Lions race to finish Martin deal

Fremantle ruckman Jonathon Griffin battles with Melbourne's Stefan Martin. Brisbane is pushing to complete a deal for Martin. Picture: George Salpigtidis. Source: Herald Sun

BRISBANE is racing against the clock to get a deal done for Melbourne ruckman/forward Stefan Martin with the AFL trade period set to expire tomorrow.

Martin met with Lions officials at the Gabba on Tuesday and is understood to be keen to head to Queensland, but he has one year left on his contract with the Demons.

Brisbane hold picks eight, 24, 33, 53, 73 and 91 at next month's national draft.

Melbourne want selection no.33 in exchange for Martin but Brisbane are unlikely to part with a pick that high.

The club's next pick at no.53 is also unlikely to satisfy the Demons meaning the two teams will have to hammer out a compromise in the dying stages of the trade period to deliver the 26-year-old key position prospect to Brisbane.

Brisbane and Gold Coast will start their 2013 NAB Cup campaigns against powerhouse Hawthorn at Metricon Stadium on February 23.

The Lions and Suns will take on the 2012 grand finalists and each other in the abbreviated two-quarter, triple-header format before travelling far and wide for the next two weeks of the pre-season competition when teams revert to full length games.

The Gold Coast will play North Melbourne in Townsville on March 2 while Brisbane will face GWS in Wagga on the same day.

The Suns will meet reigning premier Sydney in Blacktown on March 9 when the Lions travel to Melbourne to take on Collingwood at Etihad Stadium.

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North awaits Hansen finding

North Melbourne is still waiting for the AFL's finding into the Lachie Hansen concussion case. Picture: Darren Tindale Source: Herald Sun

NORTH Melbourne will find out if it has a case to answer when the AFL delivers its findings into Lachlan Hansen's concussion case early next week.

The case has caused friction between Andrew Demetriou and his old club, with the AFL chief alleging the Kangaroos were trying to "intimidate" his investigators.

North has also been frustrated at the length of the 10-week investigation, and is keen for team doctor Andy McMahon to have his name cleared.

It is understood AFL integrity officer Brett Clothier and AFL football operations boss Adrian Anderson will meet North football manager Donald McDonald and acting chief executive Cameron Vale early next week.

Hansen returned to the ground in Round 20 after suffering a blow to the head, with teammate Drew Petrie later saying he had seen Hansen vomiting at halftime.

But the Roos do not believe they have a case to answer, and are adamant that McMahon followed AFL protocols to the letter.

The AFL, at one stage, expressed disappointment at least one club official was proving elusive despite being summoned for interviews with Clothier.

Former Melbourne Storm doctor McMahon retained legal counsel before meeting with investigators, given the severity of the allegations.

There is a maximum fine of $20,000 under concussion regulations brought in at the start of the 2011 season.

The AFL grew interested in Hansen's return to the field after Petrie's comments, but Petrie later clarified his radio interview.

Petrie told the AFL in September it needed to "tidy up their investigation and get on with it," which drew a furious reaction from Demetriou.

"I'd just caution, Drew. This is an ongoing, serious investigation," Demetriou replied.
 

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Tippett deal 'on'

It has been a saga but Kurt Tippett could still become a Swan despite contract probe. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

THE AFL will not be rushed into completing the Kurt Tippett investigation, despite tomorrow's 2pm trade deadline.

Talks between Adelaide and Sydney have stalled amid the uncertainty, but the AFL last night was adamant the probe would be open-ended.

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said investigators Ken Wood and Brett Clothier would take as long as required to get to the bottom of the issue.

The Crows, Tippett and his manager Peter Blucher face sanctions over an alleged written arrangement to guarantee the player easy passage to the club of his choice in return for a second-round draft pick.

AFL clubs and managers lodging contracts must also sign statutory declarations that there are no other agreements in place.

It is likely the Crows will at least be fined and, once the AFL probe is completed, the agents' governing body is almost certain to investigate whether Blucher acted inappropriately.

The Crows last night broke their silence, with chairman Rob Chapman declaring the club had not intended to break AFL rules.

"We have a history of compliance, no record of any misdemeanours," Chapman said.

"We have nothing to hide - and we have opened all the books to the AFL without condition.

"I can give a gold-plated commitment the AFL will find nothing.

