Mark Ricciuto Explains Why Adelaide Didn’t Match St Kilda’s Brad Crouch Offer

Adelaide board member Mark Ricciuto explained why the Crows didn’t match St Kilda’s offer to Brad Crouch on Roo & Ditts for Breakfast this morning.

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"In the end, Ditts, the list management committee didn’t think the risk was worth the reward," Roo said.

"The offer that St Kilda put in for Brad Crouch, which is a five year deal, four years and a trigger, and it’s a certain band where the AFL gives you a pick at the start of the second round, so it wasn’t high enough to get to pick 2, so they awarded pick 23.

"The reason why St Kilda went for Brad Crouch is that he’s a free agent, so they can get him for nothing.

"So if you match the deal, two things can happen: you can match, and then trade with them if they wanna trade, and try and get their top pick, which was pick 17, so only sort of half a dozen spots higher than pick 23.

"Or, they can walk away and say no, the reason we wanted him was because we were gonna get him for nothing, we don’t wanna give up our first pick for him, so you can have him.

"And at that point, you would have Brad Crouch wanting to not want to be at Adelaide on a five year deal, and the Crows not wanting Brad in Adelaide on a five year deal, ok?

"So you’re in a situation you don’t wanna be, and same with Brad.

"So we had a look around to see if any other clubs were interested, if that did happen, and see if you could trade Brad to another club, and that wasn’t the case, we couldn’t find one.

"So in the end, six picks difference from 23 to perhaps St Kilda’s first round pick, so it’s not a lot of difference in picks… we think Brad’s worth a lot more than 23, y’know, most people in the industry would say he’s worth a late first round pick, which St Kilda has got, but it’s up to St Kilda if they wanna negotiate."

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