- Feb 3, 2004
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Brad Symes
Height: 187
Weight: 84
DOB: 1985-03-07
Jumper # 15
Recruited From: Central District
Dual Central District Premiership Player
AFL Matches: 20
SANFL Matches: 35
NAB AFL Rising Star nominee 2006
No. 30 selection 2003 NAB AFL Draft from Central District
The boy from Gawler has seen the light and left Port Adelaide for the Crows.
Played his first AFL game with Port in 2004, primarily as a half bank flanker.
Brad's 2006 season was limited due to a groin problem but not he managed over 20 touches in his first five games in 2006, which lead to a NAB Rising Star nomination. Against St Kilda in Round 16, 2006 he finished with 33 disposals and 17 marks.
Brad has played as a midfielder for Central Districts and played in the 2005 and 2007 CDFC Premiership sides.
from the Advertiser 20 November 2007:
Symes a happy Crow
ANDREW CAPEL
BRAD Symes has got more than he bargained for at new club Adelaide - and he couldn't be happier.
Pursuing a move from Port Adelaide to the team he grew up barracking for to salvage his AFL career, defender Symes has been told a coveted midfield spot is his - if he is good enough to take it.
"I grew up playing in the midfield and that's where I'd like to be," Symes said after a gruelling, two-hour first training session with the Crows yesterday.
"The last few years at Port I spent down back but I've enjoyed my time in the midfield at Central (District) and hopefully I can get in there at Adelaide. Neil (Craig) has encouraged me to work hard on my fitness and skills and said if I do the right things I can hopefully grab a spot there."
After cutting his teeth in the AFL as a rebounding half-back flanker but hitting a roadblock this year by playing just seven games for Port in its wild ride to the grand final, Symes decided enough was enough and perhaps he didn't fit into coach Mark Williams' plans.
With former team-mates and admirers such as 2002 Brownlow Medal runner-up Josh Francou telling him to bite the bullet and seek opportunities elsewhere, Symes made the controversial switch to Port's bitter hometown rival (for draft pick 28).
The move was not taken lightly and puts Symes under the spotlight but he has greater aspirations than just being a bit-part player.
"Now I've made the move, there's a bit more pressure and scrutiny on me but if that makes me work harder and receive the benefits then I'm happy with that," the skilful 22-year-old, who played just 20 games in four years for the Power, said. "I enjoyed my time at Port and have got no hard feelings towards them but I just felt there was probably more opportunities at Adelaide. And I want to play AFL football."
The Crows, who have undergone a major list transformation this off-season with key players quitting or given their marching orders, are in makeover mode and like what Symes brings to the table.
"We think he is a hard-running defender or midfielder with huge upside," Craig said of Symes, who has traded in his No. 23 Power jumper for No. 15 at Adelaide.
Symes, who played a key role in Central winning its sixth SANFL premiership in the past eight years, said his move was made more complicated by his selection in the Power's grand final side.
"But I had a long hard think about it and still thought this was the best way to go," he said.
Symes said regular talks with Williams never gave him a specific reason why he couldn't crack it for a spot.
"It just appeared to come down to the fact that Port was winning and we didn't have any injuries, so it was a hard team to crack into," he said. "But it was frustrating because I thought I was playing some good footy at Central."
Williams is understood to have concerns about Symes' hardness and defensive skills, preferring the more rugged Matt Thomas and Nick Lower.
Describing his first training run with the Crows as "a bit of a wake-up call", Symes finished in the top 10 in the 3km time trial.
"Obviously I enjoyed my time at Port but being a Crows fan for 10 or 12 years it's pretty special to meet and train alongside some of the guys I grew up admiring and I look forward to spending more time with them," he said.
Jerome nominated to be Brad's watcher.
Height: 187
Weight: 84
DOB: 1985-03-07
Jumper # 15
Recruited From: Central District
Dual Central District Premiership Player
AFL Matches: 20
SANFL Matches: 35
NAB AFL Rising Star nominee 2006
No. 30 selection 2003 NAB AFL Draft from Central District
The boy from Gawler has seen the light and left Port Adelaide for the Crows.
Played his first AFL game with Port in 2004, primarily as a half bank flanker.
Brad's 2006 season was limited due to a groin problem but not he managed over 20 touches in his first five games in 2006, which lead to a NAB Rising Star nomination. Against St Kilda in Round 16, 2006 he finished with 33 disposals and 17 marks.
Brad has played as a midfielder for Central Districts and played in the 2005 and 2007 CDFC Premiership sides.
from the Advertiser 20 November 2007:
Symes a happy Crow
ANDREW CAPEL
BRAD Symes has got more than he bargained for at new club Adelaide - and he couldn't be happier.
Pursuing a move from Port Adelaide to the team he grew up barracking for to salvage his AFL career, defender Symes has been told a coveted midfield spot is his - if he is good enough to take it.
"I grew up playing in the midfield and that's where I'd like to be," Symes said after a gruelling, two-hour first training session with the Crows yesterday.
"The last few years at Port I spent down back but I've enjoyed my time in the midfield at Central (District) and hopefully I can get in there at Adelaide. Neil (Craig) has encouraged me to work hard on my fitness and skills and said if I do the right things I can hopefully grab a spot there."
After cutting his teeth in the AFL as a rebounding half-back flanker but hitting a roadblock this year by playing just seven games for Port in its wild ride to the grand final, Symes decided enough was enough and perhaps he didn't fit into coach Mark Williams' plans.
With former team-mates and admirers such as 2002 Brownlow Medal runner-up Josh Francou telling him to bite the bullet and seek opportunities elsewhere, Symes made the controversial switch to Port's bitter hometown rival (for draft pick 28).
The move was not taken lightly and puts Symes under the spotlight but he has greater aspirations than just being a bit-part player.
"Now I've made the move, there's a bit more pressure and scrutiny on me but if that makes me work harder and receive the benefits then I'm happy with that," the skilful 22-year-old, who played just 20 games in four years for the Power, said. "I enjoyed my time at Port and have got no hard feelings towards them but I just felt there was probably more opportunities at Adelaide. And I want to play AFL football."
The Crows, who have undergone a major list transformation this off-season with key players quitting or given their marching orders, are in makeover mode and like what Symes brings to the table.
"We think he is a hard-running defender or midfielder with huge upside," Craig said of Symes, who has traded in his No. 23 Power jumper for No. 15 at Adelaide.
Symes, who played a key role in Central winning its sixth SANFL premiership in the past eight years, said his move was made more complicated by his selection in the Power's grand final side.
"But I had a long hard think about it and still thought this was the best way to go," he said.
Symes said regular talks with Williams never gave him a specific reason why he couldn't crack it for a spot.
"It just appeared to come down to the fact that Port was winning and we didn't have any injuries, so it was a hard team to crack into," he said. "But it was frustrating because I thought I was playing some good footy at Central."
Williams is understood to have concerns about Symes' hardness and defensive skills, preferring the more rugged Matt Thomas and Nick Lower.
Describing his first training run with the Crows as "a bit of a wake-up call", Symes finished in the top 10 in the 3km time trial.
"Obviously I enjoyed my time at Port but being a Crows fan for 10 or 12 years it's pretty special to meet and train alongside some of the guys I grew up admiring and I look forward to spending more time with them," he said.
Jerome nominated to be Brad's watcher.
because it means another Crow will have a restricted preseason. I wish him a speedy recovery, but feel that my hopes for 2010 are slipping slightly. Or maybe I got out of the wrong side today 
