The Crows have confirmed their interest in Greater Western Sydney utility Shaun Edwards.
Edwards,19, has played 12 games in two seasons with GWS since being recruited as a Northern Territory zone selection in 2011.
At 189cm, 81kg, the former AIS-AFL Academy member has the capacity to play at either end of the ground and also in the midfield. He’s agile, quick and renowned for his high marking.
Edwards was limited to two games in 2013 and Adelaide General Manager of List Development and Strategy David Noble said the St Mary’s product had plenty of room for improvement given the opportunity.
“Shaun Edwards is a highly-skilled young man taken as a 17-year-old by GWS,” Noble told FIVEaa.
“As you move around the circles and watch a lot of footy, you see guys you think have got scope to develop and improve. Shaun’s certainly on our radar.”
Edwards is blessed with similar athleticism to Crows utility Ricky Henderson, whose name has also featured in trade speculation.
However, Noble reaffirmed Henderson, who still has two years to run on his contract, was a required player at West Lakes.
“Ricky Henderson is contracted, so you can bump that on the head. He’s always been a required player,” Noble said.
“We understand there have been some circumstances Ricky’s tried to work through over a number of years. Ricky enjoys our Club. He understands and respects the opportunity the Club has created for him. We’ve been very sympathetic with his scenario and, working with his manager 18 months ago, we did sign a three-year deal.
“We’ve had consistent dialogue with his manager and that’s where it stands from our point of view.”
Noble said he also expected Jarryd Lyons and Matthew Wright to be Crows in 2014.
“We understand Melbourne had a chat to Jarryd Lyons, but we’re very much in the positive that he’s staying and the same with Matty Wright,” he said.
“The inference is that because we’re being active, people think all of a sudden you’re going to throw everyone out there and see what you can gather … but it’s not our mode of operation.
“Brisbane has made several approaches in regards to a number of players (as part of a trade) for Jared Polec). There’s a list they go through and we say, ‘No’, ‘Contracted’, ‘Required’ etc. You go through that process, but the clubs also have the right to ring a player’s management and ask them directly as well. Sometimes, that’s where it (the talk) comes from.
“We’ve been very strategic and aggressive in the last two years in re-signing our players early because we think the group we’ve got is a bloody good group and going somewhere. It’s also about the trades you don’t do to ensure your group stays together.”
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