Young Crow Jarryd Lyons remains unsigned at Adelaide — and has offers elsewhere in AFL trade market

JARRYD Lyons has left his new contract offer at the Adelaide Football Club unsigned — and the Crows on Monday will learn how keen rival AFL clubs, in particular Gold Coast, are on the midfielder.

Jarryd Lyons reacts after kicking a goal at Adelaide Oval. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

JARRYD LYONS has left his new contract offer at the Adelaide Football Club unsigned — and the Crows on Monday will learn how keen rival AFL clubs, in particular Gold Coast, are on the fast-developing midfielder.

Lyons — and his management team, led by former Essendon player Scott Lucas — is said to consider Adelaide’s offer inferior to the value placed on the 24-year-old midfielder by rival AFL clubs.

The Crows on Monday — when trade talks open at Etihad Stadium — will learn how many AFL clubs are prepared to meet Lyons’ asking price and their trade position with Adelaide.

Lyons was a fourth-round pick (No. 61) in the 2010 AFL national draft. He has played 55 AFL games in five years at Adelaide, including a career-high 20 this season.

Lyons is considered a “required” player at Adelaide — as highlighted by the Crows’ putting a contract before him, even if it is less than he wanted. He was one of the shining lights of Adelaide’s stellar year, particularly in the first half of the season.

TRADE NEWS: THOMPSON TO START COACHING TRANSITION

Adelaide will enter the trade talks at Etihad Stadium on Monday holding first-round draft pick No. 13 — and eager to gain a second-round call after last year handing up No. 31 for half-back Curtly Hampton to Greater Western Sydney.

Adelaide’s trade plays will depend on interest for:

Utility RICKY HENDERSON, an unrestricted free agent who is expected to draw suitors. The Crows are better off letting the 28-year-old Victorian walk as a free agent — and, provided his new club puts a significant contract to Henderson, collect the compensation draft pick.

Contracted midfielder CAM ELLIS-YOLMEN who is seeking the chance to play regular football after managing just two AFL games this season.

Left-footed, inside midfielder MITCH GRIGG who was a second-round draft pick (No. 41) but now seems excess to needs at West Lakes as Adelaide rethinks the make-up of its midfield battery, particularly as the need for speed.

Lyons. Picture: Sarah Reed.

Adelaide is closer to finalising a deal with veteran midfielder Scott Thompson to keep him on the player list for his 17th AFL season — and to add him to Don Pyke’s coaching panel.

Thompson’s manager Michael Doughty Thursday confirmed Thompson was ready to sign a new deal that combines playing and coaching roles at West Lakes.

Thompson has settled — Pyke on Monday — his adjustment from first-choice midfielder to role player at Adelaide while starting his coaching apprenticeship.

Doughty expects Adelaide and Thompson to settle on a contract either today or tomorrow.

“It will be a little different for ‘Thommo’ — in some capacity he will be playing and the role will have coaching to it as well,” Doughty said. “He won’t be guaranteed his spot in the 22 — and ‘Thommo’ is aware other players have to be given opportunities. But Scott will be there to drive (playing and training) standards.

“And he also will move on to the next stage — coaching.”

Thompson played his 300th AFL game this year. He will now start his 17th AFL season in a 307-game career that began at Melbourne.

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Originally published as Young Crow Jarryd Lyons remains unsigned at Adelaide — and has offers elsewhere in AFL trade market