Adelaide Crows set to ramp up negotiations with Wayne Milera over new contract, but deal unlikely before start of season

Wayne Milera is out of contract at season’s end and shapes as an important player for Adelaide in 2020. His manager says a new deal is “a fair way off”, but he is keen to remain at West Lakes.

Wayne Milera (second from left) shapes as an important player the Crows will want to re-sign. Picture: Sarah Reed

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Adelaide is set to ramp up contract negotiations with Wayne Milera later this month.

Milera’s three-year deal expires at the end of the coming season and he is keen to remain at West Lakes.

Re-signing Milera, 22, shapes as one of Adelaide’s list priorities, along with an extension for reigning best and fairest Brad Crouch.

Milera’s manager, Peter Rohde, told The Advertiser contract discussions would resume with Crows officials in coming weeks, but an agreement remained “a fair way off”.

“I couldn’t imagine anything being done until the start of the season, or even the first part of the season,” Rohde said.

“We’ll get back together again after next week when they’re back at training … and we’ll probably start working on it when everyone’s back on board.

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Wayne Milera (left) is out of contract at the end of the season but keen to stay at West Lakes. Picture: Sarah Reed

“He’s got no reason to want to leave … and he’s comfortable, so we’ll progress things along.”

Milera has played 60 games since Adelaide picked him at No. 11 in the 2015 national draft.

The Central District product finished equal-seventh in the 2018 best and fairest but had a mixed 2019, as he shifted between halfback, midfield and attack.

Rohde said Milera was feeling positive about new coach Matthew Nicks’s arrival and looking forward to the season.

In November, Nicks told The Advertiser Milera was ready to get a chance to become a hybrid midfielder.

“We’d all love to see him in the mid,” Nicks said.

“He’s got inside and outside (qualities) and the ability to break away.

“If we can get him in there at points, he will complement the Crouch brothers.”

Adelaide returns to pre-season training on Friday.