Lucifers Hero

WOW! No way Lever would stay at Crows after that. Not happy campers going into the GF. That mood may have contributed to the reported infighting during the second quarter and their lack of effort. Shame the team didn't play as well as Lever did - they might have a Premiership Cup.

We have had some honest dealings with GCS before so that isn't beyond imaginings. They were in the pick trades that helped us get Weideman and Oliver. That is a nice rumour to spread. Keeps Adelaide on their toes: Crows take 10 and 27 or get zip. Poker anyone...

Fascinating that he said the club has had no feedback from Adelaide on that offer. Not only did they reportedly walk out of the initial meeting, weeks later they have not responded. Very disrespectful and unprofessional. Mahoney said the trade offer stacks up well compared to other players. He specifically mentioned Tom Mitchell, Charlie Dixon, Jaegar O'meara and Jake Carlisle. Adelaide are trying to paint a picture that he is coming back for the money but other clubs have offered more. Very disrespectful to Jake. Last year GCS waited to 9 minutes to trade cut off time to agree to O'meara trade which forced Hawks to make some crazy pick trades which left StK with their 1st 2018 pick etc. Lets just hope it doesn't come to that for us. I would think if it drags out with no resolution the AFL will arbitrate. As an aside SEN reported that when Jake rang his teammates with his decision some senior players reacted poorly and Tex told him in no uncertain terms what he thought. Edit: They also reported that the Crows initial offer to Jake was around $300k and their final offer was around $550K. Somehow they are surprised when he decides to leave come out with 'fake outrage'. They are clearly smarting from their GF loss and are playing a hardball game in the media over Jake.

What a terrible and contemptuous way to negotiate, not. It was a decent opening offer and they just up and leave! Bizzare. Burton sounded like a real dropkick on Trade Radio today. He was asked if other clubs had offered the Crows a similar trade as mfc has. He dodged the question and said something like 'he didn't want to discuss that as it wouldn't be helpful to the negotiations.' It makes me wonder if no other interested club has bettered mfc's offer. Burton had better get his priorities sorted and get back to the negotiating table.

I suspect that comment was not as accidental as it sounded. Thought it a nice counter move to Burton's irreverent comment: "Crows will deal with the 10 Vic clubs...it is irrelevant to us where he wants to go..." Lever just raised the stakes for the Crows - he is probably as good at Poker as he is at football.

He sounds a compassionate and thoughtful young man. He genuinely looked happy when talking of joining the Dees. Will be a terrific asset for us on and off the field. Should also go well with sponsors - quite articulate.

And in the next breath he invites other clubs to bid for him!!!! They are not happy and are really going to play hard ball. Posturing. They are determined to get those two 1st round picks from the Demons!!. Crikey! Now the club will be embroiled in two public stoushes over player trades.

The same Wayne Campbell that captained Richmond 2001 to 2004? Out of interest, how do you know what instructions were given to the teams...

We are not known for playing hardball when it comes to trades. I like that we play fair but many other clubs don't. A bit rich of Adelaide to not pay the price for Gibbs last year. And now dig their heels in when the trade is the other way. Adelaide are stubborn not as bad as Ess stubborn but getting close. With Coll seemingly wanting to offer Adelaide more than us (which I think is just posturing with little intent, if even true) may force our hand to trade more value than we would like. I guess it may come down to whether we have other trades rely on the Lever being done early. If not we can wait and see who blinks first.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-10-02/trade-winds-spoiler-in-dees-lever-swoop Collingwood is poised to be a "spoiler" in the race for the star backman. Adelaide wants two first-round selections for the 21-year-old and the Magpies might be prepared to offer that up earlier than the Demons do". No mention of Lever's preference or discussions with his management. I believe the posters here who have said he will come to the Demons and I can't imagine his management entertaining offers at this late stage. So, Coll are playing games? Maybe force our hand to give Adelaide 'overs' and then we have less trade currency for other moves? Don't trust them at Victoria Park.

Thanks for the info. Wondering how it can only be 6. Goodwin said earlier this year that Roos had allowed him to be involved in and make list management decisions since arriving end of 2014. (In 2016 Roos was well and truly gone by trade/draft time). So how can we only have 6 on the list if a decent part of the list have been selected by the current Football Department including Goodwin...

Crikey, if Hogan is not an 'untradeable' it must be a very, very short list - like about 3 players on it. While I get the principle that any player is tradeable for the right deal, it suggests the club doesn't think too much of our list. And if Hogan went even for top dollar it would be like starting a mini list rebuild again. Scary thought!

Hird is about to present the Norm Smith medal and the AFL are desperately hoping everyone has forgotten the saga and does not boo him. Dank just put the whole thing front and center. Let the booing begin...

