MARK Ricciuto and Andrew McLeod were among eight inaugural inductees honoured with a place in the Adelaide Crows’ Hall of Fame on Wednesday night at a lavish function at the Entertainment Centre.
The club's inaugural CEO Bill Sanders, inaugural chairman Bob Hammond, dual premiership coach Malcolm Blight, and players Ben Hart, Tony Modra and Simon Goodwin were the club's other inductees.
An emotional McLeod recounted watching the Crows' 1993 preliminary final from the Jabiru pub in the Northern Territory – he said Essendon great Michael Long's performances in that game and in the '93 Grand Final inspired his career.
McLeod played 340 games and finished his career a dual premiership player, dual Norm Smith medallist, a three-time club champion and a five-time All Australian.
Ricciuto was the night's final inductee and thanked his father for taking him from Waikerie to Adelaide 52 times in 1992 to train and play for West Adelaide.
At 400km each, the 52 round trips meant the Ricciutos travelled 20,800km before he made his AFL debut for the Crows in 1993.
Now a prominent board member, the Brownlow medallist implored the club to improve in every facet to pursue premiership glory.
"We need to win another flag and … our board have got to be better, our management team have got to be better, the coaches need to be better, the players need to be better, the sponsors are going to have to give more and the supporters will come along for the ride," Ricciuto said.
"We're better than what we've been.
"We've made a few good calls, we've got more to go and I bloody hope we can win [a flag] in the next few years, if we make a few more good calls."
Adelaide's elite eight
- Inaugural chairman Bob Hammond
- Inaugural CEO Bill Sanders
- 311 game defender Ben Hart
- Club's leading goal kicker (440) Tony Modra
- 340 game defender Andrew McLeod
- Dual premiership coach Malcolm Blight
- 275 game midfielder Simon Goodwin
- Brownlow medallist Mark Ricciuto
