By Marc McGowan and Peter Ryan
Money Talks.Credit: The Age
Melbourne premiership player Alex Neal-Bullen has told the club he would like to return to South Australia at season’s end for family reasons.
His request is not related to any concerns about the club’s direction but based on the new father’s desire to be closer to family.
Alex Neal-Bullen has been a strong contributor for Melbourne.Credit: Getty Images
This masthead confirmed with two industry sources, who wanted to remain anonymous, that the 28-year-old, who has two years remaining on his contract, had made the request several weeks ago.
The Crows are understood to be aware of his desire to return to South Australia but have left the matter for Melbourne to work through. Port Adelaide are focused on securing free agents and retaining draft picks.
Following reports of Neal-Bullen’s request by this masthead on Tuesday, the Demons issued a statement on social media Wednesday morning confirming the situation.
“Due to family circumstances, Alex Neal-Bullen has formally requested a trade back to his home state of South Australia at season’s end,” Melbourne said.
“The decision, which comes after 10 seasons with the club, was one Neal-Bullen did not take lightly, expressing the importance of putting his family first.”
In the club statement, Neal-Bullen described his decision to leave the club as “incredibly hard”.
“It’s something that I thought long and hard about, and had some really open and honest conversations with my wife, Georgie, about where our best future lies.
“The decision became clear that I need to put my family first, and move our family back to South Australia.
“For the club to allow me to do the best thing for my family, I can’t thank them enough.”
He said he was committed to playing the final two games of the 2024 home and away season for the Dees.
“[I] still have two more games that I want to pour everything into, to make sure we finish the year off really strongly,” he said.
The news will come as a blow to the Demons, who released a statement on Tuesday following reports that Christian Petracca was disillusioned with the club’s direction saying the star midfielder was certain to remain with the club until at least the end of 2029.
Chief executive Gary Pert revealed they were engaging with players, coaches and staff to review the club’s football operations after a disappointing 2024. The Demons were contacted for comment.
The Crows are already targeting Gold Coast playmaker Jack Lukosius, two years after they lured fellow South Australian and draft peer Izak Rankine from the Suns.
Adelaide unsuccessfully pursued Neal-Bullen’s teammate, swingman Harry Petty, who is also from SA, in last year’s trade period. Petty recently re-signed with the Demons.
The Crows are attempting to convince Jack Lukosius to return to South AustraliaCredit: Getty Images
Neal-Bullen, who has taken on a bigger midfield role in Petracca’s absence through injury, played in Melbourne’s 2021 premiership and is rated highly internally. He signed a three-year deal in April last year.
On Lukosius, the wheels are in motion, with Crows coach Matthew Nicks and senior players travelling to Queensland to meet him.
There have been murmurs about Lukosius for much of the season, but they grew louder even before first-year Suns coach Damien Hardwick dropped him to the VFL last week. After kicking a career-best 39 goals and settling into a forward role last year, Hardwick has deployed Lukosius at both ends and on the wing this season.
That positional uncertainty appears to have played a role in Lukosius embracing the Crows’ interest in him.
If he does get to Adelaide, the 24-year-old would join an attack that already boasts promising key forwards Darcy Fogarty and Riley Thilthorpe, plus livewires Rankine and Josh Rachele.
Gold Coast hope to trade in Tiger Daniel Rioli, who is contracted through the 2027 season, so offloading Lukosius would deliver them a high-quality pick to use as a bargaining chip and create much-needed salary cap space.
Rival clubs have consistently said the silky-skilled Lukosius is “gettable”, although the Suns – who are not commenting publicly on the situation – do not necessarily agree with that perspective.
This masthead also contacted Lukosius’ agent, Ben Williams, of Players Ink.
Lukosius and Rankine were the respective second and third picks in the so-called super draft in 2018, in a top 10 headlined by No.1 Sam Walsh and including the King twins – Max and Ben – dual All-Australian Connor Rozee, Bailey Smith and Nick Blakey.
There was immediate speculation at the time that the Crows would try to bring both young stars back at some stage, which looks a reality.
