AFL shuts down ‘side deal’ attempt to swindle Brad Crouch free agency

The AFL has reportedly caught two clubs red-handed in a secret attempt to swindle the competition’s free agency rules over a traded star.

Brad Crouch kept his head down.

The AFL has reportedly caught the Crows and Saints red-handed in a secret attempt to swindle the competition’s mysterious free agency compensation rules.

The two clubs were this week locked in high-stakes negotiations surrounding star midfielder Brad Crouch before the 25-year-old was eventually allowed to walk to St Kilda as a restricted free agent on Thursday without the Crows matching his rich offer.

The Crows were accused of blowing the negotiations with reports St Kilda called their bluff after days of reports the Crows intended to match the Crouch offer in order to force a trade.

The Crows were forced to seek a trade with St Kilda after the AFL ruled the club would not receive a top-end first round draft pick as compensation with the Crows forced to swallow a pick at the start of the second round.

The Crows had three days to match St Kilda’s offer, but the clock ran on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old nominated the Saints as his preferred landing destination and a four-year offer worth a reported $700,000 a season was enough to seal the deal.

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Adelaide had been hopeful of landing pick No. 2 as compensation for losing Crouch, but the compensation is expected to be the No. 23 overall pick at this year’s draft.

Now the footy world reportedly knows why the Crows were played off a break by the Saints.

Veteran footy reporter Caroline Wilson on Friday revealed the Crows and Saints had discussed a “side deal” over another St Kilda player.

That deal is reported to have been designed as a way to outsmart the AFL’s messy free agency compensation system into giving the Crows a top-end pick.

Wilson told FIVEaa Radio the Crows and Saints had held talks about off-loading 25-year-old former SANFL player Luke Dunstan to the Crows in a move that would have allowed the Saints to beef-up their contract offer to Crouch, triggering a higher compensation pick for the Crows.

Brad Crouch is officially a Saint.

“Dunstan might go to Adelaide as part of a side deal that would free up a bit more money for Brad Crouch, which would mean St Kilda was happy, Adelaide was happy because it would lift the draft pick,” Wilson said.

“This side deal was something that a few other clubs got wind of, might’ve mentioned it to the AFL.

“Legal counsel Andrew Dillon oversees all of the trades – he got wind of it... St Kilda was told this is not going to happen so don’t even think about it.

“I don’t know who raised the idea first but I know that both clubs spoke about it and St Kilda thought that might be one way to free up a bit more space in their salary cap to pay Brad Crouch, which would’ve lifted his value and the rest is history.

“These deals have happened in the past. It’s not so easy to get them past the AFL anymore. How far it went I don’t know, but St Kilda was told it’s not going to happen.

“Adelaide have been made to look like a bit of a laughing stock this week because they were so strong and firm — it might’ve looked a bit silly, but in the end there was a bit more to this than meets the eye.”

It comes after Adelaide Crows football director and club legend Mark Ricciuto said the club failed to match the free agency offer because no rival club wanted to trade for Crouch after he’d already indicated his preference to join the Saints.

Ricciuto said St Kilda and Crouch put the Crows in an unwinnable situation.

“The reason why St Kilda went for Brad Crouch is because he’s a free agent, so they can get him for nothing,” Ricciuto said on Triple M Breakfast in Adelaide.

“So if you match the deal, two things can happen. You can match, and then trade with them if they wanna trade, and try and get their top pick, which was pick 17, so only sort of half a dozen spots higher than pick 23.

“Or they can walk away and say ‘well no, the reason we wanted him was because we were gonna get him for nothing, we don’t wanna give up our first pick for him, so you can have him’.

“And at that point, you would have Brad Crouch wanting to not want to be at Adelaide on a five-year deal, and the Crows not wanting Brad in Adelaide on a five-year deal, okay?

“So you’re in a situation you don’t wanna be, and same with Brad. We had a look around to see if any other clubs were interested... and that wasn’t the case, we couldn’t find one.”

COLLINGWOOD’S CHERRY FOR TRELOAR SUITOR

Adam Treloar.

Collingwood has reportedly let it be known that the club is prepared to pay $100,000 of Adam Treloar’s wages next year if he finds a new club.

According to The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph, Collingwood will pay Treloar to play against them in 2021 if it means removing his $4.5 million, five-year deal from the club’s books.

Treloar has reportedly informed teammates he will not represent the club next season.

According to Fox Sports’ Tom Morris, Treloar’s relationship with the club since their semi-final exit last month has deteriorated to the point of no return.

Treloar was thrown into the trade rumour mill when it was revealed his wife Kim Ravaillion would resume her netball career with the Queensland Firebirds in the Super Netball competition.

Ravaillion would also be taking the couple’s young daughter with her, sparking speculation Treloar was eyeing a move to the Brisbane Lions or Gold Coast Suns to avoid being separated from his family.

However, the 27-year-old emphatically shut down those rumours, saying he wanted to remain in the black and white jumper.

Treloar is contracted with Collingwood until the end of the 2025 season and is set to earn $900,000 in 2021, but he was reportedly left “incredibly frustrated” to learn the Pies don’t want him there next season.

The Age’s Sam McClure reported the Pies were keen to offload Treloar because they don’t believe he can perform at his peak while being based away from his wife and daughter.

Treloar is now searching for a new home, and is targeting a Victorian club in finals contention, according to Morris.