Tippett looks forward to Swans challenge

Updated December 13, 2012 07:04:49

Boom Sydney recruit Kurt Tippett says the Swans are the perfect fit as he prepares for the challenge of missing the first half of the 2013 AFL season with his new club.

Tippet's two-month campaign to play for the premiers ended in success on Tuesday when he was taken by Sydney in the preseason draft.

He will be suspended for the first 11 games of 2013, following an investigation into draft and salary cap breaches by his former club Adelaide.

Forward-ruckman Tippett trained with Sydney for the first time on Wednesday.

'It's very exciting to be here in Sydney, after a long off-season, a few little challenges," Tippett said, while acknowledging there was a time he feared he would not be able to make his way to the Swans.

"I look forward to playing football, settling in, training hard and preparing myself well and earning the guys' trust over the summer.

"It's been a challenge for myself and my family but I'm happy to put that all behind me now."

Tippett said Sydney was a great club and a great city.

"The future here is very bright, the prospect of coming here and playing alongside guys like Jarrad (McVeigh), Adam Goodes and Sam Reid is very exciting for me," he said.

He was philosophical about having to sit out so many games at the start of the year.

"It's going to be a challenge but they are the cards we've been dealt and we'll make the most of it," Tippett said.

McVeigh said Sydney viewed the 25-year-old Tippett as a long-term player for the club.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, adelaide-5000, sa

First posted December 12, 2012 10:30:37

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Saga over as Swans snap up Tippett

Updated December 11, 2012 12:07:33

Kurt Tippett has sealed his protracted move to the Sydney Swans after the reigning AFL champions drafted the forward as pick number 11 in the AFL preseason draft.

Despite being suspended for the first 11 games of the 2013 season due to his role in the Adelaide Crows' salary cap breach, the Swans have signed Tippett to a two-year deal reportedly worth around $800,000 a year.

Tippett signed a shorter deal with the Swans over fears he might be picked by a rival team ahead of Sydney in the draft.

Tippett was one of just eight players taken in the preseason draft, with a host of clubs opting not to participate.

Greater Western Sydney was first cab off the rank, snapping up ex-Carlton defender Bret Thornton, before Port Adelaide grabbed Essendon-trained Sam Colquhoun from SANFL side Central District.

Essendon signed Will Hams from Gippsland Power, opting for the Victorian ahead of the West Australian Indigenous youngster Dayle Garlett - widely rated as one of Australia's top draft prospects.

The Fremantle Dockers grabbed Central District's Jack Hannath before the Crows re-drafted Nick Joyce, who was delisted before the national draft.

The Giants doubled up by redrafting veteran ruckman Dean Brogan, before the Dockers stepped up to sign Jesse Crichton.

Tippett was fined $50,000 and suspended for 11 games, while the Crows were fined $300,000 for breaching the salary cap and tampering with the draft.

The charges stemmed from the contract that Tippett signed with Adelaide in 2009, which made him the Crows' highest-paid player.

Adelaide allegedly agreed to trade him to a club of his choice for a second-round draft pick - a massively lopsided arrangement - when the contract finished at the end of 2012.

The Crows allegedly made a further payment of up to $200,000 to Tippett outside the salary cap.

In Tuesday's subsequent rookie draft, Collingwood added veteran ruckman Ben Hudson, who joins his fourth AFL club.

Richmond added depth, picking up ex-Geelong ruckman Orren Stephenson, former Melbourne forward Ricky Petterd and ex-Essendon midfielder Sam Lonergan.

The Swans went for Brandon Jack and Xavier Richards, who will join their brothers Kieren and Ted respectively - both Swans' premiership players.

The Western Bulldogs selected Brett Goodes, the brother of Swans' superstar Adam, who had been playing for their VFL affiliate Williamstown.

Brisbane picked Jordon Bourke, the son of former Geelong and Lions' big man Damien.

Hawthorn extended its ruck depth, securing delisted Collingwood big man Jonathon Ceglar, as well as Irishman Ciaran Kilkenny.

West Coast took ex-Melbourne running player Jamie Bennell.

