There was no doubt about Josh Rachele's talent as a footballer, but the dramatic turnaround in the past 12 months has been staggering.
Rachele was subject to criticism for shirking a pair of marking contests against Essendon in Round 6 last year, admitting he wasn't "brave enough" in the moment.
6 weeks later, the former Pick 6 questioned Adelaide over his lack of midfield minutes in a weekly media segment, at a time when the Crows desperately needed a change, generating unnecessary questions directed at coach Matthew Nicks.
"It's something that I probably don't really know what's going on too, so it's something I'll sit with the coaches and ask questions."
Then came the jibe at arch-rivals Port Adelaide, suggesting the proud fan base had "no teeth", before slotting a goal in the Showdown and indicating at the absence of 'nashers'.
Teammate Rory Laird said Rachele was "misaligned" with the club's values surrounding his comments that engaged with the theatre of football, instead of focusing on the game itself.
As a result, he was dropped for the final round of the 2024 season, sent back to the SANFL as a reality check, after Nicks alluded to multiple instances where Rachele didn't uphold what Adelaide stands for.
All the while kicking goals in 18 of his 22 outings, which totalled to 30 majors for the year.
Following a lot of soul-searching and ways to improve, both Adelaide and Rachele have returned to the AFL scene bigger and better.
After 11 rounds, the Crows sit in fourth position with seven wins, and as it stands, rank among the clubs with an easier run-home.
And as for Rachele, his eight games, and fuss-less attitude in 2025, have yielded some career-best performances, as well as consistency in his output.
This year, the 22-year-old ranks elite among forwards for goal average (2.1), kicks (9.6), score involvements (6.5), goal assists (1.4) and tackles inside 50 (1.5).
Laird highlighted the influence Rachele is having on the side in the midst of a breakout 2025 campaign.
"The way he's playing his role for the team is nearly the best we've got at the moment," Laird said, according to the club.
"Josh understands where he is now and what's working for him, and that's why he's playing such good footy."
It has become obvious that Rachele's absence plays a significant role in the fortunes of the Crows, losing two from three matches in close quarters to Gold Coast and Geelong.
When the livewire features in the tri-colours, they win 75 per cent of the time.
In basketball, they call a similar stat, plus/minus, which measures a player's impact on a team's score difference when they are on the court compared to when they are off the court.
And when Rachele is on the court, good things happen.