"But if we have now got this wrong, we need to know before the trade is done ... and we will have to abide by any penalty."

He could not answer why the club  or the AFL  had not put up the Tippett agreement for review earlier.

While Blucher and Adelaide faced trouble for their conduct, rival clubs did not believe the issue constituted "draft tampering".

It is unlikely Adelaide will be stripped of draft picks, its cause helped by the fact it put up its hand.

Because there is no AFL injunction, Sydney and Adelaide might still seal a deal.

Sydney was last night waiting to hear from the AFL, believing it could get its man by offering pick 23 and Jesse White.

There was speculation the Swans could come up with a more "commercial" deal to satisfy the AFL.

It is understood some senior members of the Adelaide camp were not aware of the "agreement" until late last week, but felt the need to confess to the AFL when all of the facts were known.

AFL player rules prohibit any "entering into, making or being a party to any agreement, arrangement, understanding, promise or undertaking, whether express or implied and whether or not enforceable or intended to be enforceable, or entering into or carrying out any scheme, plan, proposal, action, course of action or course of conduct that hinders, interferes or prejudices with the natural operation of the draft".

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Three-way deal hits snag

Could the Brisbane Lions be going cold on Stefan Martin? Source: Herald Sun

A THREE-WAY deal delivering Stefan Martin, Ben Jacobs and Cameron Pedersen to their clubs of choice has been stalled by Brisbane's cold feet and Melbourne's meagre compensation selection.

Brisbane's reluctance to part with pick 33 for Demon utility Martin is the latest snag as Friday's 2pm deadline looms.

The potential deal could have seen Martin traded to Brisbane for 33, which the Demons could have given to the Roos for Pedersen, who could have on-traded it in the deal for homesick Port player Jacobs.

It loomed as the most likely deal to solve the trade impasse, but despite hosting Martin this week Brisbane does not believe he is worth that selection.

Melbourne had hoped even without the three-club traded it could have used its compensation deal to lure Pedersen.

Melbourne's compensation selection for Brent Moloney and Jared Rivers is only 49, which the Roos know is not enough for them to use to get Jacobs.

The Demons' next pick is 49, because they have already committed pick 27 to father-son pick Jack Viney.

Even if Melbourne would accept 49 for Pedersen, the Power want much more for Jacobs.

Port Adelaide wants North Melbourne's pick 15 for Jacobs given he was a former No.16 selection, but North won't give that up.

Melbourne also wants contracted midfielder Farren Ray, but St Kilda might have to decide if it will accept a late pick from the Demons as they have little else to give.

Meanwhile rival clubs seem to have gone cold on Hawthorn defender Stephen Gilham, which means the Hawks will face a difficult decision on the uncontracted defender.

GWS and Port Adelaide had been linked but neither has been in recent contact with Hawthorn about a trade. St Kilda, looking for a key defender, has already passed on Gilham.

Hawthorn defender Tom Murphy has already gone to the Gold Coast, but the Hawks so far have been non-committal about whether they would offer him another contract.

In a deal finalised yesterday, Koby Stevens is officially a Western Bulldog after his new club and West Coast struck an agreement clearing the midfielder's path to the Whitten Oval.

The Eagles yesterday accepted the Dogs' pick No.44 for the 21-year-old, who played only 11 games in three years at Subiaco Oval.
 

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Eagles swoop on Dee Morton

Could Cale Morton be West Coast bound? Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

WEST Coast has turned its attention to securing Melbourne wingman Cale Morton.

Morton, 22, flew to Perth yesterday for a medical and to talk to coach John Worsfold about returning to Western Australia.

Morton is contracted to the Demons for another season, but is believed to be open to a fresh start after falling out of favour with coach Mark Neeld last season.

One of West Coast's third-round selections (No.61 or No.62) could swing the deal for the Dees.

While the Eagles have made no promises, they are intent on recruiting a mature-age ball-carrier to help cover the loss of onballer Koby Stevens, who moved to the Western Bulldogs yesterday.

Stevens' move follows the sudden retirement of Tom Swift and Brad Ebert's exit to Port Adelaide last year, creating a void in West Coast's midfield stocks.

Morton's fate could hinge on West Coast's bid to poach homesick St Kilda defender Jamie Cripps.

