AFL trade news: Adelaide hopeful of attracting more homegrown talent back to South Australia

Will the showcase of footy in South Australia be all it takes for the Crows to entice former Croweaters to return to their State of birth?

AFL – Round 18 – Adelaide Crows v Essendon at Adelaide Oval. Tempers Flare between Mason Redman and Rory Sloane – while Zach Merrett, Taylor Walker and Andrew McGrath try to pull them apart Picture SARAH REED

Adelaide has already poached one eye-catching South Australian with a penchant for glorious goal celebrations who also puts bums on seats.

In Izak Rankine the Crows went all out to prioritise a key area of their list build and a contract that once looked inflated already is worth its weight in gold.

As the town showcases all it has to offer this weekend to 16 non-SA clubs and their players, perhaps it is too cheeky to suggest there will be a Gather Round effect?

The Crows will be hoping Essendon free agent Mason Redman, the son of a South Australian cray fisherman, takes a second glimpse about what they and the town are building.

Adelaide is very determined to be in the conversation when Redman decides his future, given he fits their needs so perfectly as a running half back who is also an elite intercept mark.

The marketing side doesn’t hurt — his “Hellboy” inspired celebration as he mimics horns after his long-bomb goals is a nice touch — but Adelaide knows it needs to improve its backline to truly evolve as a premiership contender.

Redman will be in high demand after the 2023 season. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Not only is Adelaide more advanced in their premiership build than even they had hoped, the success of the Rankine and Jordan Dawson trades gives them some freedom to go again.

This time Adelaide would love to secure an intercept defender and potentially strengthen their midfield and with a desire to keep early draft picks, free agency is their chosen path.

They won’t be takers for North Melbourne free agent Ben McKay, but Mason Redman is right in their wheelhouse.

He has proved his 2022 season was no fluke.

This year he ranks elite in intercept marks, elite for one-on-one contests, kicks the ball at 85 per cent efficiency and averages 456 metres gained.

He didn’t exactly grow up in the shadows of Hindley Street — his hometown of Millicent is 400km southeast of Adelaide.

But he fits the bill as a South Australian talent who Adelaide would be keen to acquire.

Adelaide chief executive Tim Silvers refused to discuss the club’s individual trade targets, but confirmed to News Corp the Crows would continue to be aggressive.

“It is obvious to most people that we like to target ex-South Australian talent to see if they want to come home and be with family. We know that happened with Izak,” Silvers said.

“He played against Port Adelaide and had 15 members of his family come into the rooms and that seemed to help make his decision.

“We are in a reasonable spot with our salary cap and we will be aggressive over the next 12 months but we will also be targeted. We know we have a couple of holes to fill.”

Adelaide CEO Tim Silvers says the club will be aggressive in their pursuits of elite talent Picture: Michael Marschall

Adelaide is confident that their own free agent Tom Doedee is keen to stay and is confident his contract talks are only weeks from developing.

They cannot afford to lose intercept defenders and while he was overlooked for the captaincy a player who also profits from a pair of paid media deals in Adelaide is invested and aware of the list’s upside.

GWS swingman Harry Himmelberg also appeals to Adelaide as a key defender, which would reunite him with brother Elliott even if it would make his brother’s chances of winning senior selection harder.

But until Redman declares his hand at Essendon, Adelaide will hope they can showcase the city and the club that finally seems to be going places after so many years out of the spotlight.