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How Dawson has become the ultimate leader for Crows
Nicholas Quinlan • June 7th, 2025 3:59 pm
Luke Hodge and Adelaide Crows coach Matthew Nicks have both sung the praises of Adelaide’s captain Jordan Dawson after his display against Brisbane.
Dawson had a captain’s game in their five-point victory against the Lions on Friday night.
While his stat line of 18 disposals, 11 tackles and 389 metres gained doesn’t look impressive, his influence on the game was.
This would be most felt in the fourth quarter with Dawson kicking a goal that would put the Crows ahead.
Speaking on SEN’s Crunch Time, Hodge was in awe of the performance that Dawson displayed during the match to help his side secure an all-important victory.
“When you’re running around with Josh Dunkley, who let’s be honest, he’s had the better of some of the best midfielders going around,” Hodge noted.
“I know he’s played on Patrick Cripps a number of times and shut him down. He’s strong in the contest, (and) can play forward or back.
“But when Dawson needed to, being able to push forward and take him to a spot where he (Dawson) looked comfortable in those conditions to take that contested mark.
“But then obviously the smother late in the game, he was doing it (at) both ends.
“You just see how proud he (Nicks) is having someone like Dawson as the skipper of the football club.
Nicks would appear on Crunch Time and was asked about Dawson and his development as a leader and as a player that he spoke to during the post-game press conference.
He would elaborate on Dawson's leadership qualities believing that the former Swan turned Crow has shown an ability to sacrifice his own game for the betterment of others.
“It’s a bit of everything but I was probably referring more so to the way he’s playing footy,” Nicks said.
“I’ve used different examples with him about the best leaders and in my opinion, I remember watching (Trent) Cotchin and his transformation as a leader.
“Seeing from afar and I don’t know Trent well, but from afar it seems as though that he found what was the ultimate leadership.
“He was always about the team and maybe sacrificed a number of things in his own game when it came to how many times, he impacted with the ball in hand but actually put the team first and Richmond went on to become the powerful team.
“And I think across a lot of different sports, that’s what you see. The best leaders are not often the best player on the ground or the most talented but just understand what the team need at a certain point.
“That’s where ‘Daws’ is getting his game too. He’s doing a lot of things that go unnoticed when it comes to not possessing the ball and just being in the right spots.
“He also has the ability to step up in key moments and actually take the game like he did last night.”
The Crows' next match is against a fellow top-eight side in Hawthorn at UTAS Stadium in Launceston.
