Chris McDermott

Long before making his AFL debut, Chris McDermott was established as South Australian royalty, having played over 250 games for Glenelg and captained the Tigers to back-to-back SANFL premierships in the mid-1980s. Consequently, when the Adelaide Crows were formed to enter the national competition in 1991, the tough-as-nails midfielder was the undisputed choice to serve as the club's inaugural captain. Entering the league as a mature-age recruit, McDermott was tasked with galvanising a squad of former local rivals into a cohesive unit capable of challenging the established Victorian clubs immediately.

On the field, McDermott was the archetype of the fearless leader, known for his relentless attack on the contested ball and willingness to put his body in harm's way. While he arguably lacked the polish of some contemporaries, his work rate at the coalface and ability to extract possession under pressure defined the Crows' engine room in their formative years. He captained the side for four seasons before relinquishing the role to Tony McGuinness, eventually retiring in 1996. McDermott remains a seminal figure at West Lakes, credited with setting the uncompromising standards that helped the club transition from a concept into a competitive force.