As out-of-contract Crows midfielder Brad Crouch remains in SANFL, Kane Cornes joins the call to trade the Victorian
OUT-of-contract Crows midfielder Brad Crouch continues to draw more suitors from his home market of Victorian-based AFL clubs. VOTE NOW
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OUT-of-contract Crows midfielder Brad Crouch continues to draw more suitors from his home market of Victorian-based AFL clubs.
And as speculation rises of an impending deal in the October trade market that features Essendon and Bombers defender Michael Hurley, the case to move on Crouch is gaining more advocates outside the Adelaide Football Club.
Advertiser columnist Kane Cornes today endorses the Crows using Crouch as trade bait — and the 22-year-old midfielder taking up the offer to reinvent a career frustratingly stalled by injury.
Adelaide has proven — with its 8-4 start under first-year coach Don Pyke — that is can be a serious competitor for the AFL premiership without club champion Patrick Dangerfield (traded to Geelong) — and the player who was supposed to cover his loss in the midfield, Crouch.
And with veteran midfielder Scott Thompson eager to sign a one-year contract extension — for his 17th AFL season — the question of how Crouch fits into the Adelaide midfield even next year strengthens the case for seeking a trade.
For Cornes the question posed in his column today is: “Will the Adelaide Football Club be brave enough to let another talented player fly the nest?”
Also more relevant after being restricted to just four games this season is whether Crouch forces that question by seeing the need to seek a change of fortunes with a change of clubs.
Crouch has played just 29 games in five seasons at West Lakes — a tally restricted by a series of foot injuries last year. He is unlikely to add to that count until July.
Adelaide has no reason — not after conquering West Coast in Perth on Saturday — to change its 22-man line-up on return from the AFL mid-season bye on Thursday week at Adelaide Oval when the Crows host a super rematch with league leader North Melbourne.
Adelaide has — as expected — in the past week claimed confidence in being able to resign Crouch, more so after last year convincing his younger brother Matt to extend his contract to the end of Season 2018.
But family ties may not be enough for Brad, the 2013 Rising Star award runner-up, to commit to the Crows.
Pyke has insisted the best plan for Crouch is to ensure his fitness base and form line in the SANFL is at its peak before he is recalled to the AFL line-up. Crouch this season has been held up by hamstring issues — and benched for a pre-season breach of team rules on drinking.
Pyke’s most recent commentary on Brouch was at the start of the month. He said: “I’ve had a discussion with Brad around what (his program) looks like and we are really clear — both him and us — in terms of the rebuild for him to get back to playing the AFL footy we know he is capable of.”
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au
Originally published as As out-of-contract Crows midfielder Brad Crouch remains in SANFL, Kane Cornes joins the call to trade the Victorian
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