Adelaide eyes pick move as SA teenagers loom large in Crows sights

ADELAIDE is not done yet. While hometown rival Port Adelaide stole the SA headlines in the AFL exchange period, the Crows have not ruled out making a major move in the next month and leapfrogging the Power in the draft standings.

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ADELAIDE is not done yet.

While hometown rival Port Adelaide stole the SA headlines in the AFL exchange period, the Crows have not ruled out making a major move in the next month and leapfrogging the Power in the draft standings.

“That’s something we will reassess post trade period,’’ Adelaide list manager Justin Reid said as the two clubs zero in on the high-end draft talent from SA.

“We’re open minded about that and will see how it plays out.’’

West Adelaide’s Izak Rankine (left) at the 2018 AFL Draft Combines at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling/AAP

For the first time, clubs this year can trade draft picks up until November 16 and then again at the draft on November 22 and 23.

“The top-end talent in this year’s draft is considered to be the best in a long time, so we’ll continue to look at all of our options,’’ Reid said.

The Crows — one of the quieter clubs in the trade period — currently have draft picks 8, 13, 16, 21, 73 and 83.

Port — after trading dual All-Australian Chad Wingard to Hawthorn and speedy wingman Jared Polec to North Melbourne — has selections 5, 10, 15 and 85.

Adelaide would love to get ahead of the Power in the draft standings to boost its chances of getting one of SA’s top three-ranked Croweaters — Jack Lukosius, Izak Rankine or Connor Rozee.

North Adelaide premiership player Connor Rozee. Picture Sarah Reed

Carlton is expected to take Victorian midfielder Sam Walsh with pick 1, leaving the Crows to try to deal with Gold Coast (picks 2 and 3) or St Kilda (4).

The Suns last night said they expected Adelaide to come hard for one of their top two picks.

“We’ll listen to them,’’ Gold Coast list manager Craig Cameron said.

“We like those two picks and we like the players that will be there but I’m sure they’ll knock on our door.

“And I’m sure the boys down the road at Port will knock on our door too.’’

As it stands, the Suns are understood to be sold on taking Lukosius at 2 and tossing up whether to draft Rankine or Rozee at 3.

The Saints are leaning towards drafting Victorian tall Max King at 4, leaving one of the star Croweaters in line to slip to the Power at 5.

Blues list manager Stephen Silvagni says pick 1 is “not off the table” but it would take a “super deal” for something to happen.

Reid said St Kilda could also drive a hard bargain.

“The longer it goes ‘Lethers’ (Saints football manager Simon Lethlean) tells me the higher pick 4 is, so we’ll see how that goes,” he said.

Crows list manager Justin Reid, speaks with media during the NAB Trade Period at Marvel Stadium. Picture: Michael Willson/Getty

Reid said Adelaide was happy with its trade period, which included moving wantaway key forward Mitch McGovern to Carlton for pick 13 and SANFL star Shane McAdam, a classy medium forward who is good in the air and at ground level and applies tremendous inside 50 pressure.

The Crows also signed another indigenous small forward, Richmond’s Tyson Stengle, for draft pick 68.

The forwards give Adelaide some extra pace and class in attack and some long-term insurance for star goalsneak Eddie Betts, who turns 32 next month.

“Tyson adds a bit of speed and goal sense and complements what our other forwards already offer,” Reid said.

“And we believe Shane, who we and many others in the industry rate very highly, can have a real impact at AFL level.

“And we head to the draft confident of bringing in some more elite young talent.”

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