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The Adelaide Crows plan to move their headquarters to Thebarton Oval has hit a hurdle after the local amateur league slapped a caveat on the site. Here’s the latest.

Josh Rachele is ready for a massive 2023. Picture: Kelly Barnes

The Adelaide Footy League is standing in the way of the Crows’ potential move to Thebarton Oval.

Land Services SA this week registered a caveat for the league over the ground, preventing West Torrens Council from reassigning the SANFL’s lease over to Adelaide without the grassroots football organisation’s approval.

Caveats stop property owners selling or registering any other interests on the land title until the injunction is removed, either through a court order or a withdrawal by who submitted it.

The Adelaide Footy League, which had been Thebarton Oval’s major tenant until 2019 and was now subleasing it from the SANFL, sought a caveat because it felt the state competition was offering inadequate compensation.

Three years ago, the Adelaide Footy League inserted a clause into its sublease with the SANFL that ensured first right of reply on any potential tenancy reassignment.

The Crows have been creating a master plan for the precinct, which includes Thebarton Oval and neighbouring Kings Reserve, after reaching a memorandum of agreement with the council last month.

The proposed area which will be leased by the Adelaide Football Club for the Thebarton Oval redevelopment. Picture: Supplied

Izak Rankine of the Adelaide Crows training at West Lakes. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Adelaide Footy League chief executive John Kernahan said his organisation would always place the collective interests of its 68 member clubs before those of others.

“We genuinely believe in the development of the Thebarton Oval precinct, though if a filing of a caveat to ensure we have a seat at the table is needed then so be it,” Kernahan told News Corp.

“Even more curious is the wisdom at the time to insert the relative clause to protect our position.

“It’s most unfortunate we have had to take these measures.”

In September, the Crows and SANFL reached an in-principle agreement over relinquishing the lease for a significant sum, understood to be $8.5m.

The Adelaide Footy League has said it will only release the caveat once it feels adequately compensated by the SANFL.

It will extend an invitation to have the matter resolved via mediation.

Adelaide is eyeing to shift from West Lakes to the Thebarton precinct, where it wants its three teams to train and AFLW side to play.

Their plans have raised the ire of many local residents, who have concerns including the loss of green space and a lack of consultation.

The Crows hope to start construction late next year and move there in 2025.

When contacted by News Corp, Adelaide confirmed it was aware of the situation.

A SANFL spokesperson said the league had been in discussions with Kernahan for the past two years and it looked forward to that continuing.

“We’re confident that there will ultimately be a satisfactory outcome for all parties at the conclusion of the process,” they said.

‘I’M JUST AS GOOD’: HOW CROW COMPARES TO 2021 DRAFT CLASS

Josh Rachele is more than comfortable with how he compares to his fellow 2021 draftees.

“I think I’m just as good as any of those boys,” Rachele said of a crop headlined by Collingwood’s unanimous Rising Star winner Nick Daicos.

“Our draft year especially was a very strong draft year.

“I think I can be as good as any of those boys.”

But Rachele was envious and disappointed at how his output compared to some of his 2021 counterparts by the end of last season.

“Seeing the boys in my draft year play most games, like a Nick Daicos or guys who went late in the draft like (St Kilda’s) Marcus Windhager playing every game and being consistent, it did frustrate me a little bit,” he said.

“It kind of drives you a lot more for 2023 to play consistent footy.”

No one in the 2021 draft crop started their careers as well as Rachele.

He booted five goals on debut in Adelaide’s season-opener, a narrow home loss to Fremantle.

The next week, the small forward gathered 20 disposals and kicked a major in the defeat to Collingwood.

Josh Rachele is ready for a massive 2023. Picture: Michael Klein

By the end of round 5, he had kicked 12 goals and regularly shown his class in the Crows’ forward line.

But he only featured in eight more matches, getting sidelined in July with a hip injury then being ruled out for the season in early August.

“With my first few games, I could see the level I could play at so it did get a bit frustrating and my body let me down a bit,” he said.

“But I think it was better to go the way I went about it – train really hard, push to your limits, instead of breezing through a normal first year.

“I’ve picked up little things along the way.

“Next it’s just about building consistency and playing at a high level week in, week out.”

Rachele said he had not sat out any drills this pre-season and had grown in confidence in his body.

Nick Daicos won the 2022 Rising Star. Picture: Michael Klein

As well as adding one or 2kg, a personal focus had been to improve his contested marking.

He has often had taller defenders, such as Tom Doedee and Brodie Smith, stand him at training.

“I don’t just want that stock standard small forward that just stays on the ground,” said the 180cm, 80kg talent, who also hoped to attend more centre bounces next season.

“I think I can play taller for my height.”

Off the field, Rachele moved in with fellow 2021 draftees Jake Soligo and Luke Nankervis in October.

He described his relationship with his new housemates as “kind of like brothers”.

“We got back (training) early … and I think we just drive ourselves to have high expectations,” he said.