The difference when Adelaide traded for Rankine – in a convoluted deal that centred on them handing over pick five – was that he was out of contract, whereas Lukosius has two years to run on a lucrative four-year pact he signed in mid-2022.
The Crows have increasingly focused their recruiting efforts on home-grown talent, given the disadvantage of competing with Victorian clubs, but they did make a major play for Errol Gulden and inquired about Hugh McCluggage. They are also making progress in talks to retain Victorian midfielder Sam Berry.
Adelaide’s other recruiting coup in recent years was another South Australian, ex-Swan Jordan Dawson, whom they swapped a late first-round pick for in the 2021 trade period. He is the Crows’ captain.
Dawson and Rankine have become arguably Adelaide’s two best players, and Lukosius would be an ideal fit with the club’s age profile as it aims for finals next season.
The Suns, via their academy, are also keen to have as many Queenslanders as possible, with Jed Walter, Connor Budarick, Alex Davies, Alex Sexton, Will Graham, Jake Rogers, Bodhi Uwland and Lachie Weller all featuring in their one-point win over Essendon on Saturday night.
In-form Giant on trade watch
James Peatling’s purple patch of form in the past month has not gone unnoticed, with St Kilda showing interest in the out-of-contract Greater Western Sydney midfielder.
Peatling polled the maximum 10 votes in the AFL Coaches’ Association’s champion player of the year award for his role in the Giants’ come-from-behind upset win over Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Saturday.
James Peatling celebrating with fans after the Giants’ win over Hawthorn in round 21.Credit: Getty Images
He also picked up six votes against Melbourne a fortnight earlier, and is averaging almost 21 disposals, seven clearances and nine tackles across the past four weeks to emerge as an unlikely key part of the Giants’ six-match winning streak.
GWS plucked Peatling from their VFL team in the 2021 mid-season draft, and he has become head recruiter Adrian Caruso’s latest bargain-basement gem, playing 41 games since.
A new deal at the Giants is not imminent, a well-placed source told this masthead on the condition of anonymity, with unrestricted free agents Harry Perryman, Isaac Cumming and Nick Haynes all drawing rival interest as well.
First-round picks Conor Stone and Ryan Angwin are also on expiring contracts, while the likes of Finn Callaghan and Brent Daniels are out of contract next season.
Goalkicking Saint being monitored
St Kilda free agent Tim Membrey’s good recent form has him on the radar of clubs looking for a goalkicking forward to complement their attack.
The 30-year-old has kicked 11 goals in four matches as he has stepped up to fill the void left by injured key forward Max King and reminded opposition clubs of his talent.
Two industry sources confirmed clubs lacking firepower were monitoring his progress as he remains unsigned at the Saints, where he has shown leadership in 176 matches at the club.
Saints veteran Tim Membrey prepares to mark on the lead.Credit: Getty Images
The Saints recently re-signed Cooper Sharman, while King is locked in until the end of 2026.
This masthead can also reveal Mason Wood has been locked in to play with St Kilda next season.
The defence-oriented Saints are alongside Richmond and North Melbourne as Victorian-based teams unable to kick decent scores this season.
No danger with ‘Danger’ to stay
Geelong veteran Patrick Dangerfield is likely to be the last restricted free agent left unsigned after industry sources confirmed Tim English was close to agreeing to remain with the Bulldogs for the next five seasons.
However, Cats fans need not be concerned, with all parties certain the Geelong skipper will line up in the hoops again in 2025.
It means this year will be only the second season since free agency was introduced in 2012 that no restricted free agent switches clubs. In a sign clubs are holding on to their best players, the only other season that occurred was just two years ago in 2022.
Those who have re-signed after being on the AFL’s restricted free agency list in March are Brisbane pair McCluggage and Jarrod Berry, Essendon’s Andy McGrath, Gold Coast’s Ben Ainsworth, Hawthorn’s Blake Hardwick, North Melbourne’s Cam Zurhaar and Sydney’s Will Hayward.
Last season, the Bombers signed St Kilda’s Jade Gresham and North Melbourne’s Ben McKay as restricted free agents, while the Lions secured Adelaide’s Tom Doedee.
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