Adelaide Crows stand to lose if young defender Jake Lever takes the draft exit to Melbourne
ADELAIDE’S threat to take Jake Lever to the AFL draft rather than trade him to Melbourne is not the best move for the Crows warns the man who stood on principle in a famous 2003 trade play.
- Crows to hold or fold on Lever
- Why Crows can’t put pride first
- Adelaide end of season review: How I’d fix the Crows
- Power waits on Motlop decision
“GET on with it.” And avoid being left empty-handed by sending uncontracted Crows defender Jake Lever to next month’s AFL national draft.
This is the advice to the Adelaide Football Club from the man who stood on principle at Port Adelaide in 2003 by refusing to trade midfielder Nick Stevens to his club of choice, Collingwood.
Former Power football chief Mick Moylan says the Crows’ threat to cast Lever to the draft pool in November — rather than compromise with his preferred club, Melbourne — is flawed.
“There is no comparison between Nick Stevens and Jake Lever — nor any comparison with 2003 and now,” Moylan told The Advertiser.
“And Adelaide has to remember, the player needs to sign the deal. There are three parties in any trade — the two clubs and the player.
“A club can huff and puff as much as it likes, but Adelaide needs to trade Lever. Get on with it — and do the best deal possible.”
Lever, 21, formally quit Adelaide on Tuesday, although the Victorian had made it clear to the Crows in the lead-up to last month’s AFL finals that he would see a trade.
Lever has nominated Melbourne where he already has agreed to a four-year deal worth as much as $3.6 million, a salary the Crows refuse to match. He is confident he will be a Demon next season, either by a trade this month or in the draft next month.
His manager Ned Guy has reaffirmed there will be no “spoiler” trade, not even from Collingwood where he will become list manager after the trade period.
“Jake will only be playing for Melbourne next year,” Guy said yesterday.
And Guy emphasised Moylan’s point of Lever having the final word on his trade saying: “Jake won’t sign off with any other deal.”
While the Crows say they will deal with the “10 clubs in Victoria”, there is only one end point for Lever — Melbourne. And he can leave the Crows empty-handed by nominating on his draft form his super salary, a price tag no other club — not even Collingwood — can match.
Adelaide and Melbourne will meet at Etihad Stadium on Monday — when the 11-day AFL trade period opens — with the Demons football chief Josh Mahoney prepared to offer a first-round draft pick and next year’s second-round call to the Crows for the 56-game Lever.
“And that is where future draft picks makes it different to 2003,” Moylan said. “There is more scope to work a trade.
“What is forgotten about 2003 with Nick Stevens is what we faced at Port Adelaide.
“First, Nick Steven’s manager, Max Stevens, sent us a letter declaring it was a trade to Collingwood — or the draft.
“Collingwood’s offer was unreasonable. Collingwood also was a major competitor to Port Adelaide in the premiership race — so why strengthen the opposition?
“Nick Stevens gave us two choices. When Collingwood was not a realistic result for us, we gave Nick one of his other options — the draft (where he was claimed by Carlton).
“In the end, Port Adelaide won the 2004 premiership — and it had salary cap space to secure other players.”
Adelaide’s relationship with Lever and Guy continues to sour.
Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan and football chief Brett Burton insist Lever’s move to Melbourne is based solely on money.
“I’m super confident it was about money. His manager and Jake himself told us that,” Fagan said yesterday.
“I also understand that it’s never about one thing, but through his management and Jake, money was really important.”
Guy says this pointed theme ignores Lever’s wishes to return to his family base in Melbourne.
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au