Peter Yagmoor (Collingwood), Ariel Steinberg (Essendon), Callum Bartlett (Brisbane), Andrew Collins (Carlton), and Ben Speight and Cameron Richardson (North Melbourne) were all rookie-listed by the clubs that had delisted them.

The Bulldogs' decision to take Goodes meant delisted former Essendon and Geelong midfielder Brent Prismall missed out on finding a new club, after he had trained with Port Adelaide and the Dogs.

ABC/AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted December 11, 2012 11:06:40

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Tippett did nothing wrong: QC

Updated November 16, 2012 16:30:37

Kurt Tippett's legal counsel, David Galbally QC, says he expects the star forward to be completely exonerated by Monday's AFL Commission.

Tippett faces two charges related to receiving undisclosed payments from third-parties arranged by the Crows over the last three years.

Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg faces three charges over this case, while the former and current general manager of football operations John Reid and Phil Harper will also appear before the Commission.

The club, which is also facing scrutiny over a third-party deal involving skipper Nathan van Berlo, insists much of what it has been accused of in the media is not accurate.

Galbally, meanwhile, believes Tippett will be cleared of any wrongdoing at the end of the two-day commission.

"He's not guilty of having breached any of the codes," Galbally told Grandstand Breakfast.

"I'm not going into whys or wheres because we'll debate that in front of the commission. He's not guilty of anything.

"I don't think he's done anything wrong on the material I have before me. I believe he will be exonerated.

"In my view he has not broken any of the laws and he will be pleading not guilty to (all of the charges)."

Galbally does not dispute that his client agreed to sign with Adelaide three years ago on the proviso he could leave the club at the conclusion of the contract, but does not believe this is contrary to AFL rules and says his client is within his rights to take Adelaide to court for their conduct over this issue.

"Clearly there was an agreement and as a result of that Kurt Tippett's free to sue Adelaide for breach of agreement and misrepresentation," Galbally said.

"We stand by that. He has a legal right to sue Adelaide for misrepresentation or for inducing him into a contract with unconscionable conduct because they induced him into a contract on the proviso they would clear him.

"This is very serious. We're talking about a 25-year-old whose career is at stake. One of the consequences of this is that his livelihood is at stake.

"The Commission have the discretion to deregister him and prevent him going into the draft - for anything up to three years I think it is."

Galbally believes this case is the first of its kind with previous AFL Commissions tending to judge on punishments rather than a party's guilt.

"I dont know of a precedent whereby the full commission has heard a full hearing of a case where a person has pleaded not guilty," Galbally said.

"I might be wrong but I dont know of a situation where that's happened.

"This is not just an issue of penalty, it is an issue of whether the rules have been breached.

"I think it may be the first of its kind."

The QC also reiterated that he will not be seeking to shift blame to Tippett's agent Peter Blucher insisting he has seen no evidence to incriminate the representative.

"Not that we can see at the moment," Galbally said.

"That's not to say something won't bob up in the next 72 hours but not at the moment."

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, adelaide-5000

First posted November 16, 2012 10:36:41

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Tippett saga set to hurt Crows

Updated October 26, 2012 08:45:56

Adelaide faces a double disaster over Kurt Tippett, with the Crows rapidly running out of time to strike a trade deal involving the key forward.

The Crows will probably lose him for nothing through the draft but that is the least of Adelaide's worries.

The Crows and Tippett are under a league investigation which now also includes allegations of salary cap cheating.

If AFL investigations officer Ken Wood finds there was wrongdoing when Adelaide re-signed Tippett in 2009, the ramifications are massive for the club, player and his management.

It is understood the league has confirmed to Adelaide it can still present a trade option for Tippett, regardless of the investigation.

But it is also unclear whether the league would approve any trade.

The AFL trade period ends at 2pm on Friday, with the ongoing investigation giving rival clubs even more pause to negotiate with the Crows over Tippett.

There is no timeframe for Wood to complete his investigation.

The Tippett saga has mutated from a massive headache to a potentially devastating blow for the Crows.

There had been speculation for months about the key forward's future once his contract with Adelaide expired at the end of this season.

Adelaide officials had repeatedly denied the existence of a special clause in Tippett's contract, struck when he re-signed in 2009.

That contract made him the Crows' highest-paid player.

