AFL 2023: The latest Adelaide Crows news as league denies James Borlase rookie exemption
The AFL has knocked back Adelaide’s request for James Borlase to remain a category B rookie for another year, putting his future at the club in some doubt.
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Key defender James Borlase is expected to remain at Adelaide despite the AFL knocking back a Crows request for him to be allowed another year as a category B rookie.
The club had asked for an exemption so Borlase, who played four games this year, could spend a fourth season with the same status, but the league rejected it on Thursday.
AFL rules state that after a player’s third year as a Category B rookie, clubs need to either upgrade players to the primary list or cut them.
Adelaide rookie-listed Borlase at the end of 2020.
The 21-year-old was eligible to be part of the Crows’ Next Generation Academy because he was born in Egypt.
Adelaide list manager Justin Reid told FIVEaa that the club was very keen to keep Borlase.
“We just need to work through what that looks like from a list lodgement point of view … going into the draft,” Reid said.
“James is in the US so he and I were on WhatsApp with each other.
“Not that I can give him too much, but I certainly was on the text with him while he was overseas just to maybe put his mind at ease.”
Borlase made his AFL debut against Gold Coast in round 21 this year, playing the last four games of the campaign.
His chances of staying at the Crows are boosted by the club’s need for key defensive depth.
Tom Doedee has joined Brisbane as a free agent, while Nick Murray is expected to miss up to three quarters of next season while he recovers from a knee reconstruction.
Adelaide has several options to keep Borlase, including drafting him next month.
AFL spokesman Jay Allen confirmed that Adelaide had requested an extension of the category B rookie timeline for Borlase.
“The AFL evaluated the request but did not grant the extension,” Allen told this masthead.
It was understood exemptions the league had previously approved were for players who had missed a lot of football through injury or during Covid.
All AFL clubs need to lodge their lists by October 31.
Adelaide delisted fellow Category B rookie Tariek Newchurch in September.
The speedster, who joined the club at the same time as Borlase, did not feature at AFL level.
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Originally published as AFL 2023: The latest Adelaide Crows news as league denies James Borlase rookie exemption
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