• Adelaide Crows midfielder, 24, is a fan favourite 
  • Girlfriend Calista Mittiga revealed how couple first met

By ANDREW PRENTICE FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Izak Rankine isn’t just a favourite with Adelaide Crows fans due to his dazzling on-field exploits – he is also a supremely talented singer.

The midfielder, 24, stunned supporters by belting out the Maroon 5 track ‘She Will Be Loved’ on Channel Nine ahead of Gather Round, which starts on Thursday night when the Crows tackle Geelong at Adelaide Oval.

But Rankine was soon left red-faced after his girlfriend Calista Mittiga revealed how the couple first met.

‘The first time I met Izak was at a 16th birthday party and he did a freestyle rap for me,’ she said on Footy on Nine.

‘I fell in love from there.’

Excitement machine Rankine will need to prove his fitness to line up against the Cats after suffering a knock to his calf in Adelaide’s last start defeat against Gold Coast.

‘I don’t know as yet ([if Izak will play],’ Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks said.

‘We will just see how he pulls up.

Izak Rankine (pictured with partner Calista Mittiga) isn't just a favourite with Adelaide Crows fans due to his dazzling on-field exploits

Izak Rankine (pictured with partner Calista Mittiga) isn’t just a favourite with Adelaide Crows fans due to his dazzling on-field exploits

The midfielder, 24, impressed supporters on Channel Nine by belting out the Maroon 5 track 'She Will Be Loved' ahead of Gather Round in Adelaide

The midfielder, 24, impressed supporters on Channel Nine by belting out the Maroon 5 track ‘She Will Be Loved’ ahead of Gather Round in Adelaide

‘He got a knock to the calf, there’s some bleeding there but there’s no muscle damage, so it’s one we just need to be mindful of.

‘The speeds that he generates does put some pressure on that calf, so the last thing we want is to lose him for a month or so.

‘At the moment there is some doubt, but (if you ask him) he’s pretty confident. 

‘Izak enjoys the big stage, so he’s really pushing to play.’

It comes as Rankine is the talk of the footy world following the Crows’ controversial defeat to Gold Coast on April 5 where the livewire was denied a mark late in the fourth quarter.

The Suns won the clash by a point – and the AFL have since conceded the wrong call was made.

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Footy star Izak Rankine shows off his mind-blowing hidden talent on live TV – before his girlfriend reveals VERY embarrassing fact about how they fell in love

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