Gold Coast’s leadership group has made an impassioned plea for out-of-contract young star Izak Rankine to reject Adelaide’s advances and remain a Sun.
News Corp revealed last week that the Crows were making a major play for Rankine, offering him a five-year deal worth as much as $800,000 per season to return to his home state.
Gold Coast is highly unlikely to match that financial offer and will instead rely on convincing him that his best chance of realizing his potential is at the Suns, while still being willing to pay him about $650,000 a year.
Adelaide is increasingly confident Rankine will request a trade to play for Matthew Nicks’ side, but that wouldn’t come until after Gold Coast’s season ends.
Suns chairman Tony Cochrane told News Corp on Monday they would do “all we can to retain him”.
“I think the club has proven over four years we’re doing everything possible to keep him there and obviously he’s a required player,” Cochrane said.
Izak Rankine is weighing up a five-year offer from the Crows. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“We’ve got a great association and relationship with Izak, as everyone has around the club. He’s bought a house up here, he’s very much settled in up here, so that’s just our position for the moment.
“He’s an incredibly popular person around the club. I know first-hand how much time and effort people like (coach) Stuart Dew have put into him and, importantly, I know how highly Stuart rates him.
“He’s got that message loud and clear at the Gold Coast footy club.”
Co-captain Touk Miller also made it clear that convincing the “special” small forward to stay was a top priority, having already re-signed Ben King, Jack Lukosius, Ben Ainsworth, Elijah Hollands and Mac Andrew this year.
“I know there’s a lot of speculation around him and his future, but for us we really want him to be at this club. He’s a special person, a special player,” Miller said.
“We’ve gone to him and had a few chats about how much he means to us and means to the club, so whether that plays a part in the decision, hopefully it does.
Stay or go? Izak Rankine has a big call to make on his playing future. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“As a leadership group; that’s part of what you have to do. This club wants success, and he can be a key part of that.”
Miller sympathized with Rankine’s situation as he weighs up a career- and life-changing decision, especially with the Suns looking to have turned the corner as a club.
“I know speculation like that can make it really hard around the club and can make things awkward and nervous, but we want him to feel as comfortable as possible, feel like he can still be himself and play his best footy,” he said.
“He’s human. I can say it’s not easy for him and you probably do have your head down a bit more. In saying that, we’ve still got a lot of good things out of him on game day.
“I’m not in his head, I can’t exactly say what he’s going to do, but we really want him to stay. He’s such a special part and key part to our club going forward. We’d love to have him.”
Miller was famously forthright with ex-Gold Coast co-captain Tom Lynch when he revealed in 2018 he was exercising his free agency rights to join Richmond after meeting with several Melbourne-based clubs.
Retired AFL player Josh Jenkins has called for a “damning report” by a club doctor following the Adelaide Crows’ controversial 2018 camp to be made public and says he was moved on from the club for being a “problem child.”
Key points:
Josh Jenkins left the Adelaide Crows at the end of the 2019 season
He says he was moved on from the club for speaking out internally about the 2018 preseason camp
Jenkins claims details about his upbringing were used during the camp against his wishes
Jenkins has spoken publicly about the camp for the first time, backing up former teammate Eddie Betts — who has released a book this week which details the trauma he experienced as a result of the 2018 camp.
As well as outlining his own experience at the camp, Jenkins has called for the findings from a report conducted by club doctor Marc Cesana after the camp to be made public.
“No-one has ever acted on that report, which I know is damning,” Jenkins told Melbourne radio station SEN.
“The report must see the light of day. It’s the only example of a medical professional who had day-to-day dealings with the people and players who were involved. He was concerned about us.
“He expressed his disappointment to me about what happened to us, but never disclosed the details of what he’d discussed with other players.”
In a statement, the Adelaide Crows said the club was not in a position to publicly share private medical information relating to its people.
“While under investigation, the club provided the doctor’s report, without identifying individuals, to both the AFL and SafeWork SA,” it said.
Jenkins also claimed the club’s welfare manager was “iced out” of all discussions, planning and follow-up conversations regarding the camp.
