Tyler Brown didn’t train with Adelaide before signing with the club in a revelation that has shocked former AFL forward Daniel Menzel.
The Crows have had two list spots open up in recent days after Fischer McAsey departed the AFL and Paul Seedsman was placed on the inactive list. It saw ex-Magpie Brown – who played 27 games for Collingwood – quickly handed a spot in Matthew Nicks’ squad.
However, despite reports emerging late last week that Brown was set to train with the club, his new teammate Harry Schoenberg revealed on Wednesday morning that he was yet to train with the club.
“Tyler hasn’t actually trained with us yet, today is his first training,” Schoenberg said at the time to SEN SA Breakfast.
“He’s a lovely young fella… looking forward to seeing how he goes at training today.”
It was a declaration that floored Menzel.
“Mind-boggling doesn’t even start (to describe my feelings). I can’t believe that,” the former Cat and Swan laughed on SEN’s Sportsday SA.
“Congratulations to Tyler Brown… In this period right now teams have up until February to sign players to their list if they have a spot.
“I know that Paul Seedsman came off the list a couple of days ago, you would think that they would have trained Tyler Brown for a few weeks until midway through February and made that decision.
“They’ve obviously pulled the trigger that they’re happy with him, but it’s quite surprising he hasn’t trained with the group before they made that decision.”
Brown revealed to SEN that he received word on Sunday that the Crows were keen on him, two days before Seedsman was placed on the inactive list but after a list spot had already opened through McAsey’s departure.
Brown, son of Collingwood great Gavin, played 11 games in 2022 and signed with the Crows on a one-year contract.
“They’ve clearly watched him last year and earmarked him as a possibility… he was a clear next available to be picked (player), and that’s what they’ve done… I just thought that potentially they might have got him to train on for a little bit but making that decision, but congratulations to Tyler Brown on getting that list spot,” Menzel continued.
The pre-season supplemental selection period ends on February 15, with Adelaide still holding one open list spot.