As one of the players most personally impacted by the Australian Football League’s (AFL) experiment with ARC (AFL Review Centre) rule changes, Adelaide Crows forward Ben Keays was blindsided by the league’s sudden reversal of the new policy – just days out from the high-stakes annual Showdown clash against in-state rival Port Adelaide.
Keays found out about the rule backflip during a routine media interview on Tuesday, barely hiding his shock at the sudden update. “Wow … I will probably leave it at that, I hope you guys don’t mind,” he told reporters, after confirming the announcement was the first he had heard of the change.
The rule rollback brings the game back to the policy that directly cost Keays and the Crows a place in the 2023 finals. In that year’s round 23 match against Sydney, a late match-winning goal from Keays was incorrectly ruled a behind by the on-field goal umpire. By the old rules, the ARC could not intervene to correct the call once play had resumed after the score review. The mistake ended up eliminating Adelaide from finals contention by the thinnest of margins.
In response to widespread criticism of that controversial incident, the AFL introduced a new rule for the 2025 season: the ARC would now be allowed to correct incorrect goal calls even after play had restarted, rolling back to the goal line to reset play once the correct call was made. However, after a series of logistical teething issues during the opening rounds of this season, league officials made the last-minute decision to scrap the new rule and revert to the pre-2025 framework.
The unexpected policy change comes as the Crows prepare for one of their biggest matches of the 2025 season, Friday night’s Showdown at Adelaide Oval. Currently, Adelaide holds a 3-4 win-loss record after seven rounds, with a 96.1 percentage, while Port Adelaide enters the fixture on the back of a stunning upset win over premiership contender Geelong, putting Adelaide’s early premiership aspirations at serious risk.
Despite the off-field rule drama hanging over the build-up, Keays said he is relishing the unique intensity of the cross-town derby. “I just love the energetic and intense atmosphere, sort of the hum of the crowd. That’s what makes it such an amazing fixture, it’s like a bit of a cauldron out there on the Adelaide Oval and that’s created by both sets of fans. I am looking forward to all the Crows fans being there in full voice and bringing that intense atmosphere,” he said.
One major off-field issue remains unresolved for the Crows ahead of the match: the availability of star captain Jordan Dawson, who is still grieving the sudden passing of his brother. Dawson took the field against Brisbane last weekend but was clearly emotional after the final siren, and the club has not yet confirmed whether he will feature on Friday. Keays confirmed the entire squad is standing behind Dawson and his family, whatever decision he makes. “Absolutely, we’re going to support Daws however he needs, support his family as a club and whatever he needs we’ll be there for him,” he said.