AFL free agency 2023: Crows defender Tom Doedee nominates Brisbane as his home of choice
Adelaide are hoping that Collingwood’s interest in Tom Doedee has pushed Brisbane’s offer high enough to deliver the Crows a handy draft pick. See the details here.
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Adelaide is daring to believe it may receive end-of-first-round compensation for Brisbane-bound backman Tom Doedee.
The Crows feel Collingwood’s interest has pushed up the Lions’ offer for the 26-year-old towards $700,000 on a four-year deal with a trigger for a fifth, potentially putting Adelaide in the frame for a pick in the early 20s.
After spending months weighing up his future, Doedee, a restricted free agent, nominated Brisbane as his club of choice on Wednesday.
His decision comes ahead of the start of the free agency period on Friday.
As this masthead reported in August, the Crows had a long-term offer on the table for Doedee before resetting negotiations after he suffered his second knee reconstruction mid-year.
Adelaide then returned with a two-year deal at significantly less money than the original deal and what rival clubs put forward.
Doedee, turning 27 in March, had been seeking long-term security.
Free agency compensation has long been a tricky recipe to predict but there are similar situations to this one.
Twelve months ago, Brisbane received second-round compensation from the AFL when key forward Dan McStay joined Collingwood on a five-year, $600,000 a season deal.
McStay was a year older than Doedee at the time.
Doedee has played 82 games for the Crows since being selected with pick 17 in the 2015 national draft.
This season, Champion Data ranked the Geelong Falcons product elite for spoils (5.5 per game), above average for intercept marks (1.7) and intercept possessions (6) and below average for disposals (15) among general defenders.
Doedee ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament for the first time in 2019, then again in June after landing awkwardly in a marking contest versus Gold Coast in Darwin.
He is set to miss the first part of next season.
Crows list boss Justin Reid said the club would assess its options in order to secure the best possible outcome during the free agency window and trade period, which began on Monday.
Adelaide is expected to land Gold Coast swingman Chris Burgess after he requested a trade on Tuesday to West Lakes.
Doedee’s departure could open more opportunities for Josh Worrell, who had a promising season playing 12 matches as a tall defender.
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