Josh Jenkins contract saga a repeat of Dangerfield for Adelaide Crows

ADELAIDE football boss David Noble faces a re-run of last season’s Patrick Dangerfield drama trying to keep out-of-contract forward Josh Jenkins.

Josh Jenkins training at West Lakes on Tuesday. Picture Roger Wyman

Adelaide football boss David Noble faces a re-run of last season’s Patrick Dangerfield drama with out-of-contract forward Josh Jenkins.

Noble could be forced to defy a club valuation on the in-form forward — now rated a marquee force by greats and rivals alike.

Adelaide is reticent to budge on a $550,000 per season deal for Jenkins until 2020 let alone reach $600,000.

Former star Matthew Lloyd says market value can’t be ignored. Fringe Western Bulldog forward Tom Boyd commands $1 million per season.

“He kicked eight in a losing side against Western Bulldogs and five against North Melbourne. Brisbane have reportedly offered him $800,000,” Lloyd said this week.

“If you think of some of the money going around … Tom Boyd and other players then I would say he is worth $700,000-$750,000.”

Jonathan Brown has already told The Advertiser Jenkins, 27, is a future Coleman Medallist. Lloyd ranks Jenkins among the AFL’s top four forwards following a break-out, 34-goal season.

Jenkins — who booted seven goals against St Kilda last Sunday at Adelaide Oval — is being stalked by interstate clubs with Richmond, North Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle best positioned to strike.

A spokesperson for Jenkins’ last night said his “future would not be resolved until manager Paul Connors returns from holiday” in the second week of July.

Dangerfield notes Jenkins “is in phenomenal form this year, forward, ruck he does it all”.

The loss of Dangerfield, Kurt Tippett, Jack Gunston and Phil Davis with minimal compensation has stained Adelaide which complicates Noble’s task despite Jenkins’ wish to stay.

Richmond — desperate for an effective forward-ruckman — is shaping as a principal player for Jenkins as they position for a dramatic list overhaul. The 14th ranked Tigers will have the cash and high draft picks to splash with a slide from the eight.

Brett Deledio is contracted until the end of 2017 at Punt Road but could add priceless skill efficiency to Adelaide’s midfield if the Tigers embark on an overdue, long-term rebuild.

Only Sydney champion Lance Franklin, Coleman Medallist Josh Kennedy and Gold Coast’s Tom Lynch shade late-blooming Jenkins as AFL’s premier spearheads, says Lloyd. Any assertion Jenkins lived off Adelaide’s multi-pronged forward line alongside Taylor Walker, Tom Lynch, Mitch McGovern and Eddie Betts was misguided.

“I would have him in the top four at the moment, ahead of Tom Hawkins, Jack Riewoldt, Walker on the form he’s in,” said Essendon champion Lloyd said on Channel 9’s Footy Classified.

“I was really hard on Jenkins saying he is really good when he is with other forwards. He has gone past that now with his ability to go into the ruck and explosive forward.”

Fremantle could also accommodate Jenkins following Matthew Pavlich’s retirement while a bottom three finish will leave coach Ross Lyon flush with trade bait.

Jenkins’ close friendship with former Essendon teammate Michael Hurley remains a wildcard in the pair’s 2017 future.