Style & Substance

Adelaide Crows star Eddie Betts’ goal-scoring flair has made him a cult hero but his on-field heroics are underscored by a backstory that can inspire anyone

- Ben Jhoty

THE ODDS STACKED against Eddie Betts have been formidable from the beginning. Take his first-game opponent back in 2005, the fearsome North Melbourne defender Glenn Archer. “He’d just been named Shinboner of the Century, which is basically the toughest player in the AFL, so I was a bit scared,” recalls Betts, who’s talking to MH at Adelaide Football Club headquarters.

It was a baptism by fire but it wouldn’t ever get much easier for the AFL’s premier small forward, who’s relied on blistering speed and agility to overcome much larger opponents. “Playing against guys that are taller, bigger and stronger than me, I’ve got to use my pace,” confirms the 173cm, 74kg dynamo.