Crows Brad Crouch, Brodie Smith, Cam Ellis-Yolmen and Hugh Greenwood could fly north
Queensland was once an AFL basket case. But the tables have turned with Adelaide talents from Brad Crouch, Brodie Smith to Cam Ellis-Yolmen with targets on their heads and considering offers.
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Adelaide is dealing with northern exposure as Gold Coast gets serious for Brad Crouch’s signature while Brisbane plots to snare more Crows including unsettled Brodie Smith by 2021.
Comprehensive coaching change at Adelaide smoothed the way for Smith to stay at West Lakes for now but Cam Ellis-Yolmen is the big-bodied midfielder Brisbane is targeting next season.
Adelaide knows the fine print of a five-year deal Crouch requires to remain a Crow. List manager Justin Reid is yet to return an offer for the player who polled most votes for the club in the 2019 Brownlow Medal on Monday.
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Essendon great Tim Watson on Wednesday said Crouch is “very close to accepting a Gold Coast Suns’ offer” but the on-baller is giving Adelaide every opportunity to retain him. Adelaide is hampered by its review-based inertia and no senior coach.
The Crows embattled football department is reticent to lavish five-year deals and won’t match the six-year career contract being dangled by one rival.
The Advertiser revealed last Friday that Adelaide would lose Crouch, 25, if it maintained a practice of offering “unders” for the gifted midfielder.
However, if Adelaide moves Crouch on — a restricted free agent next year — it can free up salary cap space or gain compensation from Gold Coast or another interested party like St Kilda.
Any Crouch switch to Gold Coast would open the prospect of a return home for young Suns Izak Rankine or Jack Lukosius.
The Suns have the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft while last year’s No. 2 pick Lukosius and No. 3 Rankine — who is signed until the end of 2022 — remain prized assets for the struggling club.
It will take a canny coaching appointment to unify an Adelaide unit facing significant list turnover.
That an ‘untouchable’, home grown Crow would be receptive to leaving underscores a dramatic change in landscape from the 2017 AFL grand final where Smith watched on injured and Brisbane collected the wooden spoon.
Rebound-ace Smith, 27, was blocked from joining confidante Charlie Cameron, David Noble and Andrew Crowell in pursuit of a flag in Brisbane next season. If the Crows landscape doesn’t improve Smith could still secure passage to the Gabba in 2021 despite contracted for another two seasons.
Ellis-Yolmen will leave Adelaide having managed 39 games in six years. Brisbane is the expected destination of Ellis-Yolmen, another close mate of Smith.
The Crows have paid for Noble’s exit to Brisbane. Head of football Noble was a common thread in explosive half-forward Cameron’s arrival at the Gabba and in a masterstroke headhunted mind coach Andrew Crowell from West Lakes.
Adelaide will miss out on Collingwood superstar Brodie Grundy’s signature but Port Adelaide’s Billy Frampton is being tracked as back up for Reilly O’Brien. Veteran Sam Jacobs will bolster 2019 grand finalist GWS’s ruck division next year.
As reported by The Advertiser last month, Crows midfielder/forward Hugh Greenwood has a four-year deal on the table from Gold Coast.
Key defender Alex Keath and ruckman forward Josh Jenkins are also in the exit lane at West Lakes as a major off season clean out and dual club reviews unfold.
Carlton is yet to finalise a two-year offer for four-time AFL goal of the year winner Eddie Betts who is contracted to Adelaide for another season.