WHEN the Lockley Demons rocked up for their usual Tuesday night training session, the last thing players from the Adelaide amateur footy club expected was to have an All Australian forward with them on the training track.
But with Adelaide having the bye this weekend, Crows star Eddie Betts took the opportunity to keep himself in top shape for the second half of the season.
"We were given a training program we have to do and yesterday was a conditioning and skills training session," Betts told 5AA on Wednesday morning.
"I thought I might train with Lockleys, because I live close to the ground. I go there a lot and I know a couple of the boys, so I rocked up to the change room and asked the coach if it's all right to have a run.
"He said, 'That's perfect mate, I'm sure the boys would be happy'."
The Demons field three senior teams in the Adelaide Footy League – Division 5, Division 5 Reserves and C5.
Betts is one of the premier forwards in the AFL, booting 513 goals in 265 games with Carlton and the Crows.
The 30-year-old has 34 goals in 12 games this season and is on track for selection in his third straight Virgin Australia AFL All Australian team.
But even a stellar resume like that doesn't get you instant promotion at the Demons.
"It was funny, when I was I running around the boys were saying, 'Eddie, you can't come through the firsts, you've got to come back through the C's," Betts laughed.
"When we were doing lane kicking, all the boys were shouting out to the guy that was kicking to me, 'The pressure's on, don't miss that kick'.
"When he missed it, they were like, 'Oh, he missed the kick, the pressure was on!'
"I think it was the hardest they ever trained.
"They were running laps after drills and the boys were shouting out, 'We never do this'."
Betts and his Crows teammates will report back to the club on Thursday for training in preparation for their round 14 clash with Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval.
The ladder-leading Crows will be strong favourites for the Thursday night encounter, but Betts isn't writing off the Hawks.
"Hawthorn is a dangerous side and they have always been for a long time," he said.
"You've got to come out and get a good start against them because if they're in the game, they could take it away from you.
"Port Adelaide got a good jump on Hawthorn early a few weeks ago and the crowd got involved, so if we can do that and get the crowd involved, hopefully we can come away with the win."
What would you do if Eddie Betts rocked up for a training session at your local club? https://t.co/OJS1bfzUr2 #weflyasone pic.twitter.com/cMyBoua3qK
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) June 14, 2017