After a promising start to their 2025 campaign, the Adelaide Crows have found themselves in pretty good stead, while simultaneously keen to take the next step to propel them into a powerhouse of the league.
They have a neat young core that includes players like Dan Curtin, Josh Rachele and Riley Thilthorpe, and while they continue to grow, some structural gaps and position bolstering would be handy to take care of.
With several South Australians coming out of contract or wanting a move home, it could be the perfect time for the Crows to look to the trade table and add some depth and polish to their already strong roster.
Here are five players Adelaide could look to target this off-season.
1Sam Draper
Draper is one of the more high-profile names coming out of contract at the end of this season, and being a South Australian native, his name has been floated as a potential target for the Crows.
The rumours of Draper's move to Adelaide coincide with reports that the Crows have low-balled veteran ruck Riley O'Brien, who will also be out of contract at season's end. The disappointing offer that was tabled to O'Brien could suggest that the Crows are preparing to make a serious move for the current Essendon ruck.
The addition of Draper would inject a different game style into an Adelaide team that has had O'Brien as their number one ruckman since 2019. Each player sits at a different end of the rucking spectrum, with O'Brien a lumbering tap ruckman and Draper a much more athletic and agile player who will cover the ground a lot faster.
Draper, unfortunately, ruptured his Achilles tendon in Round 5, causing him to sit out the remainder of the season. So whichever team he is playing for in 2026 will be taking a risk on his current form and ability to stay healthy.