But it has now emerged there was an arrangement, outside the contract, where the Crows would allegedly trade Tippett to a club of his choice for a second-round draft pick.

That arrangement is at the centre of the league's investigation into draft tampering.

Now the league is apparently looking into whether the secret deal involved a salary cap breach as well.

There is little doubt the league will come down hard on Adelaide, especially if the Crows are found guilty of breaking strict salary cap rules.

Adelaide would most likely suffer a fine and the loss of draft picks and they have said they will accept the AFL's verdict.

There is growing speculation about the future of chief executive Steven Trigg should the league decide to punish the Crows.

Tippett and his manager Peter Blucher could also be penalised for their parts in any rules breach.

Last week, Adelaide failed to reach a trade deal with Sydney involving Tippett.

Originally, the speculation was that if the Queensland-born player left the Crows, he would return to his home state and play for Brisbane or Gold Coast.

Sydney's bold four-year bid for Tippett shocked the Crows.

On Friday, Adelaide went to the league about the secret deal because of concerns they had about their legality and this sparked the investigation.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted October 26, 2012 08:44:54

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Tippett hearing set for November 30

Updated November 20, 2012 07:55:33

The AFL commission hearing into Kurt Tippett and the Adelaide Crows' conduct will now be held on Friday November 30.

The original hearing into accusations Tippett was paid third-party inducements that was hidden from the AFL, after signing a three year contract in 2009, was set for Monday November 19.

This was delayed after a request from the charged Crows officials to prepare more time for their defence.

Adelaide and its CEO Steven Trigg have been handed three charges in relation to "conduct prejudicial to the draft" and "conduct in breach of the total player payments provisions".

Former manager of football operations John Reid and Tippett will answer two charges.

Current Crows manager of football operations, Phil Harper, has been levied with one charge.

The hearing will take place at 8am (AEDT) local time on Friday week.

The Crows are believed to have promised Tippett a move to his native Queensland at the end of his contract last month, but baulked at the forward requesting a switch to Sydney.

Tippett has claimed he was promised a move wherever he wished to go.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, adelaide-5000

First posted November 19, 2012 19:09:43

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Tippett, Crows found guilty over salary cap breach

Updated November 30, 2012 20:12:15

Kurt Tippett has been fined $50,000 and suspended for half the 2013 AFL season while the Adelaide Crows have been fined $300,000 for breaching the salary cap and tampering with the draft.

Adelaide and its chief executive Steven Trigg pleaded guilty to three charges in relation to "conduct prejudicial to the draft" and "conduct in breach of the total player payments provisions" at the hearing at AFL House in Melbourne.

Tippett was fined and suspended for the 2013 preseason and season, half of which was suspended for five years, by the specially convened AFL Commission after Fairfax reports emerged the forward was willing to settle for a "substantial suspension" for his part in the irregularities written into his AFL contract.

The Crows have also been banned from the first two rounds of the 2013 national draft.

Trigg was fined $50,000 and banned from any club role for six months, while Harper has been suspended for two months and his predecessor John Reid, no longer directly involved in the AFL, was banned for 12 months, suspended for six months.

All suspensions begin on January 1, 2013.

The charges stemmed from the contract that Tippett signed with Adelaide in 2009, which made him the Crows' highest-paid player.

Adelaide allegedly agreed to trade him to a club of his choice for a second-round draft pick - a massively lopsided arrangement - when the contract finished at the end of 2012.

The Crows allegedly made a further payment of up to $200,000 to Tippett outside the salary cap.

"The club accepts the sanctions from the AFL Commission and accepts that the AFL does not tolerate any breach, intended or unintended," Adelaide said in a statement shortly after its punishments were handed down.

"The club is confident that the youth, ability and character of its player list, the capacity of its coaching panel and off-field leadership, coupled with the quality of its strategic recruiting in the 2011 and 2012 drafts and trading periods, will help it offset the loss of high draft picks this year and next year."

Tippett said in a statement that he was "bitterly disappointed" with the outcome.

"I trusted the Adelaide Football Club and for the duration of my contract I did my utmost for the club on and off the field," he said.

"It is bitterly disappointing, then, to learn that my trust and best endeavours have been to my substantial detriment.

