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.

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

First posted October 06, 2012 11:11:08

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Lion Clark's trade hopes stall

Updated October 10, 2011 20:34:29

Mitch Clark's hopes of being traded from Brisbane to Fremantle hit a brick wall on Monday as the Lions declared there was a significant gulf between the clubs over the ruck-forward's worth.

Clark's manager Colin Young said he hoped a deal would be finalised with the Dockers before trade week ends on October 17.

"Mitch has met with Fremantle, he's met with Ross (Lyon), and he just loves where they're going and he wants to be there. I think he is Fremantle-bound," Young told afl.com.au's Trade Week Radio.

But Brisbane national talent manager Rob Kerr said West Coast had been more reasonable than Fremantle.

"It's fair to say there was next to no movement with Mitch Clark today," Kerr said.

"We value Mitch in a different way to what Fremantle values him."

Kerr said Clark had requested a trade to Western Australia and the Lions would try to secure a suitable trade.

"If a deal's not done then Mitch is a required player at Brisbane and we'll be doing our best to retain him from then on," he said.

Kerr said there was a reasonable possibility Clark would remain with the Lions.

"We feel we have put a fair position (to Fremantle). It takes two to negotiate and we haven't seen much sign of that," he said.

"I would say that West Coast have been much more reasonable."

Fremantle's first selection is number 16 in the November Draft.

"Pick 16 in this draft, when you are talking about a player of the quality of Mitch, is probably not enough," Kerr said.

Fremantle football manager Chris Bond said the Dockers would continue to negotiate.

"We've got Mitch who wants to come to us and obviously we'd like to get a trade done because I think having him at the club by the end of trade week helps everyone involved," Bond told reporters on Monday.

West Coast football operations manager Neale Daniher said the Eagles were still in the running.

One of the big rumours of day one of trade week was that some of St Kilda's stars such as Brendon Goddard, Leigh Montagna and Nick Dal Santo would be thrown up for discussion because of salary-cap pressures.

However St Kilda's head of football Chris Pelchen sought to play down what he called the hysteria surrounding the Saints, who are still to sign a coach for next season.

"I can certainly say with conviction that none of those boys will be traded," Pelchen said.

"It's certainly well known that our TPP (Total Player Payments) is challenged.

"There seems to be a lot of hysteria around our TPP position.

"It's strained, it's somewhat delicate. But at the same time it's manageable."

Pelchen says the Saints are confident of retaining out-of-contract trio Farren Ray, Brett Peake and Zac Dawson.

Two trades were finalised on Monday, both involving Greater Western Sydney.

Collingwood regained 46-game wingman Marty Clarke in a trade, two years after he left the club to return to Ireland.

The Magpies gave up their first pick in November's national draft, number 25 overall, in return for Clarke, Murray Bushrangers junior Jamie Elliot and pick 67 from GWS.

Richmond recruited 22-year-old defender Steven Morris, son of former Tiger Kevin Morris, in a similar deal with the Giants.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, fremantle-6160, wa, australia

First posted October 10, 2011 20:34:29

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