ADELAIDE will encourage mid-season draftee Hugo Hall-Kahan to play on instinct and use all his weapons when the damaging half-back makes his debut against Geelong on Thursday night just nine days after arriving at the club.
Hall-Kahan was one of the feel-good stories of the Telstra AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft last week, with the 22-year-old getting a second chance on an AFL list four years after joining Sydney as a mid-year pick-up in 2022.
While he didn't get to play at AFL level with the Swans, his growth as a player with Williamstown in the VFL and a switch to half-back this season has given him a platform make an impact with the Crows and improve their rebounding game in the second half of the season.
"You look at his form in the VFL, and he's certainly a good ball user and loves impacting the offensive side of things," backline coach Jack Hombsch told AFL.com.au ahead of Thursday night's blockbuster at Adelaide Oval.
"I've been impressed with him so far and he does have that defensive intent and that mongrel as well, so that's been really pleasing.
"The biggest thing we can do is just help him play on instinct, because that's been working for him, and you want him to be playing free and playing the way he was for the first 10 rounds of the year (in the VFL).
"That's the reason he got picked. It's exciting for him, the whole story of a young guy getting picked up and then making his AFL debut one week later."
Hall-Kahan, who averaged 27.7 disposals in the VFL this season, will have close mate Josh Worrell by his side in the Crows' backline on Thursday night, with the pair growing up together in Melbourne and attending Haileybury College.
They have been training partners during off-seasons in Melbourne, with Worrell playing a key role helping the new recruit fit in at West Lakes and taking him into his home.
Hombsch was certain the Crows' backline star will have a calming influence on game day.
"Hugo had met a lot of the Crows boys already before the draft through Josh, so that helps when you move to a new club, having a few familiar faces around," Hombsch said.
"And I think having a mate next to you when you're playing your first game would definitely only benefit.
"Josh has been amazing and is just stoked to have him here as well. You can't wipe the grin off his face when he's walking around the club, showing him around.
"He's certainly taken ownership and made sure Hugo is comfortable and helped get him acclimatised."
Hall-Kahan arrives as a potential sidekick for half-back Wayne Milera, who has carried a heavy load as the Crows' most attacking outlet from defence, averaging a team-high 26.3 disposals and putting himself in All-Australian contention.
Hombsch, who is in his sixth season with the Crows and his second as backline coach, said the ability to create more drive from the backline was an area Adelaide was looking to improve.
"You see the way the game's being played across the course of this season and it's certainly a big factor for those teams at the top end of the ladder," the 116-game defender said.
"We're really confident in our game style, and at our best we are doing that and we are driving off intercept. So it's just more of a recalibration in that part of the game for us.
"If we can improve that element of our game a little, it'll certainly go a long way to making us a pretty strong team."
Hombsch was full of praise for Milera and the career-best season he is building, with the 28-year-old playing every game so far as a rock in the Crows' backline with his drive, efficiency and calm aura.
The Crows are also excited to get tall defender Mark Keane back into the team as he prepares to make his SANFL return this weekend after a long lay-off with a lower leg fracture.
Adelaide had arguably the best backline in the competition for long stretches of last year, ranking No.2 behind Collingwood for points conceded as Keane and Worrell played important intercepting roles and earned selection in the All-Australian squad.
There have been a lot of moving parts this season due to injuries, but an opportunity looms for the group to settle in the second half of the season and help the 6-5 Crows challenge the competition's best sides.
"You use the [mid-season bye] as a coaching group to reflect and have a bit of a longer look because you've got the time up your sleeve to sort of ask where are we sitting?" Hombsch said.
"What we found was there was some frustration with our close games early in the year, and we've come away from having this little reset really optimistic about where the group is at.
"It's very fine margins that we're dealing with, but we feel like our game is in really good order. We've just got to find those one or two moments in a game that can really elevate us.
"Obviously you would like to have won a couple of those closer games, but we were in all those matches, and we know that our game can elevate to another level from here."