West Coast wants Cripps, but is unwilling to part with key defender Mitch Brown in a trade for the young flanker.

Speculation was mounting last night that Essendon could be involved as part of a three-way trade.

In that scenario, the Bombers would send backman Cale Hooker to the Saints, who are in need of defensive reinforcement.

It is unclear whether Morton is in Neeld's plans for next season, with the Dees interested in Saint Farren Ray.

Morton, a No.4 pick in the 2007 national draft, played 40 games and averaged 20 possessions a match in his first two seasons under former coach Dean Bailey.

But injuries, including medial and posterior ligament problems, have interrupted his past three seasons. Morton played only nine games last season.
 

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Crows may have breached salary cap

The Adelaide Crows are insisting they didn't mean to breach AFL rules in Kurt Tippett's out-of-contract dealings. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: adelaidenow

ADELAIDE'S no-longer secret "exit clause" with forward Kurt Tippett may be the least of the Crows' problems as the AFL investigation turns to allegations of undisclosed third-party payments.

If proven, these claims - that relate to Tippett and his brother Joel who plays with SANFL club West Adelaide - could subject the Crows to heavy sanctions for salary cap breaches.

AFL salary cap investigator Ken Wood has taken to investigating how the Crows may have paid Joel Tippett to move from the Gold Coast to Adelaide to ease Kurt's unease in the SA capital.

Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg on Friday handed to the AFL a letter of agreement reached outside the Crows' contract dealings with Tippett in 2009.

That letter has at least three clauses - the exit demand to trade Tippett to any AFL club of his choice when he chose to leave Adelaide and two deals that could breach the AFL salary cap rules.

Adelaide faces harsher penalties for the alleged third-party arrangements than the exit clause written in the 2009 letter between Crows football operations chief John Reid and Tippett's Brisbane-based manager Peter Blucher.

If Wood and AFL integrity officer Brett Clothier find the Crows should have detailed the third-party deals in Tippett's contract, Adelaide will be subject to penalties ranging from fines to losing draft picks.

Trigg's decision to hand the document to the AFL on Friday appears to have been triggered, in part, by rival AFL club Gold Coast becoming aware of Tippett's letter of arrangement with the Crows and seeking AFL scrutiny of the 2009 document.

Also, Wood had taken interest - before Trigg's declaration - in an interview in The Advertiser earlier this month when Crows chairman Rob Chapman spoke of Joel's move to Adelaide.

EARLIER, Crows chairman Rob Chapman insisted the club had nothing to hide after initiating an AFL probe into Kurt Tippett's out-of-contract terms at West Lakes.

Chapman also has opened the Adelaide player files to AFL investigator Ken Wood as the special letter between Tippett and the Crows from 2009 brings into question how the club has signed up its squad.

"We have nothing to hide - and we have opened all the books to the AFL without condition," Chapman said last night.

"I can give a gold-plated commitment the AFL will find nothing."

Chapman defended his club's officials who allowed Tippett to have a letter detailing the terms by which he was to be traded from Adelaide if he chose to leave the Crows at the end of his three-year contract - as he has asked with a trade to Sydney.

"Our intent was never to break any rules," Chapman told The Advertiser last night.

"And we have a history of compliance, no record of any misdemeanours, but if we have now got this wrong, we need to know before the trade is done and we will have to abide by any penalty."

Chapman last night would not prejudice decisions that could follow if the AFL finds the Crows and Tippett have breached league rules.

He would not comment on a potential sacking of chief executive Steven Trigg who sanctioned the deal in 2009.

The other key player in the negotiations, football operations chief John Reid, left the Crows at the end of the 2009 season.

But Chapman did praise Trigg for putting the Tippett issue - which has been subject to media scrutiny for more than a year - before him on Friday, an hour after Trigg returned from a three-week European holiday.

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"And 90 minutes later we were on the phone to (AFL chief) Andrew Demetriou," said Chapman.

"We have disclosed the issues we think he should be aware of.

"We have opened to the AFL all the books at the Adelaide Football Club without condition. And I have given the AFL a gold-plated commitment they will find nothing out of order with any other player contract."

Chapman could not answer why his club - or even the AFL - had not put the Tippett agreement up for review earlier, particularly when it was subject to intense public speculation this year.

"They are good questions you ask," said Chapman.

