How texts to ex-Crow spiralled into Lions and Tigers rumours

Brodie Smith felt he was always going to be a one-club player.

The 273-gamer and 2014 All-Australian retired in September 2025 after 15 seasons with the Adelaide Crows.

Late in 2019, the Lions came knocking while Smith was under contract but he remained loyal to his hometown club.

“I had a couple of text messages back in the day with Charlie Cameron and Jarryd Lyons, who were at Brisbane at the time," Smith said on SEN SA Breakfast.

"Those text messages quickly spiralled into managers calling me, and list managers calling me. Obviously, nothing eventuated there."

Smith said those initial texts got out of hand fairly quickly, somehow linking him to a tour of Richmond.

He added: “All of a sudden that comes out and it gets into the media - I was playing golf one day and my manager called me and said, 'Are you in Melbourne touring the Richmond footy club?'

“I said 'I’m on the West Lakes golf course – what are you talking about?'

“Rumours just start to flood - because it was absolutely not true – I never went to Melbourne or any footy club.

“Once it starts to get out that potentially this guy is looking around or talking to his mates or anything like that, the rumour mill can really spiral out of control.”

The rebounding defender with the booming right boot never entertained leaving the Crows, even after the infamous 2017 Grand Final loss to Richmond.

“I wasn’t ever close to leaving,” he said.

“We went through a tough period after the 2017 Grand Final. I was going through my rehab with my knee to get back into the side.

“The clean-out happened and we went into a rebuild, but it’s not something that was ever a real thought for me even though I had Charlie and Jarryd over at the Lions.

“The way I sweat I couldn't go over to those humid conditions, that wouldn't have suited my lifestyle (he laughed).

"All my family and friends were in Adelaide, I was in a really good spot and loyalty to the football club

"They gave me an opportunity and we were about to go through a rebuild. I saw myself being a leader through those times, so that was a good opportunity for me to give back to the footy club."