Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Adelaide Crows list boss Jarryd Roughead has made it clear that the team couldn’t afford to lose a second key defender, hence why they didn’t trade Nick Murray to North Melbourne.
Murray was under contract and with Jordan Butts moving to Western Bulldogs as an unrestricted free agent, the Crows did not think they could replace two key defenders before they chase a premiership in 2027.
“North had a crack and to their credit they kept coming back to us until time ran out,” Roughead said.
“We are in a win now phase and losing two key defenders, that would test our depth and if we are in a win now phase, why would be give away two key defenders.”
Roughead said he had continued to speak with Murray throughout the trade period and had made it clear that it could end with him remaining at the Crows.
He also backed the club to continue to develop players already on the list and he hopes to add more talent via the draft next month.
Hawthorn list boss Mark McKenzie left Marvel Stadium tonight a satisfied man after the Hawks secured Ben King and Zach Merrett, plus ex-Roo Josh Goater, in the past fortnight.
After losing a pulsating preliminary final to Brisbane this year, Hawthorn appear better placed to push for a premiership next year.
“We had two main priorities [in the trade period]: one, bringing in some high-end talent, and two, trying to maintain and protect our draft capital that we have, whether for this year or the next couple of years, so we feel like we’ve done that,” McKenzie said.
Essendon list boss Matt Rosa knows the Keidean Coleman trade went down to the wire, but he is very happy to bring the Brisbane Lions running defender to the Dons.
The Dons managed to make a deal in the final minutes.
“He was really keen to get to the football club and we know he is going to bring a lot of excitement,” Rosa said.
“He wanted to play in the big games and we have a proud indigenous history at the club and he was really keen to add to it.
“We were working hard and it was quite tense. Kiddy’s manager, he was also working hard and we felt reasonably confident we could get a deal done in that last half hour.
“We are very grateful we got there.”
Western Bulldogs player acquisition and strategy manager Michael Regan has told the GWS Giants and anyone else in the AFL that Tim English is not available for a trade.
English wife, Australian netballer Rudi Ellis, has signed a multi-year deal with NSW Swifts and GWS Giants football boss Jason McCartney intimated earlier in the night that his club would be chasing English again next year.
Regan, with McCartney watching from behind the media pack, made it clear that English was under contract and wouldn’t be traded.
“You can keep knocking Jason, we won’t be answering,” Regan said in McCartney’s direction.
Regan reiterated that the Bulldogs would help English and Ellis have as much time together as they could during the season.
“Tim and Rudi have lived that life before and we as a club , we’re certainly in a position to be able to be flexible with our players on a number of levels and make sure they are able to balance their working life.”
North Melbourne and Adelaide could not agree a deal for key defender Nick Murray.
As a result, Murray will remain with the Crows in 2027 and North will have to look elsewhere for a key defender.
It’s worth remembering with the Coleman trade that Essendon still stands to get a pick at the end of the first round.
From this year, the bottom five clubs (who have kept their pick and not traded it) receive a compensation pick at the end of the first round if a father-son or academy player has a bid matched in the first five selections.
The end-of-first-round pick for Essendon will be an early 20s pick.
The Bombers have finally secured Keidean Coleman after agreeing to deal picks No.21 and 27 and getting Coleman and pick 25 back from the Lions.
Keidean Coleman is finally heading to the Bombers.
Essendon have secured Coleman after agreeing to include pick No.21 into the deal. They slide from 21 and 27 and get 25 and Coleman from the Lions.
Josh Goater is a Hawk.
Hawthorn sent Port Adelaide’s 2027 third-round pick to North Melbourne for the uncontracted defender.
That was the pick the Hawks received for trading Finn Maginness to the Bulldogs in last week’s five-club mega deal.
Will McLachlan becomes a Demon for pick No.45.
The Brisbane Lions and Melbourne had haggled for days, but that selection was an improvement on previous negotiations.
That No.45 selection came in the package the Demons received from West Coast for Trent Rivers and Jack Viney.
