‘Where there’s smoke’: Adelaide Crows coach Don Pyke confirms Mitch McGovern unsettled
ADELAIDE coach Don Pyke hopes the club can come to a resolution with Mitch McGovern after conceding the star utility is unsettled at West Lakes.
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ADELAIDE’S pursuit of homegrown prodigies Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine has switched to overdrive with restless star Mitch McGovern in the West Lakes exit lane.
McGovern is set to play his 48th and last game for Adelaide on Saturday night against Carlton at Etihad Stadium despite having two years remaining on his club contract.
McGovern, 24, would have been held to his contract had it not been for the Crows’ desire to land once in a generation spearhead Lukosius at the November national AFL draft.
Adelaide coach Don Pyke has met with McGovern to tackle the brilliant utility’s discontent. Unless there’s a dramatic U-turn in sentiment or a trade deal falls through, big-game forward McGovern will join Patrick Dangerfield, Lever, Jack Gunston, Cameron, Phil Davis and Kurt Tippett as a high profile departure from West Lakes.
“I walk around in the world like everyone else and generally where there is a smoke there is fire. I can only expect there is some information through him or management he is not happy here at times,” said Pyke, adding ‘there is always a plan-b’ at West Lakes.
“When I became aware those rumours were there we sat down and had a conversation around what it looks like We will deal with that.
“My philosophy is to work with the player to work out if he is unhappy here or otherwise and what we can do to maintain that guy at our footy club. Hopefully there is a resolution if he comes in and says he wants to go.”
Saturday’s opponent Carlton and St Kilda are best positioned to land McGovern while Hawthorn, Brisbane and Fremantle are also in the running for his services.
Wooden spoon bound Carlton - with salary cap space and ample first round picks - is an ideal fit for McGovern.
Adelaide, who re-signed Paul Seedsman on Friday for three years, will likely have four first round draft picks if McGovern leaves. Adelaide would have to package its potential No.7 pick and McGovern in exchange for Carlton’s top slot that could land 194cm Lukosius or speedy Rankine.
Adelaide’s path to Lukosius would be streamlined if Carlton gained a priority pick from the AFL. The Blues want Victoria country on-baller Sam Walsh to back elite midfield duo Patrick Cripps and Charlie Curnow.
“That is something our recruiters are looking at, we are aware there is some really high-end SA talent in the draft, we are sitting at the moment with three picks inside the top 20 and that gives us a few trading pieces to look at,” said Pyke.
“I am sure once the season is finished we will sit down in terms of what do we need to do with our list and how we position ourselves to secure some of that talent which is smart business.”
McGovern never recovered from the “shell shock” of close mates Jake Lever and Charlie Cameron last October leaving West Lakes having signed a three-year deal in August last year.
McGovern watched Lever and Cameron depart to Melbourne and Brisbane in big money moves before Bryce Gibbs arrived from Carlton at West Lakes.
However, Adelaide board member Mark Ricciuto is on the record as saying McGovern “is on very good money” at Adelaide while maintaining Gibbs took a pay cut to come home.
Adelaide midfielder Hugh Greenwood said losing three close mates inside a year at the club - Cameron, Lever and McGovern - was unpalatable.
“Ultimately they have to do what is best for their family. They are three of my closest mates so to lose Gov would be pretty tough,” Greenwood told The Advertiser.
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