Key figures within the Adelaide Crows are hoping Matt Crouch will stay at the club and fight to win his spot back, according to SEN SA’s Kym Dillon.
Crouch endured his most difficult season in 2022 since being drafted almost a decade ago, dropped on numerous occasions and struggling for form at times.
He’s contracted for 2023 but has reportedly been told he will not be contracted beyond that, meaning a trade away from West Lakes could be on the table.
But Dillon reports there is currently little interest from rival clubs to secure the 27-year-old midfielder.
“I’m hearing there’s not a lot of confidence he will go to another club,” he said on SEN SA’s The Run Home.
“But a number of powerbrokers within the Adelaide Football Club genuinely want him to stay. This is at odds with how he’s been treated… they want him to battle it out.
“They couldn’t sell (that ideology) to me. I said, ‘well, 42 touches every week in the SANFL is not trying to battle it out’? It’s pointless banging your head against the wall if you’re not part of the coach’s plans.”
Crouch featured in the SANFL eight times in 2022 to average 36.9 disposals, 8.0 clearances and 4.1 inside 50s a game.
Despite another bottom four finish, the 2022 trade period shapes as a relatively quiet one for the Crows. Gold Coast sensation Izak Rankine has nominated Adelaide in a trade request, while Billy Frampton – who is expected to find his way to Collingwood – and Crouch appear the most likely to depart the club.
Dillon believes it’s because the Crows have something big planned for the coming years, even suggesting the club has massively front-ended Rankine’s contract if he is to join the club.
“I still believe (Crouch will move clubs), but apparently there is not a lot of activity around him at the moment, but why would there be at this stage? It’ll come at the 11th hour. I hope he goes to another club,” Dillon continued.
“I don’t think there’s going to be much action coming with Adelaide at all, I think there’s a bigger picture here.
“I’m hearing there’s not really going to be anything apart from Izak Rankine.”
The Run Home SA co-host Michelangelo Rucci has previously reported the Crows will make Rankine the highest-paid player at the club if his trade request is successful.