ADELAIDE superstar Andrew McLeod says Ben Hudson’s decision to walk out onthe club after just four years is “disheartening” for the playing group.

Hudson told the Crows he would seek a trade, preferably to the WesternBulldogs, during the player exchange period which begins on Monday.

The 28-year-old led Adelaide’s ruck department this season in theabsence of injured big man Rhett Biglands and finished sixth in the Crows’ ClubChampion award.

Adelaide plucked Hudsonfrom obscurity as a 25-year-old playing for Werribee in the VFL and supportedhim through his year-long recovery from a full knee reconstruction.

Hudson, who cited contractual negotiationsas his reason for leaving, was a noticeable absentee from Friday night’scelebrations and joins fellow ruckman John Meesen in departing West Lakes.

“Ben’s been very good for us, especiallywhen Rhett [Biglands] went down. He carried the ruck this year and it’s goingto be tough to fill his shoes,” McLeod said.

“It’s not just the ruck contest that standsout, it’s his [Hudson’s]second efforts too. He was up there in the league for hardball-gets and that’ssomething that’s a bonus when you have a ruckman of his calibre.

“Meese [Meesen] only played one game buthe’s a quality young person and to lose quality people like he and Ben is a bitdisheartening for you, but hopefully we can pick some other players up.”

The Crows will be hoping to receive a tradefor their lead ruckman and Meesen, a former top-10 draft pick, but if only oneclub shows interest in the services of each player, Adelaide could lose both without anycompensation.

The walkout also puts immense pressure onBiglands, who is yet to play a game since injuring his knee in the preliminaryfinal of 2006, and developing youngsters Jon Griffin and Ivan Maric.

“Hopefully we can get Rhett back playingsome good footy for us and Jon Griffin keeps developing,” McLeod said.

“We’d love for Ivan [Maric] to step up andcontinue his development, and Kurt Tippett, who was limited because ofinjuries. It’s a good challenge for our club’s development and something welook forward to.”