Crows Head of Football David Noble says the Club is open to a trade or ‘bundling’ of picks to further improve its position in next month’s AFL National Draft.
Adelaide holds four picks inside the top 35 (currently Nos.9, 13, 28 and 32) in this year’s draft meet after striking a deal with Geelong for Patrick Dangerfield on the opening day of the Trade Period.
Last year, the Crows switched picks with the Cats, sliding from pick No.10 to No.14 (which was used to young defender Jake Lever) in order to move down the order in the second round.
Noble said the Club would keep an ear to the ground for any opportunities to secure an earlier pick.
“There’s elements of this (Dangerfield) deal that allows us to position ourselves for the remainder of the trade period,” Noble said.
“Clearly, at the start of this period we wanted to have three picks inside 30. We’ve now got that. Can we improve on that? I guess the bit of time (we have) now allows us to possibly execute that.
“There’s a fair bit of action still to unfold with a number of clubs. We’ve got a strong history of, we think, being able to manoeuvre our way through and get ourselves into good positions to either make further trades or improve our selections in the draft.”
On Monday, Adelaide gained pick Nos.9 and 28 and talented South Australian Dean Gore in exchange for Patrick Dangerfield and pick No.50.
Noble said a “mature approach” from both clubs had allowed the Crows to significantly better the compensation they would’ve received for losing the reigning Club Champion through Free Agency.
“We said that we wanted to construct the best deal we could,” he said.
“We could’ve ended up with nothing. We could’ve ended up with pick No.14. I think if you look at pick No.9, pick No.28 and then a talented, young fella coming in the door is clearly better than what we could’ve had.”
Noble indicated Adelaide was unlikely to bring in a high-profile recruit to ‘replace’ Dangerfield, saying the Club should be judged on the net result of the trade period.
“If you remember (what) Don Pyke (said) coming in as a new coach, it’s not about the star system,” he said.
“It’s about the collective, a learning environment and constant improvement.”
Noble confirmed Adelaide’s interest in Greater Western Sydney defender, Curtly Hampton.
“I think over the next few days, or week or so, that something might unfold there,” he said.
Noble said the Crows had spoken to dashing Collingwood half-back Paul Seedsman, but that the ANZAC Day Medallist was yet to nominate his preferred club.
Noble also told FIVEaa that Gold Coast star Harley Bennell, who has expressed a desire to join Fremantle, was not on Adelaide’s radar.
Noble indicated the Club was poised to announce contract news, possibly involving promising pair Matt Crouch and Cam Ellis-Yolmen, in the coming days.
