‘This is a destination club’: Crows coach eyes active trade period

A cashed-up Adelaide will be an active AFL trade player but won’t set it sights exclusively on South Australians, coach Matthew Nicks says.

The Crows finish their season with the deadest of rubbers on Sunday: a clash with North Melbourne at the Adelaide Oval.

The 17th-placed Crows could jump a spot to 16th with a win while the Kangaroos collect the wooden spoon regardless of the result.

Both clubs will immediately turn their focus to bolstering their playing lists.

“It’s important to understand that it doesn’t just happen, you just don’t acquire players from other clubs because you want them,” Nicks said.

“You have got to put a case up in front of them that shows them that we’re on the right track and this is a destination club.

(Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“That is our challenge at the moment… being able to show them exactly what it is we’re building.

“Some of that comes with the way we perform on-field and I’d hope they have been able to look over the last few weeks, or the season really as a whole, and look to the DNA we’re putting out there.

“The other part of it all is who is available and what players are looking for different opportunities.

“It’s always the challenge throughout this acquisition or trade period, but we are as every club is, we’re active in this space and we’re always looking to improve.”

The Crows, with fresh salary cap space after moving on veterans Daniel Talia and Tom Lynch, have been linked with Sydney’s Dylan Stephens.

The 20-year-old South Australian, pick five at the 2019 draft, has played a dozen games but falls off-contract at season’s end though Nicks said Adelaide’s flavour won’t necessarily be local.

“We would like to be a club that gets the best possible players to the football club that help us win,” he said.

“Ultimately we are here to win a premiership so it doesn’t matter what state you come from.

“But if you’re talking about attracting people to South Australia and to the Adelaide Football Club, it does help when someone is from South Australia and they understand how beautiful the state is and what Adelaide offers.”