"Only during the recent AFL trade period did I learn that some terms in the Adelaide offer may have contravened AFL rules, and since that point I and all parties associated with me have cooperated fully with the AFL in its investigations."

The 104-game forward said he had nothing to hide.

"I have ... only refrained from media comment in recent weeks on legal advice and out of respect for the AFL investigation process," he said.

"Through my legal representative I asked for an open hearing today in the hope that the truth would be revealed.

"I pleaded guilty to the two charges on advice without any admission of liability and despite being assured there were valid defences available to me in respect to both charges.

"It is very important to me that I concentrate on preparing for next season and remove all distractions from my preparation.

"I am glad that this matter is now finalised and I look forward to moving on and playing football."

The Crows said the indiscretions were "errors of judgement".

"Never was there any intent to gain unfair advantage, compromise the draft, breach the salary cap or make improper player payments," the club said.

"The club and its officers always acted consistent with their intent to uphold the integrity of the draft and the club did not breach the salary cap. This is accepted by the AFL.

"However, it was wrong to generate a letter of agreement outside of Kurt Tippett's AFL-lodged contract."

The statement said the Crows board will meet soon to establish how to restructure the suspension-riddled front office will operate in the coming months.

"I think you have to give the benefit [of the doubt] to the players," AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou told reporters on Friday afternoon.

"Kurt Tippett was a 22-year-old who was homesick and wanted to return to the Gold Coast.

"I believe this impaired his judgement. It will probably happen again one day to a player who thinks it's okay to cut a corner.

"It wasn't a scenario that gave the club a significant advantage over other clubs."

The hearing was a marathon affair, beginning at 8:00am (AEDT) and stretching until late in the afternoon.

It considered 11 charges in the league's biggest salary cap and list management scandal since Carlton was slugged with massive penalties in 2002.

In the lead-up to the hearing, Adelaide went out of its way to make public its willingness to cooperate with the AFL during the investigation and also surrendered its first two picks in the 2012 draft.

The AFL released a statement on Wednesday saying Tippett will be given until Monday to register his financial terms for the December 11 preseason draft.

The Greater Western Sydney Giants - who have targeted Tippett - have the first draft pick.

Tippett, who wants to move to the Sydney Swans, will not be able to join any club as a free agent and is likely to put a large figure on his own head in an attempt to dissuade the Giants from selecting him.

Adelaide was trying to finalise a deal with the Swans in October when instead it went to the AFL over secret third-party payments that formed part of its 2009 contract with the key forward.

The league immediately opened an investigation and ruled the Crows could not delist Tippett.

After weeks of speculation he registered on Wednesday for the preseason draft.

Sydney reaffirmed its interest in Tippett in a statement shortly after the sanctions were handed down.

"Although today's decision is obviously a disappointing setback for Kurt, we have always seen Kurt as a long-term player and we will go to the preseason draft with the intention of selecting him if he's available at our pick," Swans football general manager Dean Moore said.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted November 30, 2012 17:52:12

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Swans still set on Tippett

Updated October 27, 2012 10:11:38

Sydney chief executive Andrew Ireland says the club still intends to bring Kurt Tippett to the Swans for the 2013 season.

The AFL released a statement after the end of the three-week trade period that Tippett would not be able to be able to be traded while it investigates claims of an $200,000 payment to the forward when he re-signed with Adelaide three years ago.

Tippett will be allowed to nominate for the AFL Draft pending the result of the current investigation.

Despite speculation that Tippett may face a ban, Ireland says the Swans remain committed to trying to bring him to the side.

"Once Kurt nominated the Swans as his preferred club, we entered the trade period with the intention of securing a suitable trade," Ireland said.

"Our position on Kurt has not changed, and pending the outcome of the AFL's current investigation, we remain committed to recruiting Kurt for the 2013 season."

The Swans concluded the trade period with five draft selections inside the top 70.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000, adelaide-5000

First posted October 26, 2012 19:27:15

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Tippett nominates for preseason draft

Updated November 28, 2012 11:54:52

Kurt Tippett has removed himself from the Adelaide players' list and nominated himself for next week's AFL preseason draft.

