# 2016 Adelaide Football Club season

The 2016 AFL season was the 26th season in the Australian Football League contested by the Adelaide Football Club.
Following the conclusion of the 2015 season which was marred by the mid-season passing of previous head coach Phil Walsh due to an alleged murder, former assistant coach Don Pyke was named as the club's new head coach for the 2016 season on 9 October 2015. Scott Camporeale had acted as interim head coach between Walsh's death and Pyke's appointment, but after electing not to apply for the full-time coaching role, reverted to his previous role of midfield coach for the new season.

## Playing list changes

The following summarises all player changes between the conclusion of the 2015 season and the beginning of the 2016 season.

### In

| No. | Player | Previous club | League | via |
| 20 | Hugh Greenwood | Perth Wildcats | NBL | Rookie draft |
| 36 | Dean Gore | Geelong | AFL | Traded |
| 17 | Curtly Hampton | GWS | AFL | Traded |
| 11 | Paul Seedsman | Collingwood | AFL | Traded |
| 32 | Troy Menzel | Carlton | AFL | Traded |
| 42 | Alex Keath | Victorian Bushrangers/Melbourne Stars | Sheffield Shield/Big Bash League | Rookie draft |
| 30 | Wayne Milera | Central Districts | SANFL | National draft |
| 39 | Tom Doedee | Geelong Falcons | VFL | National draft |
| 37 | Paul Hunter | Redland Football Club | NEAFL | Rookie draft |
| 1 | Jono Beech | West Adelaide | SANFL | Rookie draft |

### Out

| Player | New club | League | via |
| James Podsiadly | | | Retired |
| Brent Reilly | | | Retired |
| Sam Siggins | Lauderdale | TSL | Delisted |
| Brodie Martin | Sturt | SANFL | Delisted |
| Jack Osborn | Sturt | SANFL | Delisted |
| Anthony Wilson | Norwood | SANFL | Delisted |
| Patrick Dangerfield | Geelong | AFL | Traded |
| Sam Kerridge | Carlton | AFL | Traded |
| Matthew Wright | Carlton | AFL | Delisted |
| Matthew Jaensch | Hahndorf | HFL | Retired |

## Coaching panel changes

The following summarises all coaching changes between the conclusion of the 2015 season and the beginning of the 2016 season.
| Coach | Previous club | League | Coaching role | Replacing |
| Don Pyke | West Coast | AFL | Senior coach | Phil Walsh |
| James Podsiadly | Adelaide | AFL | Assistant coach (defence) | Darren Milburn |

## Season summary
### Pre-season matches

| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Venue | Attendance | Ref |
| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Home | Away | Result | Venue | Attendance | Ref |
| 1 | Sunday, 21 February (1:35 pm) | West Coast | 2.20.10 (148) | 0.7.6 (48) | Won by 100 points | Unley Oval (H) | 8,000 | |
| 2 | Sunday, 28 February (1:40 pm) | Fremantle | 1.9.6 (69) | 0.8.19 (67) | Lost by 2 points | Sounness Park (A) | 4,767 | |
| 3 | Sunday, 11 March (1:10 pm) | Gold Coast | 0.11.18 (84) | 3.12.10 (109) | Won by 25 points | Metricon Stadium (A) | 4,460 | |

