AFL: Ballarat star Matt Crouch to join brother in Adelaide

Crouch, a Beaufort Crow, officially became an Adelaide Crow last night at pick 23 in the AFL national draft.

The Crouch brothers have played a little bit of school football together at St Patrick’s College and spent one season in juniors with Ballarat Swans.

Now they will be fully-fledged teammates.

“Me and my brother have a pretty good, close relationship,” Crouch said.

“He’s in Adelaide because he’s got training (today) but I spoke to him straight after my name was called.

“He’s stoked too. I don’t think he believed it really.”

Crouch said his parents, Phil and Debbie, were rapt to have both their sons together at the one club.

Brad Crouch was recruited to the Crows via the 2011 mini-draft, so this was the first time the family has experienced the national draft process.

They watched the draft unfold together with a couple of Matt’s closest friends in a low-key evening.

There were no guarantees but Crouch said that as the draft played out, he started to hope Adelaide might call.

“I didn’t know what to expect going into the draft but when my name was called, it was one of the best feelings in my life,” Crouch said.

“I had thought they might be a little bit interested ... but you’re never promised anything.”

It was a frustrating start to the season for Crouch, who was sidelined for almost two months with a broken hand, but his tenacity shone in his comeback.

Crouch was the sole Rebel to be drafted this year.

Lauchlan Dalgleish, a speedy midfielder rookied to Essendon in 2011, was upgraded to the Bombers’ list at pick 64.

North Ballarat Rosters dual-premiership player Brett Goodes, a mature-age rookie at Western Bulldogs where he worked, was also an upgrade at pick 84.

AFL Victoria and Rebels talent manager Phil Partington was on the Gold Coast for the call with head coach David Loader and assistant Damian Ross last night and had the bittersweet job of also calling players that missed out.

Partington said they were “pretty raw” calls but said it was more important than ever this year that players regroup.

The AFL rookie draft is next week – about two weeks earlier than usual – and clubs would start making their calls too, to gauge player reactions.

“There were 58 live picks in the draft and unfortunately the numbers ran out for some of the Rebels players,” Partington said.

On the flip side, Partington was thrilled for Crouch, who spent two days each week working in the Rebels’ administration this season as part of an AFL traineeship to complement his schooling.

“Matt’s a character and he’s also a determined young man,” Partington said.

“He certainly loves playing footy and that part of him can really take you a long way if you are going to make it in this game.”

melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au