Tippett, along with members of the Crows management, will face an AFL Commission on Friday on charges of tampering with the draft and breaching the salary cap.

The highly-rated forward, who is tipped to receive a ban at the hearing, is already looking beyond this and preparing for the next stage of his career.

The AFL released a statement explaining that Tippett will be given until Monday, following Friday's hearing, to register his financial terms for the preseason draft.

"Tippett has been given permission by the AFL to have an extension to lodge set financial terms as a Category 1 player for his remuneration with the AFL next week, " the statement said.

The preseason draft takes place on December 11 and the Greater Western Sydney Giants - who have targeted Tippett - have the first pick.

Tippett, who wants to move to the Sydney Swans, will now not be able to join any club as a free agent and is likely to put a large figure on his head in an attempt to dissuade the Giants from selecting him.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, adelaide-5000

First posted November 28, 2012 11:49:27

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Suns show no interest in Tippett

Updated October 16, 2012 06:42:46

The door has been slammed shut on Kurt Tippett at the Gold Coast Suns after they dismissed the notion of snapping up the defecting Adelaide forward if talks with Sydney break down.

Adelaide are determined to receive adequate compensation from the Swans if the ruck-forward is to get his wish and join the AFL premiers.

Tippett will be forced to nominate for the draft pool if he is not traded by the October 26 deadline - and with the No.2 pre-season pick, the Suns would be in a prime position to nab him.

However, Suns football manager Marcus Ashcroft said they had "moved on" since receiving the shock news that Tippett wanted to move to Sydney rather than returning to his home state of Queensland.

Asked if they were monitoring Tippett's stalled talks with the Swans, Ashcroft said: "No, we have moved on.

"His decision has been made. We respect that and we move on with what we need to do.

"We have some priorities of our own that we need to achieve."

The Suns did have one player announcement on Monday - they have committed to signing 18 year-old Clay Cameron as a Queensland zone selection at next month's national draft to be held on the Gold Coast.

The 191cm, 83kg defender is set to make his Suns debut in the 2013 pre-season competition after an unorthodox path to the AFL.

The son of a Queensland schoolboy rugby league representative, Cameron walked away from a promising athletics career and lost an entire season battling chronic osteitis pubis before grabbing the Suns' attention with a starring role at the 2011 under-18 championships.

Ashcroft said they would sit and wait for their next move in the trade period after last week securing Hawthorn's Tom Murphy and cutting a deal with Geelong for Josh Caddy.

"Our No.1 priority was to get Josh a home back in Victoria. That's now done," Ashcroft said.

"And obviously we were interested in Kurt.

"Now our objective is to look at what other clubs have to offer us potentially.

"We have two weeks to sit back and take it all in and be considered in our decision making."

The Suns must reduce their once 46-strong roster down to 39 by October 31 to make room for their three draft picks.

"There are still six to 10 players that are uncontracted for next year," Ashcroft said.

"It's a balancing act to work out exactly what our needs are for next year through the trade period, and that's still got another two weeks."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, brisbane-4000, carrara-4211, qld, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted October 15, 2012 16:40:16

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Swans offended by Tippett pay gripes

Updated October 08, 2012 20:14:35

Sydney chief executive Andrew Ireland says the Swans take offence to suggestions their salary cap concessions should be scrapped given their trade bid for Adelaide star Kurt Tippett.

Tippett has agreed to a four-year contract offer to join the Swans, who began negotiating a deal with the Crows on Monday morning, as the AFL's trade period officially opened.

Both clubs were coy about what the Swans needed to put on the table, although Ireland says no premiership players will be given up.

This suggests the Swans' top draft pick, number 22 overall, will need to be part of a deal.

But Ireland has so far refused to commit to offering that pick.

The fact that the Swans have salary cap room to chase a star player despite winning the flag has brought into question the extra 9.8 per cent salary cap allowance they get to counter the high cost of living in Sydney.

Hawthorn president Andrew Newbold is among the critics but Ireland says the allowance is needed, and careful management and recent retirements have left them room for Tippett, who would take a pay cut in his first year with the Swans.

"It's pretty offensive, I reckon," Ireland said of the criticism.

"We've been for the last decade fundamentally recruiting players from other clubs who weren't getting a game at those clubs.