I think some convenient reporting is happening to create headlines and stories. From my reading the sequence has been: circa $300k was reportedly Crows opening offer early in 2017 - probably their 'strict formula' for a 3rd year player. Who knows if it increased during early negotiations. He put off talks to see what the CBA looked like. In the meantime other clubs came in, with WB reportedly set to offer $800-850k. CBA done and clubs were given a $2m sal cap windfall to spread around. I recall reading the Crows then offered $600-$650K. CBA done but now Lever decides to wait till the end of the season. Lever made the AA squad after the Crows' reported offer of $600-$650k. At some stage MFC joined in. The figure I saw reported a few weeks ago in The Age was MFC's offer of$750k+. With the AA gong it makes sense the Crows would revisit their offer. So do the Crows need to pay >$900k Warner says MFC have offered? (btw Warner's doesn't have a good track record for accuracy, headlines are more his thing). Conventional wisdom is that players will stay at a club for less than other offers. I guess it depends how much he wants to get back to Vic. Nonetheless, I doubt the Crows will let him go without another try to keep him. Sorry response is a bit lengthy but thought I would use your question to summarise happenings, as per my interpretation of events and reports.

The deal is not done yet: "...Michael Warner told On the Couch:...“Five years, $900,000 a season,” he revealed to gasps from panel members Jonathan Brown and Jason Dunstall...The Crows will come after the Grand Final pretty hard and I think they’ve got some more money to offer.” TBH, I don't give a lot of credence to anything Warner says/writes. But I wouldn't be surprised if the Crows open their cheque books for Lever. But Lever seems a genuine kid so if he says he is leaving he is leaving. It would be really disappointing if he/his manager have used us as a bargaining chip, as his team mate Tom Lynch did two years ago.

My bad - I have confused the names. Thanks. Jake Kelly is son of Craig Kelly - Collingwood great. For some reason Collingwood didn't take him as a father/son and slipped thru to the Crows as a rookie. I bet they are sorry now. He is proving a real asset to the Crows and will cover the loss of Lever - they even look alike when they play...

They have already trained Jake Kelly to do the job - did fine when Lever was out injured. They got Kelly for zip as a B Rookie - I think he was an elite cricketer and a few clubs were after him. Yes they will miss Lever a little bit but they won't be crying about the trade.

Jay Clark's take on the horse trading for Leve rhttp://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/jake-lever-is-out-of-contract-so-melbourne-has-upper-hand-in-bid-to-land-adelaide-defender/news-story/77de2b236f1a797b08d5fb5016b1abee The deal sounds quite fair: "The deal will be five years at least on about $750,000 a year, instantly making him one of the top three of four paid players at Melbourne, and he’s exactly what Simon Goodwin’s men need to help jump into the top four...But they aren’t parting with two-first round choices without something else coming back and need only look back one year ago when the Crows refused to part with a pair of aces for Carlton’s Bryce Gibbs for some affirmation". He goes on to say that because Lever (unlike Gibbs) is out of contract mfc hold the upper hand and outlines some trade scenarios. On the down side he thinks it could go down to the 11th hour. I had thought both clubs would want it over and done with and move on to other deals. Adelaide have shown they can play hardball. Just hope we hold our nerve even if it does drag out.

An ambitious opening ambit! They selected him @ pick #38 ie late 2nd round/low 3rd round, has played a handful of games in two years and has application issues. Hard to argue he is worth a pick better than around #40. If mfc agree to more than what Freo gave up for him we have rocks in our heads. He is no Hibberd or Melksham to go for a mid/late 20 pick.

Probably just a 'real' rumour ie its true that a club has inquired but doesn't eventuate. There are probably dozens of those made by each club every year - most inquiries go nowhere.

Mentioned as a hypothetical perhaps but where has MFC's interest been noted or reported?

The Age is reporting we are interested in Harley: "Melbourne are believed to have shown interest in Fremantle youngster Harley Balic, who is eyeing a move to a Victorian club after two seasons with the Dockers. The 20-year-old spent extended periods on leave from Fremantle this year as he dealt with personal issues. The Demons are remaining tight-lipped on the matter". Who knows how accurate that is! Demons are saying nothing (and I like that). I don't usually try and imagine trades but if the report is true might we trade Kent for him?

Something has gone terribly wrong with our salary cap management if we need to give up our only silky players to fit in Lever, given we have a $2m windfall (and having Lumumba off our books). Grain of salt needed - make that a kilo!

You misunderstand. I was giving you credit for being on the money.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/adelaide-tells-melbourne-it-wants-two-firstround-draft-picks-for-talented-defender-jake-lever/news-story/dbe7542425f46d6e0852f5b44c034fce From the article: "ADELAIDE ... want two first-round draft picks ...if he seeks a trade back to Victoria". "Some observers, however — and it is safe to say Melbourne will agree — argue that Lever isn’t worth two first-round choices". "Another option ...would be to give up two first round picks and receive a decent pick back, or to give up a first rounder and then swap picks". That is pretty much as @Judd's Granny describes. The article also says that Coll has dropped out of the race. If a trade doesn't involve a third club there is a fair chance it will be done early in the trade period which starts on October 9 (if he decides to come to us). I'm starting to get my hopes up!