### Home and away season

Players written in bold received Brownlow Medal votes for their game.
| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Venue | Attendance | Ladder position | Best players | Ref. |
| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Home | Away | Result | Venue | Attendance | Ladder position | Best players | Ref. |
| 1 | Saturday 26 March (7:25 pm) | North Melbourne | 16.11 (107) | 14.13 (97) | Lost by 10 points | Etihad Stadium (A) | 25,485 | 11 | Jenkins, Thompson, Laird, Smith, M. Crouch, Walker | |
| 2 | Saturday 2 April (1:15 pm) | Port Adelaide | 22.12 (144) | 11.20 (80) | Won by 58 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 51,585 | 5 | Lynch, Laird, Talia, Lever, Betts, Mackay, Thompson | |
| 3 | Saturday 9 April (2:10 pm) | Richmond | 13.14 (92) | 19.14 (128) | Won by 36 points | Etihad Stadium (A) | 29,951 | 6 | Thompson, Laird, Betts, Smith, Walker, M. Crouch, Seedsman | |
| 4 | Saturday 16 April (7:10 pm) | Sydney | 16.17 (113) | 15.13 (103) | Won by 10 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 51,330 | 7 | Thompson, Atkins, Sloane, Lynch, Betts, Douglas | |
| 5 | Friday 22 April (7:50 pm) | Hawthorn | 17.10 (112) | 17.7 (109) | Lost by 3 points | MCG (A) | 45,781 | 9 | Sloane, Thompson, Atkins, Mackay, Lynch, Jacobs | |
| 6 | Saturday 30 April (1:40 pm) | Fremantle | 14.13 (97) | 8.16 (64) | Won by 33 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 47,423 | 7 | Sloane, Lynch, Laird, Jacobs, Betts, Hartigan | |
| 7 | Saturday 7 May (7:40 pm) | Western Bulldogs | 18.15 (123) | 17.6 (108) | Lost by 15 points | Etihad Stadium (A) | 26,984 | 8 | Jenkins, M. Crouch, Henderson, Lynch, Smith | |
| 8 | Friday 13 May (7:20 pm) | Geelong | 11.6 (72) | 13.20 (98) | Lost by 26 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 53,141 | 8 | Sloane, Cameron, Lynch, Henderson | |
| 9 | Saturday 21 May (2:10 pm) | Gold Coast | 11.8 (74) | 22.17 (149) | Won by 75 points | Metricon Stadium (A) | 11,692 | 8 | Douglas, Jacobs, Lynch, Talia, Thompson, Seedsman, Walker | |
| 10 | Saturday May 28 (7:10 pm) | Greater Western Sydney | 15.17 (107) | 13.7 (85) | Won by 22 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 46,737 | 8 | Walker, Betts, Thompson, Atkins, Sloane, Talia, Lever, Douglas | |
| 11 | Sunday 5 June (4:10 pm) | St Kilda | 19.19 (133) | 6.9 (45) | Won by 88 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 40,896 | 8 | Jenkins, M. Crouch, Sloane, Talia, Jacobs, Lever | |
| 12 | Saturday 11 June (5:40 pm) | West Coast | 11.10 (76) | 15.15 (105) | Won by 29 points | Domain Stadium (A) | 37,591 | 7 | Sloane, Betts, Thompson, Laird, M. Crouch, Talia, Jenkins, Lynch | |
| 13 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 14 | Thursday 23 June (7:20 pm) | North Melbourne | 12.28 (100) | 10.7 (67) | Won by 33 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 37,890 | 6 | M. Crouch, Sloane, Laird, Atkins, Talia, Lever, Lynch | |
| 15 | Sunday 3 July (3:20 pm) | Melbourne | 15.8 (98) | 18.12 (120) | Won by 22 points | MCG (A) | 29,133 | 5 | Laird, Walker, M. Crouch, B. Crouch, Cameron, Douglas | |
| 16 | Sunday 10 July (1:10 pm) | Carlton | 7.5 (47) | 16.11 (107) | Won by 60 points | MCG (A) | 32,430 | 3 | Laird, Sloane, Henderson, Talia, Lever, Jacobs | |
| 17 | Saturday 16 July (7:10 pm) | Collingwood | 14.13 (97) | 10.9 (69) | Won by 28 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 50,012 | 2 | Smith, Sloane, Talia, Lyons, B. Crouch, Lever | |
| 18 | Saturday 23 July (7:25 pm) | Geelong | 12.13 (85) | 7.13 (55) | Lost by 30 points | Simonds Stadium (A) | 21,127 | 6 | M. Crouch, B. Crouch, Laird, Thompson, Jenkins | |
| 19 | Sunday 31 July (4:10 pm) | Essendon | 22.11 (143) | 9.7 (61) | Won by 88 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 44,264 | 5 | Laird, Sloane, Betts, B. Crouch, McGovern, Thompson | |
| 20 | Saturday 6 August (7:10 pm) | Brisbane Lions | 27.15 (177) | 6.3 (39) | Won by 138 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 43,549 | 3 | Laird, Sloane, Walker, Lynch, Talia, Jenkins, Betts, B. Crouch | |
| 21 | Sunday 14 August (2:40 pm) | Fremantle | 11.4 (70) | 21.16 (142) | Won by 72 points | Domain Stadium (A) | 30,116 | 3 | Betts, Jenkins, B. Crouch, Laird, Douglas, Lyons, Atkins | |
| 22 | Saturday 20 August (7:10 pm) | Port Adelaide | 14.10 (94) | 15.19 (109) | Won by 15 points | Adelaide Oval (A) | 49,541 | 2 | M. Crouch, Lyons, Sloane, Betts, Atkins, Thompson | |
| 23 | Friday 26 August (7:40 pm) | West Coast | 10.11 (71) | 14.16 (100) | Lost by 29 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 50,785 | 5 | M. Crouch, Laird, Henderson | |