"We've got a cost of living allowance, it is clearly dearer in Sydney ... there's no slush fund from our allowance, every player on our list gets (an extra) 10 per cent."

Ireland says Tippett is moving because he disliked the "fishbowl" environment in Adelaide and expected the Crows to honour an arrangement made three years ago to help him switch clubs.

There are suggestions from Adelaide that this 'gentleman's agreement' only applied if Tippett moved back to Queensland, where he grew up.

Meanwhile, Essendon has confirmed Angus Monfries has agreed to be traded to Port Adelaide.

The Bombers will receive pick number 48 selection in the draft as part of the trade.

Melbourne, who has the number three, four and 13 picks, is hoping to be one of the other prime movers in trade week.

Its targets include midfielders Collingwood's Sharrod Wellingham and Gold Coast's Josh Caddy, neither of whom want to join the Demons.

Wellingham wants to move to West Coast and Caddy a range of other Victorian clubs, but Demons list manager Tim Harrington says they still hope they could persuade the pair.

The Demons are also targeting Collingwood key forward Chris Dawes.

Other potential trades on the table include North Melbourne's Hamish McIntosh to Geelong, while St Kilda could also chase a significant player, given the salary cap space freed up by the free agency move of Brendon Goddard to the Bombers.

Meanwhile the Swans have announced they are axing a number of players from their list.

Jarred Moore and Mark Seaby have both been delisted by the premiers, along with rookie players Eugene Kruger, Jack Lynch and Dylan McNeil.

Seaby, a 102-gamer and premiership winner with West Coast, has played just 18 matches over the past two years.

Moore has 68 games under his belt with Sydney but has not played senior football since round 10 of last season.

"We wish to pay special tribute to Jarred Moore, who has been an outstanding leader and popular member of the playing group," Swans football manager Dean Moore said in a statement on Monday.

"His leadership and experience has been incredibly valuable to the young players in our squad."

ABC/AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, sydney-2000, adelaide-5000

First posted October 08, 2012 12:26:27

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Crows rule out re-drafting Tippett

Updated October 11, 2012 14:51:35

The Adelaide Crows have ruled out re-drafting key forward Kurt Tippett if they fail to reach an agreement with the Sydney Swans during the AFL's trade period.

Tippett has told the Crows he wants to move to the Swans, but so far the two clubs have been unable to strike a deal.

Tippett had expressed a desire to return to his native Queensland, before shocking the Crows in choosing Sydney as his preferred new club.

He could enter the preseason draft if he is not traded.

But Adelaide's list manager David Noble has told DMG Radio the Crows would not re-select him, even though they will have a higher pick than the Swans.

"I can tell you we won't be drafting him back. Would you really try to go and re-contract someone that left your club and doesn't want to be here?" he said.

"I think for us it doesn't make sense and I think he's made his decision. He wants to leave us and so therefore you work in the mechanisms that you've got the best available options."

Noble believes Kurt Tippett's decision to leave could end up strengthening the club, bringing the rest of the playing group closer together.

"This has actually bonded our players even closer in my opinion," he said.

"I've had that much conversation with our players and through our leadership group and through the coach that all the guys we've recontracted this year know that we're on the cusp of something special."

But Adelaide's Josh Jenkins says Crows players feel "dudded" by Tippett, suggesting the forward has burnt bridges at the club.

"I still keep in contact with my ex-team-mates and some of the football staff," Jenkins, who left Essendon last year to join the Crows, wrote in a column for the Adelaide Advertiser.

"Being relatively unknown, I feel lucky I was able to depart the Bombers yet keep up the relationships that had been built in my time at the club.

"For Kurt Tippett, that may not be the case.

"Speculation continued to suggest he would seek a move home at some stage. Most could understand that. But last I checked, Sydney is not in Queensland.

"I couldn't imagine spending several years at the one club, only to leave and burn almost all the bridges that had been built over the years.

"I am not saying Kurt no longer has friends or positive relationships at the Crows. But most from West Lakes would have some right to be disappointed in his actions.

"Kurt's situation is not the first and won't be the last trade/free agency scenario where the club that loses the player feels dudded."

