruction.

ADELAIDE has rallied to record a win in Mark Bickley's first game as caretaker coach, surviving a third-quarter scare from Port Adelaide to run out comfortable 32-point victors in Showdown XXXI at AAMI Stadium on Sunday. The Crows led by 22 points at half-time, but experienced a few nervous moments in the third quarter as the Power slashed the margin to just 11 points. Young star Rory Sloane steadied for Adelaide with a long goal on the run late in the third term, and enigmatic forward Taylor Walker slotted three of the next four goals to break Port Adelaide's spirit and ensure an important 16.15 (111) to 11.13 (79) win in an emotion-charged week for the Crows. It was the seventh time in the last 11 instances a caretaker coach has won in his first game in charge. The result was a significant turnaround for the Crows, who recorded a record-low score of 3.6 (24) in their 103-point loss to St Kilda only nine days earlier. Nathan van Berlo played a typical 'captain's' game, amassing 30 possessions and taking out the Showdown Medal for best afield. Walker, playing his first game since straining his knee against the Brisbane Lions in round 10, thrived in the absence of injured full-forward Kurt Tippett, booting a game-high four goals.

The Adelaide Football Club advises that Neil Craig has stepped down from the position of Senior Coach, effective immediately. Craig, 55, has coached the Club since Round 14, 2004 - first as caretaker coach and then in his own right - for a total of just over seven years. In that time, he has coached the Club to 92 wins and 74 losses from 166 games, and five finals series in those seven years. In making the decision, Craig said: “It’s time. To continue would hurt the Club, given the negativity and distraction that my own role has become. We have clearly underperformed this year and as senior coach, I take the responsibility for that.” The Club has appointed Premiership Captain and third year Assistant Mark Bickley to the (caretaker) Senior Coach role for the remainder of the season. His role of ‘forward coach’ will be filled by former assistant and current List Manager David Noble (for the remaining six games) and David’s list management responsibilities will be shared (until season’s end) by the General Manager Football Operations (Phil Harper) and National Recruiting Manager (Matt Rendell).