### Finals matches

| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Venue | Attendance | Best players | Ref. |
| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Home | Away | Result | Venue | Attendance | Best players | Ref. |
| QF | Saturday, 10 September (7:10 pm) | North Melbourne | 21.15 (141) | 12.7 (79) | Won by 62 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | 49,007 | Betts, Lynch, M. Crouch, Smith, Lyons, Thompson, Walker | |
| SF | Saturday, 17 September (7:25pm) | Sydney | 18.10 (118) | 12.10 (82) | Lost by 36 points | Sydney Cricket Ground (A) | 38,126 | M. Crouch, Laird, Sloane, Atkins, Thompson | |

## Ladder

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Sydney | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2221 | 1469 | 151.2 | 68 | 2016 finals |
| 2 | Geelong | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2235 | 1554 | 143.8 | 68 | 2016 finals |
| 3 | Hawthorn | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2134 | 1800 | 118.6 | 68 | 2016 finals |
| 4 | Greater Western Sydney | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2380 | 1663 | 143.1 | 64 | 2016 finals |
| 5 | Adelaide | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2483 | 1795 | 138.3 | 64 | 2016 finals |
| 6 | West Coast | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2181 | 1678 | 130.0 | 64 | 2016 finals |
| 7 | Western Bulldogs (P) | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 1857 | 1609 | 115.4 | 60 | 2016 finals |
| 8 | North Melbourne | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 1956 | 1859 | 105.2 | 48 | 2016 finals |
| 9 | St Kilda | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 1953 | 2041 | 95.7 | 48 | |
| 10 | Port Adelaide | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 2055 | 1939 | 106.0 | 40 | |
| 11 | Melbourne | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 1944 | 1991 | 97.6 | 40 | |
| 12 | Collingwood | 22 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 1910 | 1998 | 95.6 | 36 | |
| 13 | Richmond | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 1713 | 2155 | 79.5 | 32 | |
| 14 | Carlton | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 1568 | 1978 | 79.3 | 28 | |
| 15 | Gold Coast | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 1778 | 2273 | 78.2 | 24 | |
| 16 | Fremantle | 22 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 1574 | 2119 | 74.3 | 16 | |
| 17 | Brisbane Lions | 22 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 1770 | 2872 | 61.6 | 12 | |
| 18 | Essendon | 22 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 1437 | 2356 | 61.0 | 12 | |

## Match Review Panel

| Player | Round | Charge category | Verdict | Result | Victim | Club |
| Kyle Hartigan | 6 | Rough Conduct | Guilty | $1000 fine | Michael Walters | Fremantle |
| Taylor Walker | 12 | Striking | Guilty | $1000 fine | Luke Shuey | West Coast Eagles |
| Matt Crouch | 18 | Wrestling | Guilty | $1500 fine | Steven Motlop | Geelong Cats |
| Rory Sloane | 22 | Rough Conduct | Guilty | One-match suspension | Brad Ebert | Port Adelaide |
| Kyle Hartigan | EF | Tripping | Guilty | $1500 fine | Lindsay Thomas | North Melbourne |
| Sam Jacobs | SF | Rough Conduct | Guilty | $1000 fine | Ben McGlynn | Sydney Swans |

## Awards
### Brownlow Medal

| Player | 3 Vote Games | 2 Vote Games | 1 Vote Games | Total Votes |
| Rory Sloane | 5 | 4 | 1 | 24 |
| Rory Laird | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Eddie Betts | | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| Josh Jenkins | 2 | 1 | | 8 |
| Matt Crouch | 2 | | 1 | 7 |
| Taylor Walker | 2 | | | 6 |
| Scott Thompson | 1 | 1 | | 5 |
| Tom Lynch | 1 | 1 | | 5 |
| Brad Crouch | | 2 | | 4 |
| Sam Jacobs | | 1 | | 2 |
| Brodie Smith | | 1 | | 2 |
| Daniel Talia | | | 2 | 2 |
| Rory Atkins | | | 1 | 1 |
Italics denotes ineligible players

