Trade talk: Crows make offer to out-of-contract Lion

The Adelaide Crows are looking to stabilise their success, with a proven finals performer in their sights for the 2026 AFL season.

Currently placed at the top of the table, the Crows’ have played out an excellent year, particularly ahead of the ball – anchored by the likes of Riley Thilthorpe, Darcy Fogarty and Taylor Walker.

However, with Walker’s contract running out at the end of this season, and given the 35-year-old is yet to re-commit to another year at the top level, the Crows aren’t wasting any time in seeking front half reinforcements to potentially slot into their fluid attacking setup.

According to SEN SA’s Kym Dillon, Adelaide are actively pushing to land the signature of a soon-to-be out of contract Lion - Callum Ah Chee.

The Crows are hoping to make Ah Chee a three-club player after 45 games at Gold Coast and 118 games and counting at Brisbane.

“You can take it as fact, from everything that I understand,” Dillon told SEN SA The Run Home.

“The Adelaide Football Club have put an offer in to Callum Ah Chee at the Brisbane Lions.

“He’s played 164 games; he was a superstar for them in (Brisbane’s) Grand Final. Out of contract, Adelaide have put quite a healthy proposal to him, so he will wait at the end of the season and it’s up to Brisbane.

“If Brisbane match it, I believe he will stay, but it’s significantly better – he’s paid unders up there at the moment – (if they don’t match) you will see him in an Adelaide jumper next year.”

The 27-year-old forward is a vital cog for the Lions, playing varied roles ahead of the ball. Ah Chee is one of six Lions to kick over 20 goals in 2025, with 22 across his 20 games this season.

Ah Chee set the finals alight in 2024, booting 10 goals in Brisbane’s four September games including four in his side’s Grand Final victory.

He started his career with the Suns in 2016 before joining the Lions in 2019.