The 2016 AFL season was the 26th season in the Australian Football League contested by the Adelaide Football Club.
Following the conclusion of the 2015 season which was marred by the mid-season passing of previous head coach Phil Walsh due to an alleged murder, former assistant coach Don Pyke was named as the club's new head coach for the 2016 season on 9 October 2015. Scott Camporeale had acted as interim head coach between Walsh's death and Pyke's appointment, but after electing not to apply for the full-time coaching role, reverted to his previous role of midfield coach for the new season.
2016 Squad
Playing list changes
The following summarises all player changes between the conclusion of the 2015 season and the beginning of the 2016 season.
In
No. Player Previous club League via20 Hugh Greenwood Perth Wildcats NBL Rookie draft36 Dean Gore AFL Traded 17 Curtly Hampton GWS AFL Traded 11 Paul Seedsman AFL Traded32 Troy Menzel AFL Traded 42 Alex Keath Victorian Bushrangers/Melbourne Stars Sheffield Shield/Big Bash League Rookie draft 30 Wayne Milera Central District SANFL National draft 39 Tom Doedee Geelong Falcons VFL National draft 37 Paul Hunter Redland Football Club NEAFL Rookie draft 1 Jono Beech West Adelaide SANFL Rookie draft
Out Player New club League via James Podsiadly Retired Brent Reilly Retired Sam Siggins LauderdaleTSL Delisted Brodie Martin Sturt SANFL Delisted Jack Osborn Sturt SANFL Delisted Anthony Wilson NorwoodSANFL Delisted Patrick Dangerfield GeelongAFL Traded Sam Kerridge CarltonAFL Traded Matthew Wright CarltonAFL Delisted Matthew Jaensch HahndorfHFL Retired
Coaching panel changes
The following summarises all coaching changes between the conclusion of the 2015 season and the beginning of the 2016 season.
Coach Previous club League Coaching role Replacing Don Pyke AFL Senior coach Phil Walsh James Podsiadly AFL Assistant coach (defence) Darren Milburn
Season summary
Pre-season matches Rd Date and local time Opponent Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) Venue Attendance Ref Home Away Result 1 Sunday, 21 February (1:35 pm) 2.20.10 (148) 0.7.6 (48) Won by 100 points Unley Oval (H) 8,000 2 Sunday, 28 February (1:40 pm) 1.9.6 (69) 0.8.19 (67) Lost by 2 points Sounness Park (A) 4,767 3 Sunday, 11 March (1:10 pm) 0.11.18 (84) 3.12.10 (109) Won by 25 points Metricon Stadium (A) 4,460
Home and away season Players written in bold received Brownlow Medal votes for their game.
Rd Date and local time Opponent Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) Venue Attendance Ladderposition Best players Ref. Home Away Result1Saturday 26 March (7:25 pm) 16.11 (107) 14.13 (97) Lost by 10 pointsEtihad Stadium (A) 25,485 11 Jenkins, Thompson, Laird, Smith, M. Crouch, Walker2Saturday 2 April (1:15 pm) 22.12 (144) 11.20 (80) Won by 58 pointsAdelaide Oval (H) 51,585 5 Lynch, Laird, Talia, Lever, Betts, Mackay, Thompson3Saturday 9 April (2:10 pm) 13.14 (92) 19.14 (128) Won by 36 pointsEtihad Stadium (A) 29,951 6 Thompson, Laird, Betts, Smith, Walker, M. Crouch, Seedsman 4Saturday 16 April (7:10 pm) 16.17 (113) 15.13 (103) Won by 10 pointsAdelaide Oval (H) 51,330 7 Thompson, Atkins, Sloane, Lynch, Betts, Douglas 5Friday 22 April (7:50 pm) 17.10 (112) 17.7 (109) Lost by 3 pointsMCG (A) 45,781 9 Sloane, Thompson, Atkins, Mackay, Lynch, Jacobs 6Saturday 30 April (1:40 pm) 14.13 (97) 8.16 (64) Won by 33 pointsAdelaide Oval (H) 47,423 7 Sloane, Lynch, Laird, Jacobs, Betts, Hartigan 7Saturday 7 May (7:40 pm) 18.15 (123) 17.6 (108) Lost by 15 pointsEtihad Stadium (A) 26,984 8 Jenkins, M. Crouch, Henderson, Lynch, Smith 8Friday 13 May (7:20 pm) 11.6 (72) 13.20 (98) Lost by 26 pointsAdelaide Oval (H) 53,141 8 Sloane, Cameron, Lynch, Henderson 9Saturday 21 May (2:10 pm) 11.8 (74) 22.17 (149) Won by 75 points Metricon Stadium (A) 11,692 8 Douglas, Jacobs, Lynch, Talia, Thompson, Seedsman, Walker 10 Saturday May 28 (7:10 pm) 15.17 (107) 13.7 (85) Won by 22 points Adelaide Oval (H) 46,737 8 Walker, Betts, Thompson, Atkins, Sloane, Talia, Lever, Douglas 11Sunday 5 June (4:10 pm) 19.19 (133) 6.9 (45) Won by 88 pointsAdelaide Oval (H) 40,896 8 Jenkins, M. Crouch, Sloane, Talia, Jacobs, Lever 12Saturday 11 June (5:40 pm) 11.10 (76) 15.15 (105) Won by 29 pointsDomain Stadium (A) 37,591 7 Sloane, Betts, Thompson, Laird, M. Crouch, Talia, Jenkins, Lynch 13 Bye14Thursday 23 June (7:20 pm) 12.28 (100) 10.7 (67) Won by 33 pointsAdelaide Oval (H) 37,890 6 M. Crouch, Sloane, Laird, Atkins, Talia, Lever, Lynch 15Sunday 3 July (3:20 pm) 15.8 (98) 18.12 (120) Won by 22 pointsMCG (A) 29,133 5 Laird, Walker, M. Crouch, B. Crouch, Cameron, Douglas 16Sunday 10 July (1:10 pm) 7.5 (47) 16.11 (107) Won by 60 pointsMCG (A) 32,430 3 Laird, Sloane, Henderson, Talia, Lever, Jacobs 17Saturday 16 July (7:10 pm) 14.13 (97) 10.9 (69) Won by 28 pointsAdelaide Oval (H) 50,012 2 Smith, Sloane, Talia, Lyons, B. Crouch, Lever 18Saturday 23 July (7:25 pm) 12.13 (85) 7.13 (55) Lost by 30 pointsSimonds Stadium (A) 21,1276 M. Crouch, B. Crouch, Laird, Thompson, Jenkins 19Sunday 31 July (4:10 pm) 22.11 (143) 9.7 (61) Won by 88 pointsAdelaide Oval (H) 44,264 5 Laird, Sloane, Betts, B. Crouch, McGovern, Thompson 20Saturday 6 August (7:10 pm) 27.15 (177) 6.3 (39) Won by 138 pointsAdelaide Oval (H) 43,549 3 Laird, Sloane, Walker, Lynch, Talia, Jenkins, Betts, B. Crouch 21Sunday 14 August (2:40 pm) 11.4 (70) 21.16 (142) Won by 72 pointsDomain Stadium (A) 30,116 3 Betts, Jenkins, B. Crouch, Laird, Douglas, Lyons, Atkins 22Saturday 20 August (7:10 pm) 14.10 (94) 15.19 (109) Won by 15 pointsAdelaide Oval (A) 49,541 2 M. Crouch, Lyons, Sloane, Betts, Atkins, Thompson 23Friday 26 August (7:40 pm) 10.11 (71) 14.16 (100) Lost by 29 pointsAdelaide Oval (H) 50,785 5 M. Crouch, Laird, Henderson
