Crows forward Alex Neal-Bullen doesn’t mind that he’s sharing the spotlight with Adelaide legend Taylor Walker for his 200th game, as the pair look set to reach their respective milestones on one of the biggest stages the AFL can provide the South Australian club – a home qualifying final.
The South Australian-born talent reflected on his career to date on Thursday, highlighting the honour of being able to share his milestone night with Walker’s 300th.
“It’s a privilege to have a milestone game along with Tex, who’s been the face of this footy club for a long time and even before I was playing AFL,” Neal-Bullen told media.”Being a South Australian, I watched Tex grow up in the Crows colours. I’ve got to know Tex and his family well, so it’ll be good for our kids to run out together and enjoy a special night.”
Neal-Bullen spoke about his time at the Melbourne Demons, where he spent the first decade of his AFL career, and the impact it has had on him as a footballer.
“I’ll always look back on my time at Melbourne, I’m so thankful for the 176 games I’ve played there,” Neal-Bullen said.
“Some key people helped me get there, Simon Goodwin, Greg Stafford who was my forward’s coach in the last four or five years, they’re probably two blokes who looked at me, challenged me and got the best out of me.
“Now to come here and contribute, but also improve my footy since coming here, it’s something I’m very proud of. Just grateful to be in this position coming towards a first Finals series for this footy club. To be a part of that now, I can’t wait to get stuck in next Thursday night.”
One of the top recruits of the 2024 trade period, Neal-Bullen has been a spark for Adelaide’s top three attack in the league, averaging near career-highs in goals and score involvements per game, but one of the league’s stingiest defences awaits his side in the 1st Qualifying Final.
The Magpies held Adelaide to their second-lowest score at Adelaide Oval this season – just 59 points – and dominated the inside 50s count, registering 71 against the Crows in Round 23. Neal-Bullen says the club is hyper aware of the threat Collingwood possesses and won’t be taking any chances next Thursday night.
“The thing with our opposition is they have great players across all lines,” Neal-Bullen said.
“As soon as your pour too much energy into one player, another can get off the leash. I feel like both teams respect each other, from a player point of view, around the impact they can have on games.”
Tensions will be high as both teams walk out onto the field, with the top four clash taking place less than three weeks after the side’s played out a thriller in Round 23. Of course, the bigger story from that game was the fallout of the on-field sledging that took place, which revealed the use of a homophobic slur from Crows star Izak Rankine directed at a Collingwood player.
However, Neal-Bullen said the playing group will not be buying into the theatrics.
“Our ability is first and foremost to focus on what we need to bring to this game, I’m sure there will be magnets moved here and there across the night, but that’s something you hand the keys over to [senior coach Matthew Nicks] and we just go out there and bring energy and intent,” Neal-Bullen said.
“I can only speak of us as a footy club; we’re not buying into that [the sledging]. That’s for the media to talk about and the supporters to create an atmosphere.”
Neal-Bullen and the Crows square off with Collingwood to open the 2025 AFL Finals Series, with first bounce at 7:40pm (AEST) next Thursday night.
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