Adams came to Melbourne in 1923 to play with Fitzroy, but was refused a clearance by South Fremantle and instead became captain-coach of Preston in the Victorian Junior Football Association (pictured right with John Wren Shield as premiers).

[1] He was club captain for their 1926 campaign and as well as finishing equal fifth in the Brownlow Medal count he represented Victoria at interstate football that year.

[1] Adams then moved to Tasmania for the 1930 season, being playing coach of North Launceston in the Northern Tasmanian Football Association (NTFA) competition.

[1] From various reports during his years at Preston, Adams was just as colourful character off the football field as on, having played senior cricket in Perth and won state swimming championships.

According to the Northcote Leader in 1927 when he was coaching the local club, Adam's favourite lines were from the English poet, Sir Henry Newbolt's Vitaï Lampada:[5]