The Adelaide Crows have been rocked by more personal tragedy, with Mark Keane returning home to Ireland after the death of his brother Vinny. The key defender hasn’t featured in the AFL this season after suffering a horrific broken leg in pre-season, and he’s headed back home to Ireland to be with family during the incredibly difficult time.
The Crows revealed that Keane’s brother Vinny sadly passed away after a battle with a terminal illness. It comes just weeks after teammate Jordan Dawson mourned the death of his brother Jaryd, with the Adelaide skipper set to return for the Crows on Sunday against Richmond.
Adelaide defender Mark Keane (R image, left side) is mourning the death of his brother just weeks after teammate Jordan Dawson (L) lost his eldest brother. Pic: Getty
The club released a statement on Thursday to confirm the awful news about Keane’s brother, and to extend their condolences to the 26-year-old and his family. The defender is expected to return to Adelaide next week.
“The Board, executive, staff, coaches and players have Keane and his family in their collective thoughts and will continue to provide support as they navigate this challenging period,” the club said in a statement. “As a mark of respect and in honour of Vinny, Adelaide’s AFL and SANFL players will wear black armbands during their respective matches on the weekend.”
Jordan Dawson returns in huge boost for Crows
It’s been an extremely difficult last month for Adelaide, with Dawson missing two of their last three games after the tragic death of his eldest brother. The Crows skipper returned to training this week and is set to be a key inclusion for Matthew Nicks’ side when they take on Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.
“He’s an energy for our group,” Nicks told reporters on Thursday. “Our group love having him around, he’s been here all week and I know he’s really keen to play. We’ll train today and make sure that everything runs smoothly, but we expect him to play this weekend.”
Adelaide skipper Jordan Dawson is set to return for the Richmond clash after missing two of the last three games following the death of his brother. Pic: Getty
(Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
The influential skipper missed their one-point win over St Kilda, before returning for the 52-point hammering by Brisbane. He then sat out another one-point victory over fierce rivals, Port Adelaide, with Nicks acknowledging that it’s been an emotional rollercoaster for Dawson.
“It was interesting watching ‘Daws’ when we played in Brisbane and the different emotions that he went through,” the Adelaide coach said. “Running out on the ground there was a real smile on his face and he was back to what he loves doing amongst his teammates and playing footy, and he performed so well in that game. But (then there is) the emotion post-game when the reality kicks in of what he has gone through and the loss that he’s experienced.”
with AAP