Ian Callinan

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Ahead of the late November draft, clubs made changes, delisting some and elevating others from the rookie list. Clubs must use a draft selection to elevate rookies.

Adelaide delisted Ian Callinan and Nick Joyce. Callinan, 30, was a mature age recruit to the rookie list and played 32 games for the Crows in three seasons. He was elevated o the senior list in 2012. Joyce, 20, was drafted at the end of 2011 but did not play an AFL game in two seasons. Also delisted were Richard Tambling, Aiden Riley, Ben Dowdell and rookies Tim McIntyre, Dylan Orval and Tim Klaosen.

 Jamie Kloeden reporting for AFANA from AAMI Stadium, Australia

Adelaide was abuzz all week as the hometown Crows returned to the Finals. 2011 was a season to forget so with a young, exciting team that sat second on the ladder at the completion of the minor round, Crows' fans around town saw a chance for some genuine success. The Swans were heading to Adelaide having spent most of the latter part of the season sitting in top spot but a drop down to third gave them the tough task of starting their Finals campaign on the road.

Jarrad McVeigh won the toss for Sydney and chose to kick

G Michael reporting for AFANA from Adelaide, South Australia

A brilliant performance by Patrick Dangerfield saw the Crows blitz Gold Coast by a whopping 91 points in Round 23. With support from Scott Thompson, the young Crow took the game apart in the second half to amass 36 possessions for the game whilst also scoring two goals. As both Dangerfield and Thompson firm among the favorites for the Brownlow Medal, the Crows secured a Top Two position for the season, returning to the Finals for the first time since 2009 and ending the home and away with an equal club record of 17 wins for the season.

G Michael reporting for AFANA from Australia

In Round 22, and with the Finals only two rounds away, the Adelaide Crows were looking to make amends for their disappointing loss to the Brisbane Lions in the previous round. Facing the lowly ranked Melbourne Demons at the MCG, the Crows were still a chance to finish in the Top Two and secure that all important first home Final. Melbourne on the other hand had little to play for as their season tapered out, their former captain Brad Green’s final match their only incentive for victory.

G Michael reporting for AFANA from South Australia

With top spot on the line and talk during the week of a soft draw, the Adelaide Crows had all the reason to come out firing against the Brisbane Lions. Within minutes of the opening bounce, the fans could see a determined Crows outfit making light work of the lowly placed Lions and, with five losses out of their last six games, Brisbane could be excused for looking forward to season end. Adelaide looked strong across almost every position on the ground, and with Dangerfield and Thompson collecting 10 disposals each, the Crows looked to have all the answers early on. Brisbane failed to score a single goal in the first quarter - their lowest first quarter score for the year - while goals to Jenkins, Vince, Walker, Johncock and two goals to Callinan saw the Crows bolt out to a 38 point lead at the first break.

Jamie Kloeden reporting for AFANA from Adelaide, Australia

All of Adelaide is a buzz at the moment with the hometown Crows exceeding all expectations in their first year with Brenton Sanderson at the helm. St Kilda is also having a solid start to the year under their own first year mentor but the Scott Watters led Saints faced a big challenge on the big stage of Friday Night Football in Round 12. When the two sides met last in 2011, St Kilda recorded a phenomenal 103 point victory with Neil Craig going on to relinquish his position as Adelaide coach in the days that followed. A lot has changed in that short time with the Crows looking like a totally different outfit in the first half of season 2012.

After a narrow loss in one of the games of the season in Round Two against Geelong, Hawthorn were looking to get back on the winners list against the unbeaten and confident Adelaide Crows in Round 3. The next four quarters showed just why the Hawks remain one of the favorites for the Premiership title this year.