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Find your frequency hereThe pair of Crows who should be in All-Australian contention
Connor Scanlon • July 24th, 2025 9:36 am
Adelaide currently boast one of the best-performed defences in Champion Data’s history, and it’s largely thanks to two main players – Mark Keane and Josh Worrell.
Crows legend Mark Bickley believes there should be no arguments against why Worrell and Keane should be featured in the 2025 All-Australian team, in response to Champion Data lead analyst Daniel Hoyne’s comments on their backline.
Hoyne spoke to SEN’s Sportsday about how Adelaide’s defence is by far the best in the competition right now.
“Over the whole season, their defensive profile is the best defensive profile in the competition,” Hoyne revealed.
“Post Gather Round, Rounds 6 to 19, defensively in the four key areas we look at – (the Crows rank) 1, 1, 1 and 1.
“Unbelievable, it is bulletproof.
“They are giving up 63 points a game for a four-month period.”
In fact, Hoyne revealed how Adelaide’s defence is currently the third-best defence in Champion Data’s history.
“So, what they’re doing at the moment… only Geelong in 2022, who won a flag by 81 points, and Sydney in 2014, who reached a Grand Final, would’ve conceded fewer points over a four or five-month period,” revealed Hoyne.
“It is absolutely phenomenal.
“(Josh) Worrell and Mark Keane, this might surprise people, are the number one and number two interceptors in the competition.
“Adelaide as a collective have been involved in 156 one-on-one contests. They’ve been out-marked 14 times.
“What they are doing defensively is systematically destroying opposition teams.”
In response to those remarkable statistics, two-time Crows premiership captain Bickley couldn’t think of a reason as to why Worrell shouldn’t be in the All-Australian team.
“On the back of those numbers, Josh Worrell, the number one intercepting player in the competition, he plays in the best defensive six in the competition,” Bickley told SEN's SA Breakfast.
“Why wouldn’t he be in the All-Australian team?
“Give me an argument to say how he’s not going to be in the All-Australian centre half-back!”
Bickley also made it clear that Worrell’s teammate Keane should also be included in the elite end-of-year selection.
“And Mark Keane, for that matter, if he’s the number two intercept player in the competition,” Bickley said.
“And he’s a linchpin at full-back of the best defensive unit.
“Why wouldn’t he have his name thrust right up there as well, being in contention for All-Australian selection?”
