Nathan Bock confirms Gold Coast move

ADELAIDE has slammed the system that will give them one draft pick for Gold Coast-bound Nathan Bock.

Nathan Bock sits stone-faced at his ''farewell'' between Adelaidecoach Neil Craig and chief executive Steven Trigg. Picture: Ray Titus

ADELAIDE has slammed the system that will give them one draft pick for Gold Coast-bound Nathan Bock.

Bock, 27, on Tuesday announced he would join the cashed-up Suns

Bock's departure disappointed Adelaide CEO Steven Trigg and coach Neil Craig, who don't know what compensation they will receive for the 2008 All Australian and club champion.

Trigg believed it could be a draft pick numbered between 26 and 30.

"When it happens to you as a club and you get a 26 to 30 ... it stings," Trigg said.

Adelaide's offer to Bock was not on the same page as the money offered by the Suns, he said.

"In this case, we weren't even in the same library," Trigg said.

Craig disliked the culture being created by the arrival of the rich new AFL entities.

"Welcome to a new world of AFL footy, that is the culture that the AFL are about to create ... they need to take responsibility for that," Craig said.

Bock said the Suns' offer was too good to turn down.

"It was a significant offer and something that I found was too hard to refuse," Bock told reporters in Adelaide.

Adelaide, out of finals contention, decided Bock will not train or play for the Crows again despite two matches remaining of their season.

"This is obviously an unusual situation," Crows football manager Phil Harper said in a statement on the club's website.

"Our circumstances - in not playing finals - dictates that while we totally respect Nathan’s preparedness to be honest and open about his intentions, we obviously need to make a decision regarding the wisdom of his selection over the next two weeks.

“In the end, to continue to select Nathan would rob another young player of an opportunity in our side.”

In the same statement, Bock said he understood the club's position.

"As far as selection goes, I wouldn’t feel at all comfortable keeping a young player out of the side, so I totally understand and support the decision not to play me for the rest of the season."

Bock's manager Ricky Olarenshaw said on SEN radio this morning that the Crows would not have cut Bock loose if they were still in finals contention.

"It happens in rugby league where players nominate which club they're going to play for in the following year and they continue playing for their current club," Olarenshaw said.

"This is all new.

"It's unusual, but I'm sure that if the Crows were playing finals then I'd think they'd want him playing.''

Olarenshaw said the Suns turned their attention to Bock after the Crows' Queensland-born key forward Kurt Tippett spurned their advances and signed a new contract with Adelaide.

"There were some other Victorian-based clubs interested in Nathan as well so I put (their offers) to him too,'' he said.

"But I guess that with the Gold Coast he can walk, he doesn't have to worry about going through the stress of trade week.

"And he is a surfer, so he's looking forward to getting some waves up there as well.''

Olarenshaw would not comment on any more of his clients who may be considering a move north.

Bock, the 2008 All-Australian centre half-back, said last night he was mulling over a lucrative three-year contract from the Suns and would make a decision on his future within two weeks.

Gold Coast chief executive Travis Auld today confirmed the club had held discussions with Bock's management.

“We discussed an opportunity with Nathan’s management during the year however, in accordance with the AFL rules, we are not in a position to seek Nathan’s agreement to terms until after the conclusion of the season,” he said.

“In accordance with the AFL rules we will recommence discussions at the end of the season and we are very hopeful of reaching an agreement.

“Nathan is a respected, quality AFL player. We are delighted he has indicated his interest in joining our club and believe he would be a very good fit for our young team and list build.”

The Suns' offer to Bock, the Crows' club champion in 2008, is far more than Adelaide can offer.

Bock has played 113 games and kicked 57 goals for Adelaide since making his debut in 2004.

EDIT 3.54pm: An earlier version of this story quoted Trigg as saying the system "stinks". Adelaide has advised us he said stings. The error was made by a wire service journalist.