Melbourne ramps up bid for Adelaide defender Jake Lever

THREE Melbourne clubs are chasing Jake Lever and one of them has made direct contact with the Adelaide defender as the race for his signature intensifies.

Melbourne is believed to have made contact with Jake Lever. Picture: Getty Images

MELBOURNE has made direct contact with star Adelaide defender Jake Lever as the race for his signature intensifies.

The Demons were tight-lipped over their dealings with the out-of-contract Crow but are one of three Melbourne clubs chasing the intercept defender.

Collingwood and Western Bulldogs are also circling Lever, 21, and have strong links with him and his family.

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Bulldogs list manager Jason McCartney is a friend of Lever’s father, Alan, and spoke with him in the foyer of an ­Adelaide hotel after the Crows’ Round 16 win over the Dogs.

Lever, who is expected to play his 50th senior game against Port Adelaide on Sunday, has put off contract talks with the Crows and is weighing up offers believed to be in the vicinity of $800,000 a year.

Jake Lever is believed to have offers of $800,000. Picture: Getty Images

Clubs are permitted to speak with players from rival clubs but are prevented from entering any official arrangement until season’s end.

Adelaide coach Don Pyke said it would present a difficult situation if Lever or in-demand forward Mitch McGovern had decided they wanted to leave before the end of the season.

“I’m not sure we have got to that point yet where players — like in rugby league — are announcing almost in March that ‘I’m leaving next year’,” Pyke said.

“That probably makes it more awkward, I would have thought.

“It’s their commitment to their craft (that’s most important), and they’ve spent a lot of time and energy around getting into a position where they want to play finals footy and have an impact in that. So you would be disappointed from a professional viewpoint if they had moved into a different head space.”

Lever takes a mark against the Demons, one of the clubs chasing his signature. Picture: Getty Images

Lever’s manager, Ned Guy, is due to return from an overseas holiday next week.

The Crows are also desperate to keep forward McGovern from moving home to Western Australia, with Fremantle the frontrunner to secure the matchwinning goalkicker.

His father, Andrew, played 63 games with the Dockers, while his brother, Jeremy, has become one of the AFL’s best key position players at West Coast.

Adelaide would command first-round draft picks in exchange for Lever and McGovern, potentially arming the Crows with three first-round selections in this year’s draft.

The club is again expected to launch a bid to secure Carlton star Bryce Gibbs after declining to hand over two first-round draft picks in October.

Adelaide captain Taylor Walker said he hoped Lever, from Romsey, would prioritise Adelaide’s culture over Victorian cash.