Adelaide Crows off-season: Crows delist Ben Davis and Ronin O’Connor
Adelaide have made the tough decision to part ways with two of their young players — though it may be more see you soon than goodbye for one.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Adelaide has parted ways with Ronin O’Connor and Ben Davis.
The duo, who had played three and six AFL games respectively during their careers, was out of contract.
O’Connor, 20, made his debut against West Coast in his home state of Western Australia in Round 9 this year.
Kayo is your ticket to the best local and international sport streaming Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial >
Davis, 24, featured four times at AFL level in 2021.
Adelaide has told Davis it will consider redrafting him as a rookie next month.
Crows list manager Justin Reid thanked both players for their contributions.
“At this time of year, there are always difficult decisions that need to be made at AFL clubs and in this case it unfortunately means saying goodbye to two quality people in Ben and Ronin,” Reid said.
“Both have overcome hurdles since arriving at the club, whether it be injury or the limited opportunities that existed in the 2020 season, which was affected by Covid-19.
“They are both of great character and will always be welcome back as part of the Crows family.”
Adelaide recruited O’Connor with pick 42 at the 2019 national draft, while Davis arrived via the 75th selection three years earlier.
Sliding-doors moment it all changed for Dawson
Jordan Dawson is in quarantine with his girlfriend Milly in their hometown of Robe when the pull of a return to South Australia hits home.
Having been more than 1300km away for almost six years while Dawson has been playing for Sydney, family is now nearby.
Close enough to pop past to drop off food as the couple self-isolates and to drive up to Adelaide for home games.
Out of contract and unsure, Dawson has been spending his time in quarantine weighing up whether to re-sign at Sydney or request a trade.
The 24-year-old’s stint back in SA’s southeast last month helps make his decision clear.
“In his heart, what they wanted to do was be home and around family,” Dawson’s manager Michael Doughty tells News Corp.
“Once he got home, I think he realised that – how important that is to him.”
Dawson is also in Robe when two other key moments of SA’s biggest off-season player move happen.
When he chooses the Crows over Port Adelaide and his trade from the Swans is agreed.
Yet with six weeks remaining in the season, Doughty was working on a deal with Sydney for Dawson to re-sign, only for it to fall through.
They put a two-year contract to the club, the Swans knocked it back and tabled a counteroffer, then Covid ravaged throughout Sydney.
It was a sliding-doors moment.
Dawson put off talks until the end of the season and the Swans finished the campaign playing on the road.
Sydney proposed a five-year deal post-season, which he mulled over while in quarantine.
Dawson found it difficult to choose whether to stay or go, given his friendships at the Swans after 64 games in six seasons.
On September 10, he asked for a homecoming trade while still housebound.
A week later, Dawson toured both Port Adelaide and the Crows as both clubs prepared for talks with Sydney.
The Power was willing to offer its selection 16, while Adelaide initially had No. 17 and pick slides on the table.
Dawson had lunch with Power personnel on the same day he had dinner with Adelaide, as well as hour-long presentations with each.
Crows football director Mark Ricciuto, who Dawson had idolised as a childhood Adelaide fan, reached out to the Sturt product about the potential move and where he could help.
Ricciuto’s role was not considered to be defining in Dawson choosing the Crows.
Dawson felt a better connection with Adelaide, including coach Matthew Nicks, who understood the Sydney lifestyle and had been a 175-game player at the Swans.
Adelaide’s pitch included trying to build a squad and Dawson’s role in it.
Money was not decisive – the Power’s offer was considered pretty similar to the Crows and Sydney’s.
Dawson returned to his hometown that weekend so he could watch Milly’s brother play for Robe in the Mid South East league’s grand final and discuss his options with his family.
After calling Doughty from Robe to say he was picking the Crows, the manager told him to tell the clubs.
So Dawson broke the news to Power coach Ken Hinkley, who was said to be really good about it, both understanding and disappointed.
Unsurprisingly, Nicks was rapt.
Doughty said it was a tough decision, both clubs made strong cases and money was not a factor.
Ultimately, it was up to Dawson, who went with his heart.
Adelaide was tracking him four years ago when he was starring in the NEAFL.
That season he averaged 28 disposals, five clearances and 136 Champion Data ranking points, as well as booted 38 goals.
The Crows and Dawson’s management spoke at the end of 2020 but the feeling was he would stay with the Swans.
Even in July, Dawson told SEN that Sydney fans did not need to be nervous about him coming out of contract.
At his first Crows press conference on Thursday, Dawson said Sydney’s Covid situation and being on the road late in the season made him rethink his intentions.
It was a long process from picking Adelaide over the Power to him being presented at West Lakes.
Crows list manager Justin Reid estimated on AFL Trade Radio that there were between 10 and 15 trade proposals in talks over Dawson.
Sydney had valued him as the best player on the market.
The Crows believed what it was offering was equitable.
Swans coach John Longmire remained in contact with Dawson during the process, asking if he would have any interest in coming back if a trade was not agreed.
But Dawson was committed to getting to the Crows.
And Doughty had robust discussions with Adelaide that walking him to the pre-season draft was not an option.
Dawson also wanted Sydney to be compensated for developing him.
Doughty advised Dawson to avoid news about the discussions and was updating him once a day about where things stood.
Although Dawson was a self-described stress-head at times as the trade deadline approached, Doughty remained confident the Crows could get a deal done that was respectful for Sydney.
About 8.30pm on Tuesday, Doughty and Reid received an email from Swans list boss Kinnear Beatson, confirming Sydney had accepted the Crows’ offer.
Dawson was heading to Adelaide for Melbourne’s 2022 first-round draft pick.
The manager had not expected a deal to be struck until Wednesday.
Doughty then immediately called Dawson, telling him: “It’s all done”.
Sydney football boss Charlie Gardiner later said: “Ultimately, we have settled on a deal that we don’t think quite reflects Jordan’s true value but is one that, after extensive negotiations, we don’t believe we could improve upon.”
Reid believed the trade was “fair and reasonable”.
He said the club was excited to recruit the Sturt product.
“We think he’s certainly got plenty of good footy ahead of him,” Reid said.
As for the player himself, Doughty said when he rang Dawson on Tuesday night to tell him an agreement was reached, the new Crow was a little taken aback and very appreciative.
“He doesn’t show a lot of emotion but he, like me, was very relieved and he was also very excited to join the club he grew up supporting,” Doughty said.
More Coverage
Originally published as Adelaide Crows off-season: Crows delist Ben Davis and Ronin O’Connor
Eddie shares dirty secret over AFL storms
Eddie McGuire has claimed there would have been an unexpected response from the AFL after watching its finals series derailed.
Three clubs who could pounce after Blue told to pursue trade
With several clubs looking for midfield depth, Matt Kennedy is set to spark interest from several of Carlton’s rivals. JOSH BARNES names the clubs who could be in the mix.