Crabb Claws into SANFL 200 Club

By ZAC MILBANK

South Adelaide stalwart Bradley Crabb has an astonishing 17 Panthers guerneys in his personal collection.

But as he prepares to become just the second player – alongside South’s David Stoeckel – from Kangaroo Island to join the SANFL 200 club, Crabb knows there is one more jumper he is determined to hang in his closet.

Speaking on SANFL Radio, the 32-year-old key defender wants to wear the Navy Blue in a winning premiership decider, an aim which prompted him to extend his senior career at Noarlunga into its 15th year.

Originally from the Western Districts Football Club, Crabb joins the likes of Stoeckel (South Adelaide/Dudley United), Danny Jenkins (Norwood/Parndana) and Brendon Lade (Port Adelaide/Wisanger) as being one of KI’s favourite sons.

With his personal plumbing business – which employs team-mates Tom Whittlesea and Jaidan Kappler – now a sponsor of ”Wonks”, Crabb is refusing to rule out a return to wearing the red, white and black across Backstairs Passage one day.

But the former South skipper still has unfinished business with the Panthers, after experiencing failed finals campaigns such as 2014 and 2016 under coach Brad Gotch as well as last year’s Elimination Final loss to North Adelaide.

Given he debuted back in Round 20 of 2007, Crabb has experienced the dark days at Lovelock Drive which included him playing under four different senior coaches – Robert Pyman, Gary Cameron, John Cahill and Clay Sampson – inside his first 12 months.

This would all become an even greater distant memory if South’s No.6 had the opportunity to hold aloft the Thomas Seymour Hill trophy at season’s end.