AFL recruiting guru Gary Buckenara says Adelaide needs master plan to replace Sam Jacobs

Adelaide must throw the chequebook at Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy as it plans for life after Sam Jacobs, says recruiting guru Gary Buckenara.

Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy battles West Bulldog counterpart at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Picture: by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

• Jacobs to miss Betts’ milestone
• Legends pile on to savage struggling Crows

Adelaide needs a cashed-up master-plan to replace veteran Sam Jacobs with Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy but Scott Lycett was the savvy buy that got away, says AFL legend Gary Buckenara.

Jacobs, 31, is ruled out indefinitely with a knee injury meaning there could be a $550,000 per season difference in what it would have cost to move Lycett from West Coast and Grundy from Collingwood.

“He is one of the premier ruckman in the competition. Yes being an Adelaide boy he would be the No. 1 target and will take a lot of prising away to get him to move back home,” said Buckenara of Grundy.

Brodie Grundy of the Magpies (left) runs down Bulldogs’ midfielder Marcus Bontempelli. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith

Master recruiter Buckenara notes AFL’s dwindling stocks of quality ruckmen made Port Adelaide’s all-out bid to entice Lycett from the premier timely and prudent.

Grundy’s management flew into Adelaide on Tuesday — not with a trip to West Lakes as priority — but to check on injured Port Adelaide utility Jack Watts.

However, Adelaide’s fan base is frustrated by a 21-year premiership drought. The club’s policy is not to pay over $1 million to any player — which it would — to bring Grundy home. Grundy is a free agent next year but Collingwood could release the ruckman at season’s end to get maximum value.

“If they (Adelaide) class as the critical requirement to find a No. 1 ruckman, and it sounds like Sam isn’t travelling that well with his body, then they have to have a one, two and three target to make sure they have a No. 1 ruckman,” said Buckenara.

“You are going to have to be aware you will have to pay a fair price in terms of monetary and what you will give up in terms of early picks.”

The Advertiser last year revealed Adelaide inquired about Braydon Preuss who was available for trade from North Melbourne. However, Melbourne snapped up the 206cm, 114kg colossus to complement Max Gawn. The Dees were winless this season until unleashing Preuss who booted two goals in tandem with Gawn against Sydney at the SCG last Friday night.

Having languished in the SANFL for three seasons, understudy Reilly O’Brien was thrown to the wolves in Jacobs’ absence through defeats to Geelong and the Kangaroos.

“Reilly O’Brien has had a few years in the SANFL, getting that good grounding and playing against bigger bodies,” said Buckenara who recruited Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead and Jordan Lewis to Hawthorn in the 2005 AFL draft

“It can come and bite you a little bit if you lose your No. 1 man. A guy like Josh Jenkins is pretty key to your structure and size so you don’t want to take him away. It is an awkward situation they find themselves in.

Sam Jacobs of the Crows has again been ruled out for Round 5. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

“Lycett would have been perfect but hindsight is a wonderful thing. There are getting harder to find.”

Buckenara noted Geelong swooped on Central District’s Darcy Fort as ruck back up.

“It’s looking at those types in the SANFL and WAFL and looking at your free agents one year out,” said Buckenara.

On face value Adelaide’s draft dividend appears to have tapered since 2016. The Crows 2018 draft crop has been outshone by cross town rival Port Adelaide’s glamour trio of Connor Rozee, Zac Butters and Xavier Duursma. Adelaide has chosen solid talent but needs to blood it says Buckenara.

Darcy Fogarty, Adelaide’s 2017 No. 12 pick appears lost in its system while Jordan Gallucci, Myles Poholke, Elliott Himmelberg and Andrew McPherson are struggling for traction.

“Darcy Fogarty will be a beauty. Chayce Jones has shown some really good signs. I don’t think they have been too far off the mark but have kids who are due to be given some opportunity. If you leave them in the SANFL or WAFL too long they can lose their way a litle bit.”