Fremantle’s Brennan Cox is believed to be on the radar of Adelaide.
The Crows have been linked with Cox previously and it is understood that they are showing plenty of interest once again.
SEN SA Breakfast’s Andrew Hayes reported the Crows’ interest earlier this week.
“He’s absolutely gettable, he’s a Woodville-West Torrens junior,” Hayes said.
“There have been some half murmurs for a while. He would top up their backline beautifully.
“As it stands right now, Nick Murray and Jordon Butts are doing a good job, but Brennan Cox would come in and lead that defence.”
7 News Adelaide later suggested the Crows will “dangle the carrot” in front of the Dockers defender who hails from SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens.
However, Cox is contracted until 2024 which presents somewhat of a problem according to Matt Rendell.
The former AFL recruiter says Fremantle’s desire to bring in Luke Jackson from Melbourne, along with Griffin Logue’s out-of-contract status, Rory Lobb’s strong links to the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide’s interest in Gold Coast’s Izak Rankine makes the Cox situation a fascinating one.
“The really interesting thing with Freo is, maybe they’ve got to tip a few players to fit Jackson in,” Rendell said on SEN SA’s The Run Home.
“We know Lobb is going, but I would have thought Lobb would just about cover it.
“Griffin Logue isn’t contracted yet and I really like him, and Brennan Cox is contracted so this is a really interesting situation.
“If they (the Crows) can get him, great, but they’re not going to be able to get him and Rankine, I wouldn’t have thought.”
Kym Dillon suggested Adelaide’s salary cap would easily accommodate both Cox and Rankine.
“Really? They’ve got plenty of money in their cap,” he said.
Rendell doesn’t see it as an issue cap-wise, but cannot see how the Crows bring both players in from a trade viewpoint.
“Financially, not a problem, they’ll fit them both in easily,” he replied.
“They’ve got a war chest there. But how are you going to trade for him? He’s in contract.
“You’re going to lose a hell of a lot of picks for Rankine if you get him. He’s obviously the first choice.
“They (Freo) have all the cards for Cox.”
Cox, 23, has enjoyed a career-best season for the Dockers in 2022.
Melbourne forward Sam Weideman was also floated as a potential target for the Crows, but Rendell cannot work out why they would pursue him.
The Crows have seen Darcy Fogarty excel in the second half of the season and with Taylor Walker playing on and Riley Thilthorpe expected to get more opportunity, they would have no use for Weideman in the eyes of Rendell.
“It doesn’t make sense to me at all,” he said of the Demons forward.
“He is in contract as well. I think if Melbourne could find him a home, they would.
“The Crows don’t need Weideman, not with their forward line.
“We’ve seen Fogarty and how much he has improved. He’s 22 and he looks a gun.
“Thilthorpe is obviously going to come back in and Tex is going to play at least one (more year) and possibly two.”
Weideman, 25, is contracted with Melbourne until next year.
He has played 10 gmes in 2022 for a career total of 59 across seven seasons.