Adelaide midfielder Brad Crouch wished to get out of the club so desperately in the trade period that he “significantly” lowered his asking price with the Gold Coast Suns.
Sam McClure revealed on SEN’s Time On that Crouch went to the Suns late in the trade period and was willing to sign on a deal much cheaper than what was initially reported.
“Brad Crouch was so desperate to get out of Adelaide that on the final weekend before the trade period finished, he approached through his management, the Suns and lowered his asking price,” McClure told SEN’s Time On.
“Initially once the Suns were interested, Crouch had asked for a six-year deal at just shy of $1 million per year.
“That contract went all the way to the Gold Coast board and they knocked it back. They said they couldn’t justify to their members spending that sort of money on Brad Crouch.
“So the deal was dead in the water until Crouch and his management on the final weekend before the trade period finished went back to the Suns hat in hand and lowered their asking price significantly.
“We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars per year difference.
“That is how much he wanted to get out of Adelaide and that’s how much he wanted a long-term six-year deal.
“But it didn’t happen. It was too late and the Suns weren’t willing to declare with three days left of trade period that Crouch requested a move to the Suns, knowing the reigning best and fairest who had a year left to run on his contract would designate that Adelaide would ask for pick one or pick two.
“The Suns had already committed to Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson at one and two. They were trying to get pick nine as part of the move that would see Jack Martin join Carlton, but the Joe Daniher deal fell through, which meant the Tom Papley move fell through, which meant Martin fell through.
“We know that Adelaide has been through a lot and they’ve seen a mini exodus of players leave … now we know their reigning best and fairest tried to leave for the AFL’s worst performed club not once, but twice.”
McClure added that Crouch’s manager went to St Kilda earlier in the year in a similar vein.
“This wasn’t the first time that Brad tried to leave Adelaide. In May, his management approached St Kilda about a long-term move,” he said.
“The Saints, like the Suns, were interested until his asking price of more than $900,000 per year.”