ABC/AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted October 11, 2012 12:03:07

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Tippett wants trade to Swans

Updated October 06, 2012 12:18:42

Kurt Tippett has agreed to a four-year contract with premiers Sydney, with the deal hinging on a trade between the Crows and Swans.

Tippett informed Adelaide he wanted to leave the club earlier this week and today officially nominated Sydney as his new team.

Sydney and Adelaide will now attempt to complete the trade during the official trade period which starts on Monday.

Tippett was thought to have a preferred a move back to his native Queensland, with the Gold Coast Suns his most likely destination.

But the 25-year-old, who is not a free agent, admitted he was swayed by Sydney's rousing grand final victory over Hawthorn.

"It would have been easy to accept a generous five-year offer to stay in Adelaide, or something similar from the Gold Coast or Brisbane, and I also want to thank those clubs for their interest," Tippett said in a statement.

"But this was a combined football/lifestyle decision and the balance between the two.

"I was born in Sydney, I have a lot of friends and family there, and this offers me a chance to play football in a lifestyle which I really enjoy.

"Watching the AFL grand final last Saturday, listening to the commentary and talking to various people over time, it is obvious the Swans have a very special culture, in addition to a very good team.

"I look forward to being part of it, and playing a role in a team that can be in the premiership mix next year and beyond."

Tippett played 104 games for the Crows and kicked 188 goals after being drafted in 2006.

"I want to thank the Adelaide Football Club for the opportunity and support they've given me over the past six years. It is an outstanding club and I've really enjoyed playing there," Tippett added.

"I wish Brenton Sanderson and the club all the best for the future.

"I especially want to thank the players - they are a fantastic group and I hope they will understand that to leave the Crows after six years has been one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make.

"Also, thanks to those who have supported me during my time in Adelaide - I truly appreciate all they have done for me."

Sydney will now have the difficult task of finding the right combination of players and possibly draft picks to get the deal done with Adelaide over the next three weeks.

"We are pleased that a player of Kurt's ability wants to come and play for our Club," Sydney Swans chief executive Andrew Ireland said.

"We will now work with the Adelaide Crows and Kurt's management to find suitable deal to bring Kurt to the Swans."

Suns football manager Marcus Ashcroft said Gold Coast is happy to move on from luring Tippett back to the Gold Coast.

"Our interest in Kurt has always been based on the fact he is a home-grown product and had indicated at times an interest in returning to the Gold Coast," he said in a statement.

"We have invested significantly in a number of exciting key position prospects and we are very comfortable continuing down that path.

"Kurt's decision now enables us to move forward and implement our planned list strategies as we continue to build momentum heading into the 2013 season.

"We will now enter Monday's exchange period with clear priorities to continue to strengthen our list and draft position."

Brisbane Lions talent manager Rob Kerr said his club would quickly shift its focus but keep an eye on the trade discussions.

"Once Kurt signalled his intention to come home to Queensland, the club put to him an extremely appealing offer, however, we understood it was going to be difficult to compete financially with Sydney given the additional salary cap space that is provided to them," Kerr said.

"We'll now watch with interest how the trade discussions progress.

"With so many promising, young players emerging together at the Lions, we also didn't want to compromise any pending negotiations.

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First posted October 06, 2012 11:11:08

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No news on Tippett

Updated October 05, 2012 18:12:00

The destination of former Crows' player Kurt Tippett is still up in the air as clubs wait on the key forward to kick-start the trading period with a move east to one of a number of interested teams.

Reports suggest the Queenslander - who kicked 39 goals in 21 matches for Adelaide in 2012 - is likely to seek a trade to Sydney, ahead of a return to his home state to play for the Gold Coast or Brisbane.

The out-of-contract Tippett, who has told Adelaide he does not want to play for the team next season, will have to make clear his preferred destination prior to the start of the official AFL trading period next Monday.

Adelaide and Tippett's preferred club will then have three weeks to finalise an agreeable deal, or Tippett will be forced into the AFL draft.

In other news on Friday, the AFL confirmed that it had received three nominations under the league's father-son provisions.

Joe Daniher, a key forward/ruck prospect from Calder Cannons in Victoria was nominated by Essendon.

