ADELAIDE coach Don Pyke is adamant the ongoing speculation about star midfielder Rory Sloane won't be a distraction.
Sloane is a free agent at the end of this season, sparking talk the dual club champion and 2016 All Australian vice-captain could be lured to a Victorian club.
Pyke – who put pen to paper on a three-year extension until the end of 2021 on Wednesday – expects plenty of outside noise until Sloane decides one way or the other.
"It's going to be similar until Rory signs, I imagine, there's going to be this interest," Pyke said.
"Our guys have gone through this a few times now.
"Knowing Rory, he'll avoid any unwanted attention on himself.
"That's not his personality."
Asked directly if he thought it could be a distraction for his side, Pyke said, "No, I don't think so.
"I know the quality of the bloke, that's why I'm very confident."
Senior Coach Don Pyke has committed his long-term future to the Club https://t.co/HkMbn0mlYY #weflyasone pic.twitter.com/KSpupkZl0G
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) January 24, 2018
The Crows went through a similar situation last year before defender Jake Lever requested a trade to Melbourne at the end of the season.
Sloane headlines a group of players including All Australian defender Rory Laird, forward Tom Lynch and injured half-back flanker Brodie Smith who are out of contract at the end of the year.
Pyke wasn't concerned if those players were unsigned by the start of the season.
"Ideally (they've signed), but each negotiation is unique in itself and the dynamic of how the players negotiate contracts, that's something we continue to work on as a club as how do we go about our re-contracting," Pyke said.
"The uniqueness of every situation means those things can take two weeks, they can take longer.
"That's just the nature of negotiation."
The Crows have recently re-signed club champion Matt Crouch, Rory Atkins and Jordan Gallucci.