Josh Rachele has always showed the potential to graduate from a small forward role to a midfield slot at Adelaide. Along with Izak Rankine and Jake Soligo, the Crows had a rich selection of quality options to develop for rotating through the engine room in the centre. As it turns out, Izak Rankine has been the winner of that positional battle, while Jake Soligo has fallen away somewhat to be just a guy; Rachele seems at his happiest mostly starting forward while only being used through the middle as a surprise weapon. Like Robbie Gray, his best work is done near goals.
Josh Rachele has always showed the potential to graduate from a small forward role to a midfield slot at Adelaide. Along with Izak Rankine and Jake Soligo, the Crows had a rich selection of quality options to develop for rotating through the engine room in the centre. As it turns out, Izak Rankine has been the winner of that positional battle, while Jake Soligo has fallen away somewhat to be just a guy; Rachele seems at his happiest mostly starting forward while only being used through the middle as a surprise weapon. Like Robbie Gray, his best work is done near goals.
Josh Rachele is reportedly one of the younger Adelaide midfielder/forwards set to benefit from a shift out of the pivot by Rory Laird.
Josh Rachele has earned a rising star nomination and is already firmly in the best 22 for the Crows, capable of big bags of goals and working decently hard off the ball for a first-year player. The issue for his many owners in fantasy is whether he is startable, and for how long he will continue to produce good scores before the inevitable cash cow divestment. There is an embarrassment of riches in forward rookies this year which makes this a good problem to have, but Rachele is possibly at the top of them as his ceiling is impressive.