Finals matches Rd Date and local time Opponent Scores (Adelaide's scores indicated in bold) Venue Attendance Best players Ref. Home Away Result QF Saturday, 10 September (7:10 pm) 21.15 (141) 12.7 (79) Won by 62 points Adelaide Oval (H) 49,007 Betts, Lynch, M. Crouch, Smith, Lyons, Thompson, Walker SF Saturday, 17 September (7:25pm) 18.10 (118) 12.10 (82) Lost by 36 points Sydney Cricket Ground (A) 38,126 M. Crouch, Laird, Sloane, Atkins, Thompson
Ladder
Match Review Panel Player Round Charge category Verdict Result Victim Club RefKyle Hartigan6Rough ConductGuilty$1000 fineMichael WaltersFremantle Taylor Walker 12 Striking Guilty $1000 fine Luke Shuey West Coast Eagles Matt Crouch18WrestlingGuilty$1500 fineSteven MotlopGeelong CatsRory Sloane22Rough ConductGuiltyOne-match suspensionBrad EbertPort AdelaideKyle HartiganEFTrippingGuilty$1500 fineLindsay ThomasNorth MelbourneSam JacobsSFRough ConductGuilty$1000 fineBen McGlynnSydney Swans
Awards
Brownlow Medal
Player 3 Vote Games 2 Vote Games 1 Vote Games Total Votes Rory Sloane 5 4 1 24 Rory Laird 2 2 1 11 Eddie Betts 3 4 10 Josh Jenkins 2 1 8 Matt Crouch 2 1 7 Taylor Walker 2 6 Scott Thompson 1 1 5 Tom Lynch 1 1 5 Brad Crouch 2 4 Sam Jacobs 1 2 Brodie Smith 1 2 Daniel Talia 2 2 Rory Atkins 1 1
Italics denotes ineligible players
Malcolm Blight Medal Top 10
Position Player Votes 1st Rory Sloane 268 2nd Eddie Betts 249 3rd Tom Lynch 215 4th Daniel Talia 192 5th Taylor Walker 185 6th Brodie Smith 183 7th Matt Crouch 180 8th Kyle Hartigan 171 9th Charlie Cameron 168 10th Josh Jenkins 167
Other Awards
Leading Goalkicker: Eddie Betts (75)
Phil Walsh Best Team Man: Eddie Betts
Chelsea Phillis Coaches Award: Rory Sloane
Mark Bickley Emerging Talent: Jake Lever
19th Man Award: Rory Sloane
Dr Brian Sando OAM Trophy: David Mackay
State League Club Champion: Jono Beech
Dean Bailey Award: Luke Carey
Crows Children's Foundation Community Leadership Award: Kyle Hartigan and Charlie Cameron
Individual awards and records
Milestones Milestones No. State Player Milestone Round 11 Paul Seedsman 50th Match Round 1 12 Daniel Talia 100th Match Round 241Mitch McGovern1st GoalRound 230Wayne Milera1st GoalRound 233Brodie Smith100th MatchRound 3 5 Scott Thompson 250th Match for Adelaide Round 418Eddie Betts50th Match for AdelaideRound 514David Mackay150th MatchRound 627Tom Lynch100th GoalRound 74Josh Jenkins150th GoalRound 1127Tom Lynch100th Goal for AdelaideRound 1218Eddie Betts150th Goal for AdelaideRound 155Scott Thompson300th MatchRound 1718Eddie Betts450th GoalRound 1923Charlie Cameron50th GoalRound 1915Kyle Hartigan1st GoalRound 1943Reilly O'Brien1st GoalRound 206Jake Lever1st GoalRound 2118Eddie Betts250th MatchRound 2213Taylor Walker300th GoalElimination Final
Debuts Debuts No. State Player Round 11 Paul Seedsman Round 11 30 Wayne Milera Round 1 41 Mitch McGovern Round 143Reilly O'BrienRound 21 1They had previously played for another club but played their first match for Adelaide.
Reserves
Regular season Players written in bold received Magarey Medal votes for their game.