Lleyton Hewitt hopes Rory Sloane stays in Adelaide, but wouldn’t begrudge move

AUSSIE tennis legend and Adelaide Crows fanatic Lleyton Hewitt hopes star Rory Sloane puts pen to paper as soon as possible, but says he wouldn’t begrudge the midfield dynamo if he chose to move on.

Lleyton Hewitt hopes Rory Sloane re-signs with the club. Picture: Matt Turner

TENNIS legend and Adelaide Crows fanatic Lleyton Hewitt hopes star Rory Sloane puts pen to paper as soon as possible, but says he wouldn’t begrudge the midfield dynamo if he chose to move on.

Sloane, 27, is in the last year of his contract and will have no shortage of clubs trying to lure him home to Victoria.

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Lleyton Hewitt hopes Rory Sloane re-signs with the club. Picture: Matt Turner

While two-time Grand Slam winner Hewitt hopes Sloane “puts pen to paper as soon as possible”, he says the decision would involve wife Belinda, a TV presenter who could find more opportunity in Melbourne.

“Obviously family issues and everything with (Sloane’s wife) Belinda and her work and whether they have a kid and all that stuff, that plays a big part in any person’s career and you can’t hold that against him because he’s gone out and given absolutely 100 per cent every time he’s gone on the footy field,” Hewitt said on Sportsday SA.

Hewitt says Sloane is the heart and soul of the club. Picture: AAP

“He’s one of the main leaders of our club, he’s probably the heart and soul of the club in a lot of ways as well and I’d certainly like to see him there in the years and hopefully he’s a one club player.

“He’s told me he hasn’t looked for any houses in Melbourne.

“I’m living in Melbourne and I don’t want him to be a neighbour that’s for sure.”

Sam Groth, Lleyton Hewitt and Thanasi Kokkinakis show their club colours.

Hewitt with Port fan and fellow Australian Open tennis commentator Roger Rasheed in 2005. Picture: Phil Hillyard

With the Crows losing a host of stars like Patrick Dangerfield and Jake Lever in recent years, Essendon great Tim Watson last week called on Sloane to be the first player to announce his intentions to avoid the distraction of contract speculation throughout 2018.

Sloane has booted 106 goals in 165 games for Adelaide.

Will Adelaide’s grand final loss to Richmond impact on Rory Sloane’s decision. Picture: AFL Media/Getty Images

Originally published as Lleyton Hewitt hopes Rory Sloane stays in Adelaide, but wouldn’t begrudge move