LAST year, when clubs came knocking for Zoe Prowse, the lure of sticking around for Matthew 'Doc' Clarke's last year as Adelaide's head coach proved too strong.
One of the most in-demand young key defenders across the AFLW landscape, Prowse was out of contract at the end of 2024. But little did those outside the four walls at West Lakes know, Clarke had quietly informed the playing group that 2025 would be his last season at the helm.
"'Doc' told us the news probably about six months ago, towards the end of last year," Prowse told AFL.com.au.
"Much like he is, (he) just didn't want it to be a big thing. He still really wants us to focus on this year, and it's to be about this year and us playing, and he didn't want any of the attention or anything like that on him."
With the sense that there was one last chance to do it for Doc, the playing group largely stuck together. Only Najwa Allen (Hawthorn) and Taylah Levy (Greater Western Sydney) opted to move elsewhere, despite plenty of interest across the board.
"It's credit to Doc and the rest of the coaching staff. They make it a place where everyone wants to stay," Prowse said of her choice to re-sign at the Crows.
"So, it's a little bit to do with him, but definitely it's credit to the whole entire club, and how it makes people want to stay. You can tell that they've done pretty well with keeping most of their players, so it's a credit to the whole club."
The choice Clarke made was for the betterment of the program, acknowledging that some change was needed after narrowly missing each of the last three Grand Finals. An obstacle had started to present itself on the last line, and nothing has quite pushed the side to that final stage.
For some clubs, that is a sweet position to be in. Adelaide has played in four Grand Finals – three under Clarke – and won three flags, two of which Clarke was part of. But since then, the club has followed the same trend. Top four finish, qualifying final loss, win through the semi-final, only to fall at the preliminary final stage.
"He was sort of like 'I know what is needed for the group, and I think this is it'," Prowse said.
"This year will be his last year, which is pretty devastating for ourselves, but we also know that we need a bit of a change."
Part of that change is also the emergence of the next generation of Crows. Five inaugural players remain at the club – Sarah Allan, Anne Hatchard, Ebony Marinoff, Chelsea Randall, and Stevie-Lee Thompson – but it is the next layer of players who are really starting to shoulder responsibility.
Prowse is one of those, alongside All Australians Chelsea Biddell, Caitlin Gould, Niamh Kelly, and Danielle Ponter, and the younger generation including Sarah Goodwin, Jess Allan, and Eloise Jones.
"We're becoming closer as a group, and so our culture is developing and becoming more like a collective, working well with each other," Prowse said.
"We're really just enjoying our football and having fun with each other and just really making the most of it."
And as the 2025 Crows focus on doing it for Doc, Clarke still has some tricks up his sleeve as part of his last hurrah.
"Very, very excited to see what this year looks like," Prowse said.
"We're working pretty hard this off season. Doc's got some new things that he wants to try, and obviously with a couple of new recruits coming in, they're going to make a big impact."