### Malcolm Blight Medal Top 10

| Position | Player | Votes |
| 1st | Rory Sloane | 268 |
| 2nd | Eddie Betts | 249 |
| 3rd | Tom Lynch | 215 |
| 4th | Daniel Talia | 192 |
| 5th | Taylor Walker | 185 |
| 6th | Brodie Smith | 183 |
| 7th | Matt Crouch | 180 |
| 8th | Kyle Hartigan | 171 |
| 9th | Charlie Cameron | 168 |
| 10th | Josh Jenkins | 167 |

### Other Awards

Leading Goalkicker: Eddie Betts (75)
Phil Walsh Best Team Man: Eddie Betts
Chelsea Phillis Coaches Award: Rory Sloane
Mark Bickley Emerging Talent: Jake Lever
19th Man Award: Rory Sloane
Dr Brian Sando OAM Trophy: David Mackay
State League Club Champion: Jono Beech
Dean Bailey Award: Luke Carey
Crows Children's Foundation Community Leadership Award: Kyle Hartigan and Charlie Cameron

## Individual awards and records
### Milestones

Milestones :
| No. | Player | Milestone | Round |
| 11 | Paul Seedsman | 50th Match | Round 1 |
| 12 | Daniel Talia | 100th Match | Round 2 |
| 41 | Mitch McGovern | 1st Goal | Round 2 |
| 30 | Wayne Milera | 1st Goal | Round 2 |
| 33 | Brodie Smith | 100th Match | Round 3 |
| 5 | Scott Thompson | 250th Match for Adelaide | Round 4 |
| 18 | Eddie Betts | 50th Match for Adelaide | Round 5 |
| 14 | David Mackay | 150th Match | Round 6 |
| 27 | Tom Lynch | 100th Goal | Round 7 |
| 4 | Josh Jenkins | 150th Goal | Round 11 |
| 27 | Tom Lynch | 100th Goal for Adelaide | Round 12 |
| 18 | Eddie Betts | 150th Goal for Adelaide | Round 15 |
| 5 | Scott Thompson | 300th Match | Round 17 |
| 18 | Eddie Betts | 450th Goal | Round 19 |
| 23 | Charlie Cameron | 50th Goal | Round 19 |
| 15 | Kyle Hartigan | 1st Goal | Round 19 |
| 43 | Reilly O'Brien | 1st Goal | Round 20 |
| 6 | Jake Lever | 1st Goal | Round 21 |
| 18 | Eddie Betts | 250th Match | Round 22 |
| 13 | Taylor Walker | 300th Goal | Elimination Final |

### Debuts

Debuts :
| No. | Player | Round |
| 11 | Paul Seedsman | Round 1$^1$ |
| 30 | Wayne Milera | Round 1 |
| 41 | Mitch McGovern | Round 1 |
| 43 | Reilly O'Brien | Round 21 |
$^1$They had previously played for another club but played their first match for Adelaide.

