Adelaide Crows forward Shane McAdam credits trip home to Halls Creek for unlocking career-best form

Adelaide forward and proud Halls Creek product Shane McAdam has credited a long-awaited trip home and a simple mindset for unlocking his career-best form this season.

The 27-year-old, in his third season as a Crow, was unable to get back home for a while due to COVID border restrictions, but a pre-season groin injury provided the perfect opportunity.

His club gave him permission to visit family and friends in WA’s north-west around round one.

He returned from injury a month later and has been a consistent contributor ever since, booting 15 goals in eight games including three in Adelaide’s drought-breaking win over West Coast at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

“It was a long time since I’d been home,” McAdam told The West Australian.

“It was amazing to get home. I had a little niggle in my groin just before the season started so the club and myself found an opportunity to go home

“I went home and loved every second of it. Hopefully I can do it every off-season, but it’s a bit too far to travel for during the bye.”

McAdam said “keeping it simple” and coming into the season with a clear mindset, something forwards coach James Rahilly helped him with, was also a big factor.

“I sat down with my coaches at the start of the year and my forwards coach ‘Rahills’ (James Rahilly) and we tried to make this year simple with a clear mindset,” McAdam said.

“Just keeping it simple has been the best result for me so far.”

McAdam enjoyed a nice moment with cousin Samo Petrevski-Seton, playing for the Eagles, post-match, with the pair spending some rare and quality time together.

The exciting forward said time boarding at Hale School during his teens had helped prepare him for living interstate.

He was a star of the PSA competition and one day kicked a bag of 13 goals.

“Going away to boarding school at Hale in Perth helped me heaps, I think I got used to living away from home and family,” McAdam said.

“I used to love playing school footy and love playing under (Hale coach and former Docker) Jason Norrish. It was also so much fun and he let me do my thing.”