Adelaide Crows to stand firm on Charlie Cameron’s contract as the speedster seeks move to Brisbane

ADELAIDE is marking speedster Charlie Cameron as a ‘required player’ after the young Crow confirmed his wish to be released from his contract to move to Brisbane.

Crows speedster Charlie Cameron wants a trade to Brisbane despite being on contract to Adelaide for next season. The Crows are standing firm by declaring the 23-year-old midfielder-forward is a “required player”. Picture: Mark Kolbe (Getty Images)

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ADELAIDE will hold speedster Charlie Cameron to his contract — and deny itself a rich draft pick from Brisbane — as questions deepen on why the Crows cannot hold valued players.

Cameron, 23, confirmed his wish to leave Adelaide — two days after uncontracted defender Jake Lever did the same — in his end-of-season review at West Lakes on Thursday.

While Lever, 21, can walk to pick up his $3.6 million, four-year deal with Melbourne, Cameron is locked to Adelaide with one year to serve on his contract.

But while Cameron has “personal reasons” for wanting to leave the Crows — along with a desire to be around his family base in Queensland — Adelaide runs the risk of losing the midfielder-forward with no return at the end of next season.

Neither the Crows nor the Lions commented on Cameron last night, leaving the negotiations to begin at Etihad Stadium on Monday when the AFL trade period formally opens at 8.30am.

Adelaide appears determined to hold Cameron at West Lakes — regardless of the early draft pick it can prise from the eager Lions — to save the club’s image amid increasing debate on why players are repeatedly moving from the Crows.

Adelaide football chief Brett Burton argues the differing reasons for Lever and Cameron seeking trades highlights there is not a “cultural problem” at West Lakes.

“I am very comfortable we have a good program, a good culture, a good environment,” Burton said.

“I am very comfortable with where we are at.

Charlie Cameron in Melbourne for last week’s AFL Grand Final. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Brett Burton and Don Pyke in deep discussion. Picture: Sarah Reed

“And each decision (from players who have left recently, Patrick Dangerfield, Jack Gunston, Kurt Tippett, Phil Davis and Nathan Bock) were individual decisions. They are like comparing apples and oranges ...

“Each was motivated at different points in time, by different things (from taking up unbeatable offers from expansion franchises, go-home factors and free agency).

“You can’t lump them all in together.”

Cameron joined Adelaide in the 2014 AFL rookie draft. He has played 73 AFL games in four seasons with the Crows. As a contracted player, he could command from Brisbane a late first-round pick or a second-round call in next month’s AFL national pick.

And that pick could become invaluable for Adelaide to chase contracted Carlton midfielder Byrce Gibbs after last year’s failed move on the South Australian.

AFL free agency opens on Friday with Port Adelaide to gain Brisbane midfielder Tom Rockliff and lose utility Jackson Trengove to the Western Bulldogs. The Power is caught in another free-agency play with Geelong midfielder-forward Steven Motlop, who is to meet with Port Adelaide officials on Friday or Saturday as he continues his tour of the six AFL suitors he has across the nation.

The 18 AFL clubs gather in Melbourne on Monday morning. The trade period closes at 1.30pm on Thursday, October 19.

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