"And I would love to be in a position to disclose more fully my answer to those questions - and I look forward to the day I do.

"Because the club's members and the football public deserve to know what is going on.

"Remember, we asked the AFL to investigate this.

"In the past week it has been clear we have to remove every shade of grey from this debate. There must be full disclosure.

"Once I took this to the board, every director without hesitation agreed this needs to be clarified and there needs to be disclosure to the AFL.

"The AFL acknowledges we have done the right thing to bring this to them.

"Everyone deserves answers."

The AFL investigation now puts in question if Tippett can be traded before tomorrow's 1.30pm deadline - and what happens to his football career if he is suspended for breaching league rules.

Adelaide is understood to have agreed after closing contract talks with Tippett in 2009 to release him at a "minimal cost", supposedly a second-round draft pick.

"Remember three years ago everyone in this state wanted our club to re-sign Kurt Tippett," said Chapman. "

"At that time, our people negotiating the deal believed what they were doing was right."

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Chapman would not reveal the legal advice his club has received.

"I've consulted far and wide - and put in place methods to look at this with due diligence," he said.

"We're asking all the questions. We are still in the process of getting the answers."

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Crows seek fairer trade for Tippett

Sydney's Jesse White during a visit to Adelaide last week. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: adelaidenow

ADELAIDE is creating salary cap relief for itself - and pain for the Swans - as the Kurt Tippett trade hinges on Sydney paying for Jesse White's move to West Lakes.

The Crows already have an in-principle two-year agreement with White, who is parcelled with Sydney's first-round draft pick (No. 23) for the defecting Tippett.

That trade was to have been lodged with at AFL House in Melbourne late on Friday - until Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg called back Crows list manager David Noble.

Trigg, who had just returned from his holiday in Europe, took the trade out of the Adelaide and Sydney football departments and into the clubs' highest offices.

The bottom line is the original trade was weighted too heavily in Sydney's favour.

And with the Swans remaining a serious barrier to Adelaide's premiership hopes next season, Trigg demanded his Sydney counterpart Andrew Ireland give the Crows salary cap relief.

Had the original deal stood, Adelaide would have:

ABSORBED White's current contract with the Swans.

CUT a contracted Adelaide player, such as midfielder Richard Tambling.

BURNED as much as $300,000 from its $9.14 million salary cap.

White's arrival at West Lakes would over-subscribe Adelaide's list by one player, requiring a Crow to be cut.

By contrast, Sydney would have gained about $300,000 of salary cap relief for moving on White - and used that money to advance its flag defence. This is clearly against Adelaide's interests.

Trigg's push for Sydney to take on the salary pain of moving White to Adelaide is destined to drag talks to Friday's trade deadline.

"I felt the talks had reached the point where it needed to be chief executive to chief executive to resolve (the trade)," said Trigg yesterday.

Trigg confirmed White remains on Adelaide's wish list even after the Crows traded for Richmond ruckman Angus Graham on Friday.

Noble says Adelaide has sought two players to replace Tippett, who worked as a key forward and back-up ruckman for Sam Jacobs.

Graham serves as insurance with Jacobs.

White is to add more dimension to an Adelaide attack that cannot allow its new No. 1 key forward, Taylor Walker, to be double-teamed by defences.

The 24-year-old Queenslander would join Josh Jenkins and Shaun McKernan as talls forward seeking to work in tandem with Walker.

Adelaide has no other trade in play, so the Crows can push White's salary with the Swans until Friday's deadline.

If the deal is not sealed by then, Tippett will move to the draft pool where Adelaide gets no compensation.

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Saints land Suns ruckman Hickey

Gold Coast's Tom Hickey is heading to the Saints. Picture: David Clark Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

ST KILDA has used its prized compensation pick for losing Brendon Goddard on promising Gold Coast ruckman Tom Hickey.

The Saints will hand Gold Coast pick No. 13 and the clubs will also swap later draft picks.

The Saints have now parted with both their first-round picks but they will move up the draft in later rounds with the clubs set to exchange selections before the paperwork is lodged with the AFL today.

The Saints will receive Hickey and picks No.26 and 47. The Suns will get pick No.13 as well as 37 and 57. Hickey, 21, has been recruited to partner No.1 ruckman Ben McEvoy.

The Queenslander, played 10 games for the Suns this year and two in his debut season.

