Victorian clubs circle Rory Sloane after noncommittal comments on Crows future

BRISBANE boss Greg Swann says there are about nine million-dollar players in the AFL and Rory Sloane will be next, with at least three clubs already hunting, writes MARK ROBINSON.

Rory Sloane will be a free agent at the end of next season. Picture: David Caird

IT DIDN’T take long.

In the 24 hours after Rory Sloane was noncommittal about his future at the Adelaide Crows, suitors came calling.

It’s believed up to three clubs contacted Sloane’s management company, which is led by Alex McDonald, on Friday, posing the first of what looms to be hundreds of questions in the coming months: What’s the go with Rory?

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The superstar Crows midfielder said on Thursday he won’t be pushed to make a decision on his future.

It’s what he didn’t say which raises the conjecture.

He didn’t say he wanted to be a Crow for life, that he was looking towards a contract extension, that he wanted to be one-club player.

What Sloane said is the mandate for players who want to take up their free agency option.

“Coming to the end of my career, you certainly have to look at what’s best for yourself,’’ Sloane said.

“It’s more than my future. It is a decision we (myself and wife Belinda) will make as a family.”

Rory Sloane will be of interest to every other AFL club. Picture: David Caird

Sloane, 27, will have clubs falling over themselves for his signature.

The contract will be a $1 million-plus a year and it’s only a matter who will be paying it.

Adelaide knows it will need to cough up $1 million and Victorian clubs will go higher.

Geelong’s chief executive Brian Cook said on Friday the Cats — who carry heavy contracts for Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett, Harry Taylor and Tom Hawkins — would not/could not be in the mix for Sloane.

“He will be around the million mark. He’s 27, yeah, a million for three years,’’ Cook said.

“That’s his value in the market.

“There might be one or two clubs who will give him more because they’re desperate, but additionally have some cap left.’’

To pay a million dollars, you demand a million dollars of investment in return, according to Cook.

“Primarily, football is the core purpose and his on-field role, but you also want him to bring a professionalism which is rubbed off among the younger players, someone people can follow and be a role model, you want someone who also treats the community with the respect it should be treated with, and that doesn’t mean that player attends every opening in the community, it means there is a genuine respect for the community’s dependence on the footy club and the footy club on the community.

“When you pick up a Patrick Dangerfield, for instance, he gets it. He knows what to do at the right time with the stakeholders, whether it’s the board, the players, the staff, the community, he just knows what to do at the right time.

“You’d get that with Rory Sloane.’’

Rory Sloane can expect offers of $1 million-plus. Picture: Sarah Reed

The size of the “plus’’ in the $1 million-plus depends on which clubs will ignore the fact Sloane struggled this year with a tag.

He was arguably the best player in the competition at Round 10, but was curbed in too many games in the run home, and was ultimately left out of the All-Australian team.

Lions chief executive Greg Swann said there’d be about nine million-dollar players in the AFL and Sloane will be the next one.

“Maybe one or two clubs might say no because they’re tight on the cap, but because he’s an unrestricted free agent, Adelaide can’t even match the offer,’’ Swann said.

“If he decides to go, there’s nothing they can do about it.

“So you’d be mad if you didn’t have a go at him. Other than paying the money, you’d get him for nothing.’’

Name the club, they will be interested to some degree.

North Melbourne will go again with a massive offer. Collingwood’s new football manager is Sloane’s former manager in Ned Guy and that, according to Terry Wallace, puts the Pies in the box seat if Sloane wants to leave.

He barracked for St Kilda as a youngster and the Saints will be into him up to their ears. Melbourne could go bang, bang, Lever, Sloane. And Carlton could offer the captaincy, which it did to Chris Judd when he returned to Victoria from West Coast.

Of course, it’s not only a footy decision. His wife is from the Dandenongs, she is on TV and her brand is growing strongly. A family is also in the discussion.

Because Sloane didn’t commit to Adelaide doesn’t automatically mean he’s out of Adelaide. Sloane and his wife love the city and his management company is discussing deals with South Australian organisations — for example, South Australian tourism — about opportunities, and the Crows are contending.

A difficult decision awaits him.