Josh Jenkins says he had asked facilitators not to use information about his upbringing during the camp.(AAP: Kelly Barnes)
In detailing the events of the camp, Jenkins said he was one of 10 players and two coaches who were part of the more intensive “group one” version of the camp.
He said he had reservations about taking part in the camp and tried to get himself out of it on numerous occasions.
“I recall us going around the circle and accepting the challenge whilst a couple of players needed to be withdrawn due to injury issues, as well as one player being removed because of some personal trauma he’d recently experienced,” Jenkins said.
“Hearing he was removed because his personal trauma may be too much on top of what we were about to endure had alarm bells ringing inside my head.”
Jenkins, who was raised by his non-biological grandmother, said he provided a “supposed counsellor” with details about his childhood prior to going on the camp.
“I specifically asked for assurance pre-camp that nothing regarding my childhood would be raised or used on the camp to spur me on or ‘break me down’,” he said.
“It’s my belief this promise was broken. And I’m not certain I’ll ever forgive those involved for that.
“Nor am I sure anyone has even truly taken responsibility for what went on and why it was allowed to happen.”
Jenkins recalled an exercise involving players being hoisted up in harnesses while having abuse hurled at them by facilitators and teammates.
He said he recalled “some of the barbs” being thrown at Betts and believed some players with a more “normal upbringing” might have been less affected by the camp.
He said post-camp, the club “completely fell apart” and everyone had been sworn to secrecy about what had occurred.
“Myself and a coach stood up one session and demanded we tell each other what happened, and the CEO or football manager — I cannot recall exactly who — stood up and said we were unable to because the club had signed confidentiality agreements on everyone’s behalf, “he said.
“I said, ‘I didn’t sign a damn thing.'”
Time as a Crow ‘significantly soured’
Jenkins said he continued to make his position on the camp known and he often spoke out on behalf of other players, causing friction between him and the club.
“In the end, when I knew where my future was headed, I looked forward to these conversations — which I regret because my time as a Crow has been significantly soured,” he said.
“In the end, I was moved on from the Crows as a problem child, an argument starter and even in one piece of media literature I saw labeling me as ‘cancerous’.
“The only cancer at the club was the idea that taking us on a psychologically unsafe camp that was supposedly going to make us better parents, siblings and teammates.”
Eddie Betts published details of the camp in his book.(ABC News: Ben Pettit)
Jenkins was traded to Geelong at the end of the 2019 season and retired from football last year.
He said his words today were not an attack on the club, and that he “loved the Crows” and what they provided to his family.
“I am so proud my name will be on the number four locker forever, but you cannot do things like this to people and not be held accountable,” he said.
The AFL and the Adelaide Football Club have both apologized to Betts for the trauma caused by the camp.
Current coach Matthew Nicks, who was appointed to the club in 2019, said he had spoken to “several” current players who attended the camp, and would reach out to Betts and other former players in the coming weeks to “see how they’re going”.
A Suns star is still off-contract—and the Crows are preparing to pounce.
Plus the intriguing contract situation surrounding a young Magpies forward.
Get the latest player movement news and updates in AFL Trade Whispers!
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CROWS KEEPING TABS ON SUNS STAR
Adelaide is making a major play for homegrown forward Izak Rankine in what would be one of the biggest coups of this year’s trade period.
Gold Coast officials have long been confident of retaining Rankine after already re-signing fellow South Australian Jack Lukosius, as well as Ben King, Ben Ainsworth, Elijah Hollands and Mac Andrew.
The Suns are also expected to soon ink Lachie Weller on a four-year contract.
Rankine, who was drafted from SANFL club West Adelaide with the No. 3 pick in the talent-laden 2018 class, is out of contract at season’s end but is not a free agent.
The Crows would likely need to part with their first-round draft selection, which is currently No. 4 after their weekend win over Carlton, if they convince Rankine to leave, but that may be only the start of what was required.
