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Sport Nation
How to tune into Sport NationWhy former Adelaide captain is backing Soligo to go to the next level in 2025
Andrew Slevison • February 25th, 2025 4:01 pm
Jake Soligo has so far strung together three very solid AFL seasons with the Adelaide Crows.
After being picked at 36 in the 2021 draft and gaining invaluable experience in his first two campaigns, Soligo truly announced himself in 2024.
The 22-year-old midfielder finished third in the Malcolm Blight Medal behind joint winners Jordan Dawson and Ben Keays which was just reward for a sparkling season.
Soligo took that momentum into the Crows’ pre-season win over Port Adelaide at Mount Barker last Friday with plenty of touches and three goals.
He is set to go to another level in 2025 in the eyes of two-time premiership captain Mark Bickley.
Bickley loves Soligo’s inside-outside balance as an on-baller mixed with his traits as a tenacious and tough player.
“He looked fantastic with his running power and toughness,” Bickley said on SEN SA Breakfast.
“He’s just got this tenacity about winning the footy, which is good, but he also gets on his bike on the outside. He runs really hard.
“I saw him at one stage receive a handball in the goal square when he was playing as an on-baller. He outworked his opposition and was able to get down there and kick a goal.
“He runs and carries the ball as well, which is really important. He’s got that beautiful balance between inside and outside.
“It’s only one game but he was Adelaide’s best player clearly on the weekend.”
Soligo and the Crows will next be in action against the Lions in Brisbane in the AAMI Community Series on Thursday night.
Their 2025 season proper kicks off against St Kilda at the Adelaide Oval on March 16.
