Prized Crows recruit’s surprise first clash against ex-club
Crows Callum Ah Chee had no idea it would turn out this way when he left the Brisbane Lions.
Callum Ah Chee didn’t think it would turn out this way.
When joining Adelaide, he knew he’d face his former club Brisbane. But in a final? At the Gabba?
“I didn’t think I would be versing them for the first time in a final,” Ah Chee said.
“It’s super exciting to get back up to the Gabba.”
At the end of last year, Ah Chee departed the Lions after winning two premierships in six seasons – he joined Brisbane for the 2020 season after four years at Gold Coast.
“The Gabba holds a special place in my heart,” he said.
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“And I can’t wait to play there … and give it a red-hot crack.”
The Crows meet the Lions in a Saturday night semi-final, with Ah Chee certain of one thing: his former club will react strongly to their 53-point qualifying final drubbing from Sydney.
“We know how good Brisbane can be and we know that they’ll look to respond,” he said.
“That is going to be a challenge for us.”
Ahead of the clash, Adelaide hierarchy have been picking Ah Chee’s brain for insights into his former club.
“Cal’s a ripper,” Crows coach Matthew Nicks said.
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“When it comes to experience, he’s been through it and he knows the (Brisbane) group very well … he knows a lot about what they do.
“It’s one thing to know it. It’s another thing to go and beat it.
“But it’s nice to have him and (former Lions assistant coach, now Adelaide coaching director) Murray Davis in our opposition preview.”
Ah Chee’s first season in Adelaide has been blighted by four hamstring injuries since an initial tear when playing for Western Australia against Victoria in February’s State of Origin fixture.
The 28-year-old has played only eight games for Adelaide but Nicks said his off-field clout had been invaluable.
Ah Chee and ex-Melbourne half-forward Alex Neal-Bullen are the only players on the Crows list to have won AFL premierships.
“Cal’s one, Alex Neal-Bullen is another who brings that experience and composure,” Nicks said.
“Both guys have even got some upside, they didn’t play their best games on the weekend (in Adelaide’s elimination final win over the Western Bulldogs).
“But there’s definitely things that you don’t see on the TV screen that they’re doing in key moments.
“Cal’s ability with the ball, but also without the ball – he’s been outstanding for our group. And Alex has been doing that now for a number of years, both on and off the field.”
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