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Adelaide reference Nic Naitanui sledge in announcing ruckman Reilly O’Brien’s new long-term contract

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Eliza ReillyThe West Australian
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VideoWATCH: How's this for a classy gesture?! Nic Naitanui hands Reilly O'Brien a new phone after his Twitter mare earlier in the week.

Reigning Adelaide best-and-fairest Reilly O’Brien has penned a contract extension with the Crows - and the club found the perfect way to announce it.

The Crows confirmed on Thursday morning O’Brien had committed for an extra four years, tying him to the club until at least the end of 2025.

It comes after O’Brien famously but accidentally tweeted out his private notes on how to beat Eagle Nic Naitanui, dubbing the two-time All Australian “lazy and unfit” as the teams prepared to meet at the Gabba.

Under the title WEST COAST, O’Brien wrote:

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-beat nic nat

-run off him hard, he is lazy and unfit, will have a field day getting ball and marking everything

The Game AFL 2024

-get to front and have grunt around ground, and get after ball on deck, beat him in this area

-CB have clear plan and execute

thank

Adelaide ruckman Reilly O'Brien said he accidentally tweeted his game plan to face West Coast's Nic Naitanui.
Camera IconAdelaide ruckman Reilly O'Brien said he accidentally tweeted his game plan to face West Coast's Nic Naitanui. Credit: Twitter

So when it came to announcing his new deal with Adelaide, the club took a cheeky swipe at their star ruckman before officially confirming the news on their club website an hour later.

Labelled CROWS CONTRACT, Adelaide tweeted:

-get long-term deal

-win club champ in 2020, then stick around at AFC long-term, will have a field day in the ruck spot

-get deal signed and have confidence around ground, and get teammates to sign on, win this area

-AFC have clear plan and execute

thank

Last year, O’Brien would later explain a cracked phone screen had caused the malfunction, but the damage was done and Naitanui took the opportunity to remind his opponent of the sledge after kicking a goal.

“I can’t wait to bash this kid on Saturday, I’m sorry to say that,” Naitanui told cameras in soon to be released Amazon documentary Making Their Mark.

The two reconciled post match when Naitanui gifted O’Brien a new phone.

Nic Naitanui gifts Reilly O'Brien a new iPhone.
Camera IconNic Naitanui gifts Reilly O'Brien a new iPhone. Credit: @WestCoastEagles/Twitter/@WestCoastEagles/Twitter

O’Brien joined the Crows as a rookie in 2014 and served his apprenticeship behind Sam Jacobs before making his AFL debut in 2016.

The 25-year-old averaged 27 hit-outs and nearly two contested marks per game last season as he took his form to a new level on the back of his elite running capacity.

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