AFL 2023: Why the go-home factor is starting to turn for Crows and Power

In recent years, Victorian clubs have been seen to hold the power in luring local talent home after being developed interstate. But is the tide starting to turn in favour of South Australian clubs?

Could SA clubs already be monitoring Saints youngster Mattaes Phillipou? Picture by Michael Klein

Is the “go-home factor” starting to turn the other way?

It has been well documented Victorian clubs have been able to plunder interstate clubs and lure back players to Melbourne and the state with ease.

But are South Australian and Western Australian clubs now getting their own back in the recruiting race?

Last trade period, Port Adelaide was able to bring No. 1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis back to South Australia after just one year at North Melbourne.

Adelaide has got South Australians Izak Rankine, Jordan Dawson and Jackson Hately to West Lakes from interstate clubs.

A year after winning a premiership with Melbourne, Luke Jackson was wearing purple after requesting a move to Fremantle as part of his desire to return to Perth.

Victorian clubs profited themselves from players wanting to return from interstate clubs, with Geelong getting Tanner Bruhn from GWS, two years after his solemn reaction to getting drafted by the Giants had many predicting he would seek a move home quickly.

Since 2010, at least one player drafted in the top five has requested a trade back to their home state every year, aside from 2020.

But are clubs such as the Crows, Power, Dockers and West Coast starting to benefit from this after years of nervously waiting to see if a Victorian player would ask for a move back home?

Jordan Dawson during his first press conference as a Crows. Picture: Keryn Stevens

The Power traded for Jason Horne-Francis at the end of last year. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Former Crows and Collingwood recruiter Matt Rendell reckons so.

“It is a factor, the only change from when I was there was that I had trouble trying to get guys back (to Adelaide),” he said.

“I got Sauce (Sam) Jacobs back but he was fourth in line ruck at Carlton so he was looking for opportunity but it was a struggle to get them back.

“But now they are getting a lot back, which is a credit to them and shows that they have got their footy clubs right.”

The Crows in particular were hit hard by Victorians wanting to return home – Patrick Dangerfield and Jake Lever to name two.

Crows senior coach Matthew Nicks said it was good to be on the other side to get Dawson and Rankine in consecutive years.

“I think South Australia is just a magnificent place to live. I hope we can keep it a secret,” Nicks said.

“It is nice to have that, that young South Australian footballers want to come back.

“There is a lot that goes into it, it isn’t just the go home factor.

“I think it is a real credit to our recruitment and list managers that they are able to do the work to get these players back and prove to them that this is the footy club to be at.”

The Covid-19 pandemic and closed borders reinforced the importance of family for many, and has played a part the decision of footy players about where they might want to play.

The Crows brought Sam Jacobs home at the end of 2010.

Charlie Dixon came to Port Adelaide from Gold Coast at the end of 2015.

The Cairns product knew just Ken Hinkley when he first arrived in Adelaide.

The 32-year-old is now firmly entrenched in Adelaide, and wants to stay in SA post his footy career.

But he said the lure of family was strong, especially for younger players.

“It is definitely a thing, people wanting to go home and be close to family,” Dixon said.

“It is very demanding throughout the year, sport, you don’t get to be around family as much and if they can’t travel because of work commitments it is tough.

“For myself moving here in 2015 I knew Kenny, I didn’t know anyone. So it is tough and you do battle your loneliness and whatnot.

“The footy club does a great job but there is no fix like family so I understand people wanting to go home but I love it here and I want to stay here, I plan on staying here for a long time.

“But I can understand blokes wanting to go home, especially young blokes, I know my parents said they didn’t finish raising me when I left which is probably fair enough.”

Because of the go-home factor, clubs have had to alter their approaches to recruiting.

Like Brisbane, the Crows and Power have had success with getting country Victorians to settle in a new state.

“I tried to concentrate on home grown and Vic country really because the Vic country kids have no real attachment to Melbourne,” Rendell said.

“They like Adelaide, smaller and easier to commute around so they don’t mind Adelaide and they have no real attachment to Melbourne which was what I tried to concentrate on.”

Mattaes Phillipou with Jack Steele after being picked in last year’s draft. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

But given their success in recent years of luring players back the other way, could South Australian and Western Australian clubs now consider overlooking local players with the knowledge they could be a chance of getting them back in two years?

Nicks said the Crows would continue to pursue the best players, regardless of where they were born.

“I think if you look at our list and look at the balance of South Australians to interstate players we’d probably be adding in that space,” he said.

“We will pick the best talent regardless of where they are born or where they grew up but someone who is familiar with the state and understands what comes with playing footy in South Australia it can only benefit.”

Rendell said the SA clubs would already be monitoring the local players drafted by interstate clubs, such as Mattaes Phillipou who was drafted by St Kilda with pick 10.

“No doubt, he is obviously highly rated,” he said.

“I would be astounded if they didn’t make a call to his manager a minute after his name got called out by St Kilda.

“As Melbourne clubs do when kids are taken by clubs interstate, I know they do.

“So it is all fair in love and war and what you have to do is make sure that your club is a beauty, you have the right culture and people there and players don’t want to leave.”