2015 season History of the Adelaide Football Club

the 2015 season started adelaide football club 77-point win on reigning preliminary finalists north melbourne. adelaide won first 3 games sit top of afl ladder, before losing next 2 setting inconsistent start season.

on 26 may 2015, afl launched inquiry eddie betts signing adelaide after 2013 season. came after outgoing carlton coach mick malthouse claimed have been told current carlton , former adelaide ceo steven trigg adelaide had illegally signed betts 18 months prior him departing carlton. club categorically denied claim, did carlton , betts manager. adelaide , betts subsequently cleared of wrongdoing in affair.

fans gather @ adelaide oval pay tribute phil walsh.

on 3 july, 2 days prior adelaide s then-scheduled round 14 match against geelong, coach phil walsh victim of domestic dispute , died multiple stab wounds @ age of 55. tragedy followed outpouring of sympathy , tributes club s fans , wider afl community. match against cats cancelled, both teams receiving 2 premiership points each. adelaide s sanfl team s match against south adelaide, scheduled next day, postponed until later in season. on 6 july, assistant coach scott camporeale appointed interim coach remainder of season, while west coast premiership coach john worsfold hired coaching director support camporeale.

the crows returned playing football in round 15 against west coast @ domain stadium, losing 56 points. loss saw adelaide fall out of top 8 first time in season, 7-6 win-loss record. however, team rebounded win 6 of next 7 games, culminating in 57-point win on eagles in return match, sealed first finals appearance since 2012 1 round of regular season spare. adelaide have moved sixth place, hence earning home elimination final, win on geelong @ simonds stadium, lost 39 points, finishing 7th on ladder 13 wins, 8 losses , 1 abandoned game.

as per afl final 8 system, crows faced sixth-placed western bulldogs @ melbourne cricket ground in second elimination final. match, played on saturday night, tight contest neither side leading more 19 points @ stage, five-goal performance eddie betts helped adelaide 7-point win, 16.13 (109) 14.18 (102). victory earned adelaide friday night semi final against reigning back-to-back premiers hawthorn following week @ same venue. hawthorn dominated start finish record 21.9 (135) 8.13 (61) victory; 74-point margin adelaide s biggest ever loss in final. hawks go on win third consecutive premiership 2 weeks later.

shortly after conclusion of season, star midfielder patrick dangerfield, restricted free agent, announced intention return victoria, family reasons. finished adelaide career malcolm blight medallist, winning award rory laird. dangerfield (rover) , eddie betts (forward pocket) both named in all-australian team; betts led club s goalkicking second straight year 63, , kicked afl goal of year against fremantle in round 9 (fittingly, afl s indigenous round), kicking left-foot torpedo punt 50 metres out on boundary line. small forward charlie cameron , key defender jake lever both nominated 2015 rising star award. long-time crow brent reilly retired mid-season, having suffered career-ending , life-threatening fractured skull during pre-season training. james podsiadly retired, while brodie martin , matthew wright notable delisted players.

rather allowing dangerfield leave free agent, adelaide came terms trade preferred club geelong, trading dangerfield , pick 50 picks 9 , 26 , first-year player dean gore. adelaide active player in 2015 trade period besides dangerfield deal, obtaining curtly hampton (greater western sydney) 2016 second-round pick, paul seedsman (collingwood) pick 32 , troy menzel (carlton) pick 28 , sam kerridge. in draft adelaide had 2 first round picks, picks 11 , 17 overall after awarding of compensation picks , shifting due academy selections. used these picks draft wayne milera , tom doedee respectively.

on october 9, don pyke, former premiership player , assistant coach west coast had been assistant coach @ adelaide 2005 2006, appointed adelaide s senior coach @ least 3 years.