COACHES aren't supposed to have favourite players, but when the Adelaide team was asked 'who is the coach's pet?' in a pre-season questionnaire, the answers came back the same: Rory Sloane.
After his performance against Hawthorn in the opening round, it's not hard to see why Neil Craig is so fond of the uncompromising onballer.
Sloane fought to keep his side in the contest when the Hawks had the momentum in the first half, and kept battling after the main break despite suffering a fractured jaw and thumb.
The third-year midfielder was the first player to walk into the rooms after the Crows' stirring win and quickly set about embracing 60 friends and family members, who he had invited over from country Victoria to attend his belated 21st birthday celebration the next day.
With a sore jaw and thumb, you could blame Sloane for not being in the mood for a party, but after a quick trip to hospital for scans on his thumb, he joined his guests as planned.
It's since been revealed he'll require two operations to repair the injuries and is likely to spend six weeks on the sidelines.
Sloane's courageous display against the Hawks has earned him respect across the competition, but his courage has been revered at West Lakes for some time.
Craig regularly makes an example of the 21-year-old's toughness in team meetings, and after one such meeting around Valentine's Day this year, larrikin forward Taylor Walker stuck a photo of Sloane surrounded by love hearts in Craig's locker.
"I knew it was Taylor. He kept denying it, but I knew it was him," Sloane said when asked about the prank.
"’Craigy’ brought it up in a meeting and said, 'Sloaney, stop putting photos of yourself up in my locker'.
"I think the other boys think I'm ‘Craigy's’ pet. I don't really know why."
Being seen as a favourite of the Crows’ coach is not a tag Sloane set out to achieve, but it’s a by-product of his work ethic and likeable nature. The former Eastern Ranges skipper had a similar reputation in junior ranks, winning the TAC Cup coach's award two years running.
Craig said it was impossible not to like the charismatic youngster.
"They're all favourites of mine … I'm very fond of Rory Sloane as a player," Craig said.
"It's the enthusiasm and energy that he plays with and the contested part of his game. He's a great young man and he's very popular with the playing group, so hopefully he can be a 10-15-year player for our club."
Sloane is also one of the most vocal players at Adelaide, despite being one of the least experienced. Against Fremantle in round 11 last season, he took it upon himself to address the team at three-quarter time, imploring them to win for Tyson Edwards in his farewell game.
Adelaide ensured the club stalwart finished his career with a victory, and Sloane now wears Edwards' famous No.9 jumper.
The aspiring leader is one of the next generation of Crows that the club hopes will deliver its next premiership.
The team took a step in the right direction against Hawthorn last Saturday night, and Sloane said the group was determined to fill the void left by club legends Edwards, Simon Goodwin, Tyson Edwards and Brett Burton.
"Guys like Patty Dangerfield, Phil Davis, Taylor Walker and Ricky Henderson … we're all so young and we all want to help create a new era,” he said.
"Adelaide has always had those 300-game players that come through, and there are young blokes in our team now that want to try and take that mantle."
