JUST 12 months ago, Adelaide veteran Michael Doughty's career was at the crossroads.

The onballer battled through season 2007 with a niggling knee injury and, despite being contracted, wasn’t certain his place in the squad was secure for another year.

But on Friday, Doughty capped a career-best year and completed a remarkable turnaround when he was named in Adelaide's leadership group for 2009.

"At the end of 2007 my career was up in the air, so to turn it around last season [was pleasing]," he said. "I worked pretty hard on my leadership off the ground with the younger blokes and worked pretty hard on the ground to make sure I was leading by example.

"I think that’s definitely gone a long way to helping me get in the leadership group."

The media-shy 29-year-old, who started his career on the Crows' rookie list, conceded that his leadership skills had not come naturally.

"At the end of 2005, I sort of realised that if I wanted to make it at AFL level I had to work on those areas (leadership)," Doughty said.

"In 2006 I went okay, but in 2007 I was a bit rocky, so I’ve been up and down and it’s been a gradual work in progress, but I’m getting there I think.

"As you get older, you’d hope that you mature as a player and I think that’s definitely happened to me.

"With a younger group coming in, there are 21 blokes under 22 years of age, it’s almost a requirement if you want to stay at the Adelaide Football Club to show some sort of leadership at my age.

"Now I’ve come to grips with what I have to do to help the younger players and help myself to be a better player."

The good luck story has extended to teammate Scott Stevens who was also added to the 2009 leadership group.

Stevens, too, has endured his share of tough times. The mild-mannered utility struggled to break into the Crows’ line-up after being traded from the Sydney Swans in 2003.

He underwent a shoulder reconstruction in 2005 and survived on a series of 12-month contracts.

In 2006, Stevens' hard work produced a break-out campaign and he has not missed a game since round 22 of that year.

"I've been here for five years now and in the last three I’ve gained a lot confidence in my ability to play footy," he said.

"I’ve always enjoyed having relationships with blokes off the field and trying to help guys out, but it took a little while for me to be confident with my own ability to be able to pass that on. I’ve got that now and it’s really exciting.

"I’m a little bit overwhelmed by it (being elected to the leadership group) and it’s great my peers have recognised the hard work that I’ve done to get where I am."

Captain Simon Goodwin said a place in the leadership group was just reward for the pair.

"Being voted into the leadership group says a great deal about those guys. We’re talking about a guy like Scott, who has come from another club to the Crows and Michael, who has had his ups and downs throughout his career," Goodwin said.

"Their performances out on the ground have been outstanding and the way they control the playing group with the way they go about playing and training are the reasons they’re in the leadership group."