Adelaide premiership captain Mark Bickley was left impressed after watching the Crows’ intra-club match on Friday night.
After commentating the game for the Crows’ website, Bickley kept a close eye on the match and picked out his best performers.
With a decent crowd turning out at Hisense Stadium, Bickley says fans were pleased to see the “headline act” Izak Rankine play well with the recruit kicking five goals while splitting his time between forward and midfield.
“What people want to hear about is that the headline act was Izak Rankine,” Bickley said on SEN SA Breakfast.
“Everyone went down to see how he was going to go, he kicked five goals and probably split his time 60/40 between forward and midfield.
“He attended a lot of centre bounces … Izak and Josh Rachele were flicking between forward and centre bounce.
“Rankine and Rachele both looked good going through the midfield, there was a bit of zip around the centre bounce.”
With Rankine a standout, Bickley feels Adelaide’s forward line is their biggest strength heading into 2023.
With a solid group of six to seven dangerous goalkickers, Bickley feels the Crows’ success will rest on how many opportunities their forwards are given inside 50.
“The forward line of Adelaide once again (was impressive), I’m not saying anything that anyone doesn’t know,” Bickley said.
“(Taylor) Walker looked quite sharp, (Riley) Thilthorpe, Rankine, Rachele, (Shane) McAdam and also (Darcy) Fogarty in there, that’s going to create headaches.
“Fogarty didn’t have a huge game, Thilthorpe didn’t have a huge game as a forward as well, he spent a bit of time in the ruck.
“So, they had a look around a number of players but that six or seven players in the Adelaide forward line will determine how well they go this year.
“If they can get enough supply to them, I think they can go pretty well.”
Adelaide gears up for the 2023 season with an unofficial practice game against Fremantle on Friday before facing West Coast on Friday March 3.
Photo: @Adelaide_FC Twitter.