JOSH Worrell's ultra-competitive streak can be put down to a couple of things. Growing up with three brothers is one reason, while the Adelaide defender suspects his nanna may have something to do with it after a long career as a senior world champion hammer thrower and shot putter. 

Val Worrell took up throwing in her 50s and became a national champion in her age group before travelling the world to compete and racking up gold medals at international level into her 80s. 

Her competitiveness may well have been passed down to Josh, who has this year played with a desperate and determined edge as he emerges as a key player in Adelaide's flag push and an All-Australian contender.  

The 24-year-old has led the AFL for overall intercepts (7.6 per game) and averaged a career-best 20.3 disposals, also racking up chase-down tackles and regularly flying the flag for teammates. 

While his ability to intercept and set up scoring chains is crucial to the way the Crows play, Worrell said it is the desperate and competitive aspects of the game he prides himself on. 

"I grew up with three brothers, so I've always kind of had that competitiveness hanging around them, and then I think a bit of it also comes from my nanna," Worrell told AFL.com.au this week. 

"She's a senior world champion hammer thrower and shot putter, so she's dominated the senior ranks of that for a long time. I think it maybe skipped a generation and worked its way down to me. 

"I'd rather have a rundown tackle any day of the week over anything else. I feel like those little things boost me and then also boost the team, so if I can keep doing them, I know I've played my role." 

Worrell's underrated speed has come in handy on several occasions this season, most notably when he laid one of the chase-down tackles of the season on Hawthorn forward Nick Watson in round 14. 

There were similar efforts on Carlton's Jesse Motlop in round eight and Port Adelaide's Mitch Georgiades in round nine, with Worrell estimating he would put himself in positions to chase down an opponent two or three times a game. 

"I've got lucky in a way, but I think with some of those things, like the 'Wizard' one, you can probably give up on them when you look at it from the outset," Worrell said. 

"But I've got a little bit more speed for a taller bloke and I think some people underestimate that, which helps.

"I probably do a lot of those runs and don't get rewarded, so I think it's more a quantity thing if I keep doing them. Sometimes there's no reward, but if I keep putting myself in the position then sometimes you never know your luck." 

While Worrell judges himself on the tackles and one percenters, his value to the Crows is also in his elite ability to win the ball back from the opposition in 2025 and turn those possessions into scores. 

Worrell ranks No.1 in the AFL for overall intercepts (137), but he is well clear at the top when it comes to winning back possession through groundballs (84). 

His intercepts have led to more scores for his team than any other Crow, with the left footer ranking third across the whole AFL for scores generated from that source. 

Worrell has long targeted a role with the Crows as an intercepting third tall and is now flourishing with more responsibility to come off his opponent and support teammates. 

"I'm a massive beneficiary of what happens up the field, but I think my best footy comes off playing on an opponent and then backing myself to impact another contest if I think I can do that," Worrell said. 

"It's a tight line to walk whether you go or whether you don't, but I feel like at the moment I've been able to balance that really well. 

"Then I think I'm impacting on the ground just as much as in the air at the moment, which is something I've worked on. 

"I'm a bit taller, so it's easy to get into the club and work on the marking and stuff, but I think that groundball stuff is huge as well."

Worrell is six seasons into his career after being drafted with pick No.28 in the 2019 Telstra AFL Draft, arriving at the Crows with a strong reputation for his intercepting, decision-making and penetrating kick.  

He was made to wait for his debut in 2021, however, and admits he wasn't ready, with injuries and form restricting him to 17 games in his first four seasons. 

More professional and amid a breakout season, Worrell suffered a broken arm in round nine last season and was again on the sidelines, playing 13 games for the year after returning for the final month of the season. 

He is only now approaching his 50th game, which is due to come against Hawthorn next Friday night, with his interrupted start to AFL life providing him with lessons to share with young teammates.

"My journey's been a bit different and I didn't come in and start playing straight away, so I had to work pretty hard to get to this position," Worrell said. 

"The role that I'm playing now, I want to stick with it and hopefully play it for a long time, and I think that comes off the back of my competitiveness as well and not wanting to lose."