After four successful years at the helm, Rory Sloane has stepped down as Adelaide Crows captain and passed the mantle to Jordan Dawson, who will become the ninth AFL skipper for the Crows starting this season.
Sloane, who is 32 years old, is preparing to return from a knee reconstruction and has decided to leave the leadership group altogether. The decision to appoint Dawson as the new captain was formally endorsed by the board and senior management this week.
Dawson, who is 25 years old, joined the Crows last season after playing 64 games for the Sydney Swans. He played every game in his debut season for the Crows and finished runner-up in the best-and-fairest awards. He quickly established himself as a Crows legend by kicking the winning goal in a famous after-the-siren Showdown victory at Adelaide Oval in just his third game.
Mid-way through last season, Dawson was added to the Crows’ leadership group and has excelled in the role ever since.
“I could not be more excited to captain the Club I barracked for growing up as a kid,” Dawson said. “It was surreal to pull on the guernsey last year, and now this is a huge honour.”
Sloane has been a leader for the Crows for the past four years, co-captaining the team alongside Taylor Walker in 2019 before taking on the role of captain in 2020. He is widely respected for his courage both on and off the field, and led the club through some of its most challenging times with distinction.
“The time is right because we have somebody who has stepped up and is ready to lead,” Sloane said.
Crows Coach Matthew Nicks praised both Sloane and Dawson as they transition the captaincy, stating that Sloane has been a fantastic leader and has never let the team down. Nicks also praised Dawson, stating that he is ready to take on the responsibility of being the new captain, as he has demonstrated leadership qualities and the ability to step up and deliver in key moments.
The full leadership group for the Adelaide Crows in 2023 will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
