Hugh’s cloned the Sloane

CLONE the Sloane. The matchday campaign was from Adelaide Football Club (and one of its sponsors) at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

And, in Hugh Greenwood, the Crows have. It will not be long before clubs will have to deal with the basketball convert just as they continue to do with Rory Sloane.

The tag — and all the bluff and bluster than comes with it to harass Sloane — was on again as Hawthorn youngster Daniel Howe took to shadowing last year’s AllAustralian vice-captain.

And where freedom was denied to Sloane (four touches in the first term), opportunity fell to Greenwood (nine opening-quarter disposals, six contested, as coach Don Pyke much admires in a player).

Greenwood turned his back on the world — after playing college basketball in the US — and an NBL contract with Perth Wildcats to return to his first love, Aussie rules. Five games into the AFL career promised him by Crows recruiting manager Hamish Ogilvie, there will be no regret.

Greenwood, 25, is so much like Sloane, the Tasmanian can be classed as a clone.

The more Greenwood finds the Sherrin, the more opposition coaches will have to consider flicking the tag off Sloane to his teammate.

This is good news for Pyke and Sloane, who finished with 23 possessions.