Adelaide Crows Tickets

About this Event

Adelaide Crows Frequently Asked Questions

Club History and Identity

When and why was the Adelaide Football Club formed?

The Adelaide Football Club was established in 1990 and entered the AFL in 1991. The club's formation emerged from dramatic circumstances involving Port Adelaide's secret bid to join the AFL, which caused outrage among the other nine SANFL clubs. These clubs launched legal action to block Port Adelaide's entry, creating a fractured South Australian football landscape. 

The AFL ultimately approved a new composite team representing South Australia, which became the Adelaide Crows. This origin story is crucial to understanding the club's identity as they were specifically created as a counterpoint to Port Adelaide's ambitions, representing the "non-Port Adelaide" faction of South Australian football.

How did the Adelaide Crows get their name and colours?

The naming process was remarkably quick, with only 158 days between the board's formation and the first game. Several names were considered, including "Sharks" (unavailable due to copyright), "Giants," "Falcons," and "Rams" (rejected by the AFL). The board ultimately chose "Crows," which coincidentally connected to Alan Hopgood's 1963 play "And the Big Men Fly," featuring a fictional team called the Crows. 

The official colours – navy blue, red, and gold – were strategically chosen as South Australia's state colours. This calculated decision positioned the new club as a unifying force for all South Australians, particularly supporters of traditional SANFL clubs like Glenelg, Norwood, and Sturt, against their common rival, Port Adelaide.

Where do the Adelaide Crows play their home games?

The Crows currently play at Adelaide Oval, a 53,500-capacity stadium in Adelaide's riverbank precinct. However, from 1991 to 2013, their home was Football Park (later AAMI Stadium) in West Lakes. Football Park holds immense significance for the club, hosting their spectacular AFL debut, where they defeated eventual premiers Hawthorn by 86 points and their first home final in 1997. 

The move to the redeveloped Adelaide Oval in 2014 elevated the match-day experience to world-class standards and positioned the club at the heart of Adelaide's sporting and cultural landscape.

Premiership Success

How many premierships have the Adelaide Crows won?

The Adelaide Crows have won two AFL premierships, both achieved in consecutive seasons during 1997 and 1998. These victories are particularly remarkable because, in both seasons, the Crows won from outside the top four, overcame significant injuries to key players, and overturned halftime deficits in both Grand Finals. 

The 1997 triumph saw them defeat St. Kilda 19.11 (125) to 13.16 (94), while the 1998 victory was against North Melbourne, winning 15.15 (105) to 8.22 (70). Both Grand Finals were played at the MCG before crowds exceeding 94,000 people.

What made the AFL 1997 premiership campaign so special?

The 1997 season epitomises the underdog story. After finishing fourth, the Crows faced a difficult finals path. They defeated West Coast in the first-ever final at Football Park, then controversially beat Geelong in a semi-final. In the preliminary final against the Western Bulldogs, Adelaide's hopes seemed finished when they trailed by 31 points at halftime and lost star forward Tony Modra to an ACL injury. 

In an extraordinary display of resilience, they kicked four unanswered goals in the final quarter, with Darren Jarman kicking the match-winner for a two-point victory. Facing minor premiers St. Kilda in the Grand Final without injured stars Modra, Mark Ricciuto, and Peter Vardy, the Crows again overcame a halftime deficit with a breathtaking second half, securing a 31-point victory.

Individual Legends and Records

Who are the Adelaide Crows' major individual award winners?

The club's major individual honours are concentrated among three legendary players. Mark Ricciuto won the 2003 Brownlow Medal, polling 22 votes in a three-way tie. Tony Modra claimed the 1997 Coleman Medal with 81 goals during the regular season (84 total before his season-ending injury). 

Most remarkably, Andrew McLeod won the Norm Smith Medal in both 1997 and 1998, becoming the first player to win consecutive Norm Smith Medals and one of only four dual winners in VFL/AFL history. McLeod's performances were masterful, gathering 31 possessions in 1997 while orchestrating Adelaide's comeback, then controlling the tempo completely in 1998 against North Melbourne.

Who holds the club's major statistical records?

Andrew McLeod holds the games record with 340 appearances between 1995 and 2010, while Taylor Walker is the all-time leading goalkicker with 641 goals in 278 games as of the end of 2024. Other iconic figures include inaugural captain Chris McDermott, who established the cultural foundation; Darren Jarman, whose six goals in the 1997 Grand Final (five in the final quarter) became legendary; Ben Hart, a four-time All-Australian defender; and Eddie Betts, the mercurial small forward who captivated fans from 2014-2019 with his goal-kicking genius and led the club's goalkicking for four consecutive seasons.

The Port Adelaide Rivalry

What is the "Showdown," and why is the rivalry so intense?

The "Showdown" is the official name for the AFL derby between Adelaide and Port Adelaide, widely regarded as one of the most bitter rivalries in Australian sport. The intensity stems from over a century of animosity in South Australian football, where Port Adelaide was historically dominant and often disliked, creating a "Port Adelaide vs. The Rest" mentality. 

The modern rivalry was ignited by Port Adelaide's secret 1990 AFL bid, seen as a betrayal by the other nine SANFL clubs who banded together to block it. The Adelaide Crows were subsequently formed by this "anti-Port" coalition, making them not just another rival but the embodiment of collective historical animosity toward Port Adelaide. The head-to-head record remains remarkably close, with Adelaide holding a narrow 29-28 advantage as of May 2025.

Current Team and Adelaide Crows Tickets

Who are the current leaders of the Adelaide Crows?

Matthew Nicks has been the senior coach since 2020, while Jordan Dawson serves as captain in his third year of leadership. Dawson, a dual Club Champion and All-Australian, leads a streamlined five-man leadership group, including vice-captains Darcy Fogarty, Ben Keays, new recruit Alex Neal-Bullen, and Reilly O'Brien. The 2025 team blends veteran stars like Taylor Walker and Izak Rankine with emerging talents such as forward duo Darcy Fogarty and Riley Thilthorpe, who represent the club's future alongside promising young midfielder Sid Draper.

How can I buy tickets to Adelaide Crows games?

The best way to get Adelaide Crows tickets is by scrolling up to the top of this page! Queen of Tickets always has the best Adelaide Crows tickets available, so bookmark this page if you are an Adelaide Crows fan for easy access to tickets as soon as they are released.