Daniher is the son of Anthony Daniher, one of the four Daniher brothers who played for Essendon. Anthony played 118 games for the Bombers between 1987 and 1994.

Lachlan Hunter, a midfielder/forward from the Western Jets in Victoria, was nominated by Western Bulldogs. Hunter's father is Mark Hunter, who played 130 games as a defender for the Bulldogs between 1988 and 1996.

Jack Viney was nominated by Melbourne Demons. Viney is a midfielder for Casey Scorpions in Victoria. His father Todd is a player development manager for Melbourne - he played 233 games on the wing and as an on-baller for the Demons between 1987 and 1999.

Bidding for the nominated players will take place at 10:00am on Monday before the start of the official trade period.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, adelaide-5000, sa, sydney-2000, nsw, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted October 05, 2012 18:12:00

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Tippett to leave Crows

Updated October 02, 2012 10:58:45

Adelaide Crows have confirmed they will be without Kurt Tippett next season after the key forward requested a trade to another club.

Tippett and the Crows put contract negotiations on hold until the end of the season, and Tippett's management informed Adelaide on Tuesday morning they would not be accepting the club's offer.

List manager David Noble said the Crows, who made this season's preliminary finals, did everything they could to keep Tippett at the club.

"We believe that our club has provided Kurt with an outstanding learning environment after drafting him as an extremely inexperienced 18-year old in 2006," he said.

"On top of this we have always put Kurt's best interests at the forefront as well as remunerating him at the top end of our player payments scale.

"The club has now reassessed the current list and will continue its strategy to make sure the team's needs are met so the improved performances of 2012 continue."

As Tippett has not served eight-plus years with the Crows, he is not a free agent and can only join another club through a trade under the AFL's new free agency system.

The Queensland-born 25-year-old is tipped to return to his home state with either the Gold Coast Suns or Brisbane Lions.

However, Collingwood and even premier Sydney are in the race to capture the talented forward's services.

Tippett played 104 games for the Crows after being drafted with pick 32 of the 2006 Draft.

He made his debut in 2008 and went on to kick 188 goals for Adelaide.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia, carrara-4211, qld, brisbane-4000

First posted October 02, 2012 10:38:18

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Crows wait anxiously on Tippett

Adelaide hopes scans on key forward Kurt Tippett will reveal a low-scale shoulder injury.

The Crows' spearhead will miss Friday night's fixture with the Western Bulldogs after hurting his left shoulder in Adelaide's 39-point loss to West Coast.

Tippett will have scans on Tuesday while utility Patrick Dangerfield has been cleared of any break to his damaged right thumb.

Dangerfield expects to front the Dogs in the clash between struggling clubs, with just three wins each.

Adelaide was immersed in a four-game losing streak and defender Ben Rutten believed small things had created bigger problems.

"The little things, we are not doing well enough on a consistent basis," Rutten said on Monday.

"And it shows up big time in terms of scoreboard and big run-ons."

Rutten had been swamped during serious opposition scoring sprees in the past month, from Collingwood's remarkable 11 goals in 20 minutes to the Eagles' seven goal to nothing second-term blitz on Saturday.

"It gets back to your pressure on the ball carrier," he said.

"You tend to look at big things and big problems when sides get big run-ons, which they have.

"When you look at it a bit more closely, it's moreso the little things we are not doing, whether it be pressuring the ball, enough chasing, standing the mark.

"As a defender, it's unbelievable the amount of difference it makes when the kicker doesn't have as much time."

Rutten said the Bulldogs' woes would not enter his mind this week, as Adelaide has enough problems of its own.

"The consistency of our effort at the moment is nowhere near good enough," he said.

"It is just something we're going through at the moment.

"We're all in together and we need to try and fight our way out of it together. That is the only way we are going to do it."

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Feature Interview: Kurt Tippett

The Crows have one of the toughest tasks ahead of them this weekend when they travel to Melbourne to take on Collingwood.

Despite the huge gap in their recent form and ladder position, the Crows have a good recent record against the Pies and the Adelaide players are going in confident of putting on a good show.

For Kurt Tippett a match up with the defending premiers in front of a big crowd at Docklands is an exciting prospect.

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