Adelaide have confirmed they'll have mature, off-contract talent in their sights in the lead-up to the off-season amid trade links to Essendon's Mason Redman.
While not necessarily a move to lure the Bombers defender back home - given his ties to country town Millicent, a suburb four hours from Adelaide's CBD near the Victorian border - the Crows have emerged as a keen suitor for the hard-nosed backman in recent weeks.
Redman is listed as a restricted free agent in 2023, having last signed with the Bombers in 2021 with a two-year, taking him to his eighth season at Tullamarine and eligible to explore his options on the open market.
The South Australian, who developed his craft with Glenelg before being drafted in 2015, is one of two star players Essendon will be looking to secure to lucrative deals, with Redman's value having soared in the past two seasons to see external attention rise.
The club tipped to be leading the charge for the 25-year-old's services is Adelaide, who are aiming to refine their list further as they move into premiership contention.
Speaking to ABC SA Grandstand, Adelaide football boss Adam Kelly said the Crows will be placing a focus on mature and available talent through the next phase of their list build.
"As the list transitions and we head into the phase that we're in, consolidating and adding high-end talent, free agents become more of an attraction for us," Kelly said.
"There's no doubt we'll be looking to add to our more mature talent base, whether that be this year or next.
"That'd certainly be a focus for us if there was somebody available we can bring into the group who is going to make us better. We'll certainly entertain that.
"Free agents that are from South Australia are obviously going to be linked to the South Australian clubs."
While one eye from Adelaide's list team will be focused on potential free agency targets, the other will be set on their own off-contract talent, with defender Tom Doedee joining Redman in being among the AFL's seven restricted free agents this year.
The pair are joined by North Melbourne defender Ben McKay, Saint Jade Gresham, Giant Harry Himmelberg, Port Adelaide's Charlie Dixon and Redman's teammate Darcy Parish in falling under the same band.
Much like the Crows with Redman, rival clubs are expected to come calling for Doedee's services as he ponders his future at West Lakes, with the Victorian defender potentially of interest to clubs from his home state.
But despite Adelaide's own reported interest in looking to tweak their defence with a move for Redman, the Crows remain confident they can also land the signature of Doedee for 2024 and beyond.
Kelly expressed his confidence in Doedee's satisfaction with life in South Australia and now holds some hope that contract talks will ramp up in the second half of the year.
"What we're observing suggests that he's 100% bought into what we're doing and continues to be a really important member of our leadership group. He's loving being around the club and playing with his teammates," Kelly said of Doedee.
"Post the bye hopefully we get some progression there. It'd be nice to lock him away, but as it's a free agency market and things can drag on a little bit.
"We're hopeful that we can get something done for season's end."
The Crows will also look to commence discussions with out-of-contract veterans Taylor Walker and Rory Sloane in the coming weeks.
Adelaide were one of seven clubs that didn't partake in this week's Mid-Season Draft, having filled their list by the Supplemental Selection Period's deadline in February.
Only 13 selections were taken on Wednesday night, with GWS passing on two occasions as most clubs looked to add younger talent through a potential-coloured lens instead of recruiting prospects that could have an immediate impact.
The somewhat lacklustre outcome of the AFL's fourth Mid-Season Draft sparked further conversations on potentially looking toward a mid-year sign and trade period for clubs that would allow AFL-listed players the opportunity to move clubs midway through a campaign.
Kelly is of the belief a conversation is there to be had on the concept of a mid-season trade window, with more opportunities and benefits on offer for fringe players and clubs needing list adjustments.
"It's an interesting one and certainly one that gets a lot of discussion. I think the circumstances around it would need to be obviously agreeable to the players," he said.
"I haven't given it a lot of consideration, but I think it's certainly a conversation worth having. There'd be players right across the league who might avail themselves to an opportunity at another club if they're not getting one at the club that they're at.
"So it's a worthy conversation."
