Departing Reid's "excellent" list moves that sparked Crow resurgence

Adelaide’s long-term list manager Justin Reid has departed the Crows, leaving behind what Sam Edmund describes as an admirable run of list decisions.

Taking on the role in 2015, Reid inherited a list that topped the table in 2017, before embarking on a rebuild that saw the Crows flip from wooden spooners in 2020 to minor premiers just five seasons later.

Playing a key role in the side’s drafting of superstar Riley Thilthorpe, facilitating drafts packages for captain Jordan Dawson and star Izak Rankine, Reid leaves behind a legacy of elite decision making on the Crows’ road to success.

“He has misses over the journey, like every other list manager in the history of time. No one nails 100 per cent of it 100 per cent of the time,” Edmund told SEN Breakfast.

“But, if you go back and have a look at what he and his team at Adelaide have done in recent times, I reckon it stacks up as well as any club.

“If you go back to (Riley) Thilthorpe coming in 2020, there’s enough hits - you trade in (Jordan) Dawson, you trade in (Izak) Rankine, the year Dawson got traded in they drafted (Josh) Rachele and (Jake) Soligo, tick and tick.

“Mitch Hinge (recruited via free agency), Dan Curtin will be a gun, Pick 8, 2023. And then you look at the 2024 haul – (Alex) Neal-Bullen, (James) Peatling, (Isaac) Cumming, all three of those guys came in together for the equivalent of two second rounders with picks coming back!”

That said, Kane Cornes hasn’t seen enough to give Reid the complete pass mark.

Cornes: “I’m not sold. I won’t give you Peatling, Cumming and Neal-Bullen yet. Probably Neal-Bullen is a pass.”

Edmund: “But the price they paid for those guys…”

Cornes: “There are some solid contracts. Isaac Cumming, he is a 12 possession a game player and I’m not sure he’s in their best 22.

“But the premise of what you are saying is correct. Their last three to four years have been excellent.”

Edmund: “(Callum) Ah Chee comes in for nothing – they didn’t blink on that. There is enough ticks there in and amongst the inevitable misses.”

The club has yet to determine a replacement for Reid as the Crows approach their minor premiership defence.