He requested a trade to the Saints this month - to be closer to his girlfriend, according to the Suns - but talks stalled last week when the Suns demanded a first-round pick.

The 201cm former elite volleyball player was a zone selection for Gold Coast.

Suns football manager Marcus Ashcroft said his side was thrilled to gain a top-15 draft selection after coughing up pick 2 to Greater Western Sydney last week.

"Our ability to add pick 13 to our selections in the upcoming draft means we will have the ability to draft another elite young player to our club," he said.

St Kilda got pick No.13 as compensation for the loss of free agent Brendon Goddard to Essendon.

The Saints traded their first pick, No.12, to Greater Western Sydney as part of a deal to snare Claremont forward Tom Lee.

The trade means the Suns will now have a first-round selection in next month's draft.

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Port backs itself in fresh trade deals

Former Sturt junior Jack Hombsch is returning from GWS to play for Port Adelaide. Picture: Brett Costello. Source: The Daily Telegraph

Jack Hombsch punches the ball away from Brent Thornton. He is heading to Port. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

PORT Adelaide is finding a new defensive line-up in the AFL trade market.

The Power has claimed former Sturt tall defender Jack Hombsch - and sweetened the trade with 17-year-old NT small forward Jake Neade - to ultimately cover the loss of free-agent key defender Troy Chaplin to Richmond.

In return, Port has allowed Greater Western Sydney to continue stockpiling much-valued picks in next month's AFL national draft.

The Giants get Port's second-round pick (No. 29) for 19-year-old Hombsch.

After losing Chaplin, delisting former vice-captain Jacob Surjan and watching Jacobs walk, Port's need for new defensive options is high.

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But Port's play for Fremantle's switch-hitting defender Greg Broughton has cooled after learning how much cash the Docker carries on the last year of his contract. The 26-year-old also wants a long-term deal from a new club.

On the way out of Alberton remains 20-year-old defender Ben Jacobs, a first-round draftee two years ago.

But talks with his preferred Melbourne-based club, North Melbourne, failed to advance yesterday as the Power insisted on draft picks from the Kangaroos rather than players such as small forward Matt Campbell and defender Luke Delaney.

North Melbourne currently has picks Nos. 15, 38 and 39 in the first round of next month's national draft.

"The clock is ticking," said Port football operations manager Peter Rodhe last night.

The Power has until 1.30pm Friday to trade Jacobs or run the risk of losing the Victorian draftee without compensation in next month's draft, where he would be claimed by any of the Kangaroos, Essendon and St Kilda and possibly Richmond.

Port's reputation of chasing South Australians in the trade market continues.

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Hombsch was the first SANFL-based player claimed by the Giants when they formed their preliminary squad two years ago.

Originally from Roxby Downs, he played nine AFL games this year.

"We see Jack as being a long-term, strategic replacement for Chaplin in defence," said Rohde.

Hombsch joins to-be-elevated rookie Tom Jonas and 2011 draftee Nathan Blee in the race to be part of Port's new back six.

"I see it as a massive opportunity to try to play some consistent footy back in my home state," Hombsch said.

"I spoke to (new coach) Ken Hinkley the other day and he told me the direction he sees the group heading in and it really confirmed to me what a fantastic club Port Adelaide is and that it has a great future."

 

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Demon a fix for lengthy problem

Ruckman Stefan Martin at Melbourne training. Picture: George Salpigtidis. Source: Herald Sun

BRISBANE has met Melbourne ruckman/forward Stefan Martin as it moves to recruit much-needed tall timber in the dying stages of the AFL's three-week trade period.

Martin, 26, flew to Brisbane yesterday to talk with Lions coach Michael Voss and medical staff.

With Melbourne recruiting Collingwood forward Chris Dawes and possibly North Melbourne's Cameron Pedersen, Martin's role at the Demons could be limited, despite having a year left on his contract.

Several clubs have asked Melbourne about Martin but Brisbane are in the box seat to lure the 57-gamer north as a foil to captain Jonathan Brown.

A draft pick would be enough to see a trade completed by the 1pm Friday deadline.

Martin played only seven games in an injury-riddled 2012 after a breakout 2011 when his mobility, competitiveness and versatility stood out.

Lions midfielder Andrew Raines, 26, has signed for two more years.

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