However, the 22-year-old’s contract status, and the possible threat of Adelaide grabbing him in the pre-season draft, could complicate any potential negotiations.
Izak Rankin of the Suns. Picture: Russell FreemanSource: Getty Images
The Blues did exactly that with ex-Gold Coast footballer Jack Martin three years ago after discussions between the clubs broke down, heavily front-ending his deal to ward off other suitors.
Essendon already made a lucrative pitch to Rankine’s management this year to try to lure him to Victoria, with the young star’s career-best season catching rivals’ attention.
His agent, Garry Winter, of W Sports and Media, was previously on Adelaide’s board, and it could be worth up to $800,000 per season for Rankine to become a Crow on a long-term deal.
Rankine’s three-goal performance against West Coast on Sunday was his seventh match with multiple majors in 2022, along with averaging 14 disposals and six score involvements.
He would be a significant upgrade on rebuilding Adelaide’s small forward corps and could form a deadly duo with last year’s first-round draftee Josh Rachele.
Rachele’s 17 goals rank fourth at the Crows – behind tall targets Taylor Walker (42) and Darcy Fogarty (22), as well as spring-heeled forward Shane McAdam (18) – while Ned McHenry and James Rowe have each kicked only 10.
They sit in the bottom four on the ladder and for scoring, so Rankine would provide an excellent boost ahead of a season where Matthew Nicks’ team hopes to take a leap.
Suns keep finals hope alive | 01:25
Adelaide’s list management team met with Melbourne goals neak Kade Chandler, another South Australian, during last year’s trade period before he decided to stay at the Demons.
The Crows were linked with Western Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley for many months but it’s now believed Port Adelaide would be the South Australian club he would join if he left the Kennel.
Dunkley’s girlfriend, Tippah Dwan, plays netball for the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
Asked last week about the delay in Rankine re-signing, Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew said they were “still confident” he would be at the club in 2023.
“There’s always a process. Things happen at different rates and different speeds,” Dew said.
“A number of contracts we’ve done have actually taken longer, so as long as the conversations are happening, that’s where the confidence comes from.
“It’s when it goes quiet (that you get concerned), and it’s certainly not like that – the dialogue’s still there.”
—NCA Newswire
HENRY, PIES ‘NOT OVERLY CLOSE’ TO FRESH CONTRACT
Collingwood and young forward Ollie Henry are “not overly close” on signing a new deal, but both parties remain confident a contract will be signed soon, reports SEN’s Sam Edmund.
Henry has had a promising yet rollercoaster 2022 season with the Magpies so far, booting 21.15 from 14 games. He started as the sub against Freo in Round 10 but came on to kick 4.1, while he was the unused medical sub against the Adelaide Crows in Round 18 and has spent the past two weekends in the VFL, booting 4.2 and 3.1 respectively.
The 20-year-old is uncontracted beyond this season. In May I told AFL Media he wasn’t in a rush to sign a new contract but declared he was “loving his time at Collingwood”.
Goodwin and Fagan discuss trade rumors | 03:43
Edmund reported on SEN Breakfast on Tuesday that talks between Henry’s management and the Magpies were ongoing, adding they’d met “in the last week or two”.
“Not overly close at this stage at Collingwood, but I think this one gets worked out. Both parties expect that to be the case,” Edmund told SEN Breakfast.
“The Pies want him to stay and Henry wants to stay, but with (Dan) McStay coming in there’s some things to work out around what his future looks like on game day.”
“I think they’ll get there, no real reason to think otherwise at this stage. It just needs to be worked through with the pieces coming back the other way like Dan McStay and the like.”
Melbourne champion Garry Lyon says it’s no surprise an infamous pre-season camp “destroyed” Adelaide after reading Eddie Betts’ confronting recollection of his experience.
An excerpt from Betts’ upcoming autobiography, ‘The Boy from Boomerang Crescent’, was released on Monday night via The Age in which the triple All-Australian labeled the camp “weird” and “completely disrespectful”.
Several players, including Betts, and officials departed the club in the years following the pre-season leadership camp, which foxfooty.com.au revealed details of in March that year.
