Hugh Greenwood details the Round 17 meeting with Stuart Dew that convinced him to seek a trade to the Gold Coast
Hugh Greenwood details the Round 17 meeting that convinced him to seek a trade to Gold Coast — and how he met with Brisbane and Hawthorn even earlier on The Lowdown Podcast this week.
Crows
Don't miss out on the headlines from Crows. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Departing Crow Hugh Greenwood has revealed he met with Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew in Round 17 and spoke with Brisbane and Hawthorn even earlier as he navigated a long-term deal away from Adelaide.
The midfielder/forward who has spearheaded The Advertiser’s The Lowdown Podcast this season has described his trade to the Suns as “bittersweet” but long-term job security and more opportunities on game day was too good to ignore.
“We are obviously disappointed to be leaving and upset our time in Adelaide has come to an end but at the same time we are excited about our next chapter and the direction the Gold Coast Footy Club is heading,” he told The Lowdown.
“I didn’t commit to the Gold Coast until I was in the States, so after the season finished.
“The messaging for the (Crows) all year was they were only willing to do two years ... so when that was the case and when I was in and out of the side despite feeling like I was playing alright footy it became a bit of a no-brainer (to look elsewhere).”
Stream over 50 sports Live & On-Demand with KAYO SPORTS on your TV, computer, mobile or tablet. Just $25/month, no lock-in contract. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly >
While the Hawks and Lions were options, Greenwood said he and his pregnant partner Kirsten couldn’t picture themselves living in Melbourne and he had strong relationships with Gold Coast assistants Josh Francou and Tate Kaesler.
“We played them (Gold Coast) late in the year and that was a chance to have a chat, we were up there for four days and I had the chance to catch up with him (Dew) and I’ve always kept in contact with Tate,” Greenwood said.
“So once I sat down and spoke to those guys everything was super positive. I caught up with Brisbane and Hawthorn a little bit earlier but once I caught up with Gold Coast I was like ‘yep, this is the place I want to go to’.”
His trade however, like trade week itself, was long and drawn out until everything happened with a rush at the finish.
“We told Adelaide our preference was Gold Coast three weeks before the trade period, so once it started I thought ‘they would have talked, it will get done’,” Greenwood said.
“Then you get a week in and it’s like ‘what’s everyone been doing?’ But a lot of it was waiting for other dominoes to fall.
“99 per cent of the time the trade gets done, I was uncontracted and both parties were on the same agreement that we weren’t in each other’s futures.
“I didn’t understand what took so long and then sure enough it gets to the last two days and teams go bang, bang, bang.”
reece.homfray@news.com.au