Sam Draper likely to stay at Essendon on long-term deal amid interest from Adelaide

Adelaide’s search for a long-term successor to Reilly O’Brien has hit a huge hurdle, with SA product Sam Draper determined to stay in Melbourne and ink a new Essendon deal.

Essendon free agent Sam Draper is determined to remain at the Hangar on a long-term deal as he spends the early rounds of the year assessing his ruck partnership with Nick Bryan.

The Herald Sun understands it would take something disastrous for him to leave the club despite strong interest from Adelaide for him to return to his home city.

Draper has a strong relationship with coach Brad Scott, loves living in Melbourne and has a Victorian partner so has few reasons to want to return to Adelaide.

He has also had his first full pre-season and is keen to form a long-term ruck partnership with Bryan so his preferred outcome is to remain at Essendon.

The Dons are aware he is keen to assess how that partnership evolves in the first six or eight rounds of the AFL season before he commences contract talks.

Sam Draper is more likely to stay than to head home to South Australia.

But under current industry standards the 26-year-old would likely receive six-year offers from rivals which the Dons would have to match.

The club has Todd Goldstein as backup for the pair but they are the clear priorities for coach Brad Scott, who has been as keen as any senior coach to play two rucks in his side.

With athletic talls Peter Wright and Harry Jones also trying to find spots in the senior side, the Dons will have to work through how their ruck and key stocks settle into the side.

The Herald Sun asked Draper if he wanted to stay at Essendon last year and he was adamant it was his home, saying he was “definitely” staying for the ride.

“I love this club. They took a chance on me when no one else did.”

Ex-soccer player Draper was secured on the rookie list by the Dons from Adelaide and he showed his loyalty by rebuffing a hefty early deal from St Kilda.

He has battled injuries across the past three seasons so if he can play 20-plus games playing a combination of ruck and forward he will hope he can finally maximise his talent.

Originally published as Sam Draper likely to stay at Essendon on long-term deal amid interest from Adelaide