Adelaide happy to be hunted, you Betts

ADELAIDE star Eddie Betts says the Crows are ready to play the role of the hunted in September.

The premiership favourites topped the ladder on percentage after the home-and-away season and while others have enjoyed extended breaks throughout this week, the Crows have maintained their training schedule throughout the bye week to ensure they do not miss a beat against the Giants at Adelaide Oval next Thursday night.

And they are ready to wear the tag of being the team to beat.

“We’re used to it. Some teams came and hunted us and targeted us, and we had to change our mentality around during the year that we had to come out and hunt them,” Betts said.

“That’s what we did and we wouldn’t be where we are now if we didn’t play great footy. I’m proud of the boys for finishing on top.”

Betts was one of three Adelaide players inducted into the 2017 All-Australian team on Wednesday night.

Star midfielder Rory Sloane was forced to have his appendix removed earlier this week and faces a race to be fit, just weeks after Betts suffered the same affliction.

Betts said he had one piece of advice for his now appendixfree teammate – get off the couch.

“My biggest concern was the running. I would hope he would get up and running a bit earlier than I did, because I sat on the couch for a week and did nothing,” Betts said. “Hopefully he’ll get back. “When I tried to run it hurt and I couldn’t really run.”

But he said there had been plenty of ribbing about being the first one struck down.

“‘It’s contagious’ – they’re saying,” Betts joked.