AFL trade news: Adelaide football boss Adam Kelly says protecting top draft pick a priority for Crows in trade period
Isaac Cumming is in. James Peatling is on the way. So, what next? Crows football boss Adam Kelly says there’s one major thing Adelaide wants from this year’s trade period.
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Adelaide is thrilled to already have commitments from three targets and is keeping its options open ahead of the trade period.
The Crows expect to strike deals for Melbourne premiership forward Alex Neal-Bullen and GWS midfielder James Peatling before the exchange window closes on October 16 after securing Giants defender Isaac Cumming as an unrestricted free agent on Friday.
Adelaide football boss Adam Kelly was unsure if the club would bring in any other players.
But the Crows were determined to hold their top pick, No. 4, in what recruiters believed was a strong draft.
“As we stand here today, the players we’ve targeted are the ones we’ve spoken about but what happens in the next week or two, who would know,” Kelly said.
“If everything plays out the way in which we hope, what has been important to us is protecting pick 4.”
Kelly said the versatility and athleticism of Cumming appealed, while the 2021 mid-season draftee Peatling’s competitiveness, speed and finals performances had impressed.
“He’s on a really strong trajectory and we see with even more opportunity with us, he can take his game to another level,” he said of 24-year-old Peatling.
The fact all three players had finals experience was considered an “added benefit” to a young squad that had not featured in the major round since 2017.
“It demonstrates that once we had the opportunity to sit down with players and talk through … the way we’re building our list, they have an understanding of where we’re headed,” Kelly said.
Kelly said Adelaide’s pick 25 would be part of a deal with the Demons for Neal-Bullen.
The Crows did not expect to lose any players during the trade period after parting with five squad members on Friday.
Key forward Elliott Himmelberg joined Gold Coast as a free agent.
Adelaide delisted hardworking forward Ned McHenry, halfbacks Will Hamill and Paddy Parnell, and forward Lachlan Gollant.
Kelly said telling players they would not be at the club next year was the least enjoyable part of his role.
“Not only because you reflect on moments when you drafted them, brought them into the club and made debuts … but they’re all high-character individuals, much loved by their teammates and the staff, and they’ll be really missed,” he said.
Kelly highlighted McHenry, who played 70 games after arriving as a first-round pick (No. 16) in 2018, as someone who would leave a legacy for his teammates and had been anything but a failure.
“You couldn’t attach that word with Ned McHenry,” he said.
“What he’s given to our footy club is significant, the way he’s enriched our environment and his leadership in connecting with the community and picking up people when they need support, his grit … and way he’s attacked his footy on field.
“He’s going to be a success, whether that’s in footy, fishing or anything Ned turns his mind to.”
TRADE PERIOD PREVIEW: WHY ALL EYES ARE ON SOUTH AUSTRALIA
— Simeon Thomas-Wilson
Gold Coast’s willingness to pay part of Jack Lukosius’ contract will likely impact trade negotiations with Port Adelaide as the former No. 2 pick looks to land at Alberton.
With the season over attention now turns to the free agency and trade period, with both South Australian clubs set to be busy once again.
Adelaide will bring in Alex Neal-Bullen from Melbourne and Isaac Cumming from GWS Giants, while the Power were chosen by Lukosius after the Suns made it clear he could look around following being dropped late on in the season.
In-demand Giant James Peatling has also requested a switch to the Crows.
The Power missed out on Harry Perryman, who chose Collingwood, but are also pursuing the Pies’ small forward Joe Richards.
Dan Houston has requested a trade to a Victorian club, with the Power hoping for at least a first-round pick for the two-time All-Australian.
Ruckman Ivan Soldo also wants to return to Melbourne after a year at Alberton.
Neal-Bullen is expected to be one of the first deals done when trade period opens next week, with the Crows expected to part with pick No. 25 – which they got from the Demons for Shane McAdam.
Given Neal-Bullen asked for a trade back to South Australia for family reasons, there is a lot of goodwill around the move and it is expected it will be a reasonably straight forward deal.
What the Power end up stumping up for Lukosius could depend on the Suns’ desire to take on some of his money.
The swingman was contracted for two more years at the Suns, on a heavily back-ended contract believed to be pushing seven figures.
The Power will give the 24-year-old a six-year contact after he chose Port to play with captain and good friend Connor Rozee.
Gold Coast wants a first-round pick, while the Power are considered likely to try and part with a second for Lukosius.
But if the Suns take on some of Lukosius’ contract, then the pick they could receive for the Woodville-West Torrens product could improve.
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