## Reserves
### Regular season

Players written in bold received Magarey Medal votes for their game.
| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) | Venue | Ladder position | Best players | Ref. |
| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Home | Away | Result | Venue | Ladder position | Best players | Ref. |
| 1 | Saturday 26 March (2:10 pm) | West Adelaide | 7.8 (50) | 18.16 (124) | Won by 74 points | Richmond Oval (A) | 2 | O'Brien, Beech, Ellis-Yolmen, Knight, Castree, Henderson | |
| 2 | Sunday 3 April (1:40 pm) | Port Adelaide | 15.14 (104) | 10.14 (74) | Won by 30 points | Mannum Oval (H) | 1 | Lyons, Knight, O'Brien, Ramsey, Kelly, van Berlo | |
| 3 | Sunday 10 April (2:10 pm) | Woodville-West Torrens | 8.5 (53) | 14.12 (96) | Won by 43 points | Woodville Oval (A) | 1 | Gore, Beech, Ellis-Yolmen, Shaw, Kelly, Cameron | |
| 4 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 5 | Sunday 24 April (2:10 pm) | Glenelg | 13.8 (86) | 17.14 (116) | Won by 30 points | Glenelg Oval (A) | 1 | Beech, Keath, Greenwood, Gore, Henderson, Otten | |
| 6 | Sunday 1 May (2:10 pm) | South Adelaide | 14.7 (91) | 13.12 (90) | Lost by 1 point | Hickinbotham Oval (A) | 2 | Grigg, Ellis-Yolmen, van Berlo, Doedee, B. Crouch, Heffernan | |
| 7 | Sunday 8 May (1:10 pm) | North Adelaide | 9.9 (63) | 9.13 (67) | Won by 4 points | Prospect Oval (A) | 2 | Wigg, Greenwood, Ramsey, Leigh, Doedee, Dear | |
| 8 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 9 | Saturday 21 May (2:10 pm) | Central District | 15.9 (99) | 12.4 (76) | Lost by 23 points | Elizabeth Oval (A) | 3 | B. Crouch, Otten, Grigg, Greenwood, Doedee | |
| 10 | Saturday June 4 (2:10 pm) | Sturt | 10.10 (70) | 9.6 (60) | Lost by 10 points | Unley Oval (A) | 5 | Otten, van Berlo, Mackay, Menzel, Wigg, B. Crouch | |
| 11 | Sunday 12 June (1:40 pm) | Norwood | 7.11 (53) | 14.16 (100) | Won by 47 points | Hindmarsh Stadium (A) | 4 | Ellis-Yolmen, B. Crouch, Henderson, O'Brien, Doedee, Shoenmakers | |
| 12 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 13 | Saturday 25 June (2:10 pm) | Central District | 17.8 (110) | 8.7 (55) | Lost by 55 points | Elizabeth Oval (A) | 5 | Doedee, Henderson, Shoenmakers, Lowden | |
| 14 | Saturday 2 July (2:10 pm) | North Adelaide | 9.9 (63) | 11.12 (78) | Won by 15 points | Prospect Oval (A) | 4 | Dear, Milera, Spriggs, Gore, Doedee, Otten | |
| 15 | Saturday 9 July (2:10 pm) | Sturt | 13.9 (87) | 11.9 (75) | Won by 12 points | Thebarton Oval (H) | 4 | Wigg, Ellis-Yolmen, Ramsey, Dear, Gore, O'Brien | |
| 16 | Sunday 17 July (2:10 pm) | Glenelg | 15.11 (101) | 12.10 (82) | Lost by 19 points | Glenelg Oval (A) | 4 | O'Brien, Doedee, Grigg, Ellis-Yolmen, Beech, Greenwood | |
| 17 | Saturday 23 July (2:10 pm) | Woodville-West Torrens | 10.13 (73) | 8.5 (53) | Lost by 20 points | Woodville Oval (A) | 4 | Wigg, Keath, Doedee, Castree, Dear | |
| 18 | Sunday 31 July (1:40 pm) | Port Adelaide | 12.7 (79) | 16.8 (104) | Won by 25 points | Alberton Oval (A) | 4 | Ellis-Yolmen, Grigg, O'Brien, Beech, Hampton, Gore | |
| 19 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 20 | Saturday 13 August (2:10 pm) | Norwood | 11.10 (76) | 18.10 (118) | Won by 42 points | Hindmarsh Stadium (A) | 4 | Beech, Otten, Wigg, Doedee, Grigg, Greenwood | |
| 21 | Sunday 21 August (1:10 pm) | West Adelaide | 13.7 (85) | 27.17 (179) | Won by 94 points | Berri Oval (A) | 4 | Wigg, Shoenmakers, Gore, Knight, O'Brien, Grigg | |
| 22 | Saturday 27 August (2:10 pm) | South Adelaide | 14.16 (100) | 9.8 (62) | Won by 38 points | Hickinbothom Oval (A) | 4 | Beech, Greenwood, Grigg, Ramsey, Knight | |
| EF | Saturday 3 September (12:10 pm) | Central District | 19.11 (125) | 7.11 (53) | Won by 72 points | Adelaide Oval (H) | - | Greenwood, Knight, Ellis-Yolmen, Otten, Menzel, Wigg | |
| SF | Sunday 11 September (12:10 pm) | South Adelaide | 13.8 (86) | 22.8 (140) | Won by 54 points | Adelaide Oval (A) | - | Beech, Greenwood, Otten, Gore, Grigg, Dear | |
| PF | Sunday 18 September (2:10 pm) | Sturt | 15.13 (103) | 10.8 (68) | Lost by 35 points | Adelaide Oval (A) | - | Beech, Knight, Greenwood, Grigg, Menzel, Milera | |