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In the most damning first-hand account of the 2018 camp yet, Betts claimed private details shared in a counseling session during the camp were misused, while sensitive Aboriginal cultural rituals were misappropriated.
“There was all sorts of weird shit that was disrespectful to many cultures, but particularly and extremely disrespectful to my culture,” he wrote.
Betts also wrote he was told he would “come back a better husband and father, a better teammate” after the camp – terms veteran players Taylor Walker and Rory Sloane used when defending the four-day event.
speaking on SEN Breakfast on Wednesday morning, Lyon said he was stunned by Betts’ account, but added it provided important context as to the turmoil that followed at the Crows.
Rory Sloane and Eddie Betts during an Adelaide Crows game in 2019. Picture: Scott BarbourSource: Getty Images
“When you read those words from Eddie, there is no debate about how it impacted on him. He talks about the Indigenous players, the cultural differences or sensitivities that he were not adhered to. That’s Eddie … and that’s unequivocal, right? You can’t argue with any of that,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.
“And then you read this from Taylor Walker: ‘The camp that we went on as a footy club, personally I found one of the most beneficial and rewarding camps I’ve ever been on as an individual. I encourage any of my mates, family members to do the same. Our footy club, like most other AFL clubs, are trying to get an edge over (other teams).’ Rory Sloane: ‘I can speak about what I got out of it personally. I absolutely 100 per cent came back from that camp feeling like a better husband, a better son and a much better teammate than when I was before. For me, the experience was unbelievable.’
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“Now, clearly, everyone’s own experiences have been caught up in this and from an Indigenous point of view, a lot of it since Eddie said that cultural sensitivities weren’t adhered to – and that is very, very real.
“In the end, it was untenable. We talk about the atmosphere and environment … take apart who you agree with and you don’t agree with, the fact of the matter is it split the club down the middle. When you get the Sloane’s and the Walker’s, who have their recollection, and then you’ve got Eddie and others I would imagine… no wonder it destroyed that joint.
“You’ve got a section of the football club – and I’m not just putting this at the feet of Walker and Sloane, there may be others in the same boat – saying ‘I got so much out of this, it was good ‘. And then on the other hand, right at the other end of the scale, you’ve got ‘no, it ripped me apart, it ripped my relationship apart’. No wonder then from a footy club point of view and trying to stay together and on the same page, it ended up where it was.”
Eddie Betts was a star for the Crows. Picture: James ElsbySource: Getty Images
Essendon legend Tim Watson said he was shocked by the claims of cultural insensitivities during the camp.
“Given what they did at that camp you would think the planning that went into that – as part of that planning from a football club perspective – they would’ve said to these guys: ‘OK, what is it that you’re planning to do?’ And you would expect them to outline all the different areas that they were going to go, how they were going to go about it, what their objectives were – all those sorts of things,” Watson told SEN Breakfast.
“So you would think somewhere in there, there would be somebody representing the Adelaide Crows and there would be somebody there as part of the Adelaide Crows group who would understand the cultural sensitivities for some of those Indigenous players if they were to present the camp in the way that it was obviously presented. At that point, you would think somebody would say ‘no, you are going into territory now that we shouldn’t venture into’.”
Lyon said Betts’ belief his private details he shared were then misused during the camp was a “betrayal”.
“I’m just reading the excerpt, so I haven’t read the whole book. But if you are told, whether you’re black or white or otherwise, ‘these camp people want to speak to you and they say to step aside from everyone else privately and we want you to have a conversation where you are open and vulnerable’ … And I go ‘OK. In terms of building me as a better player and a leader, I’ll share and I’ll give you these really sensitive things that, to me, are important’. Then to have that thrown back in my face, that’s not cultural for me,” Lyon said.
Crows surprise Blues at Adelaide Oval | 01:31
“How it affects me and someone else might be different based on culture, but that’s a betrayal for me.”
After kicking 310 goals across six seasons with Adelaide, Betts was traded back to Carlton at the end of 2019 to finish his career.
Four-time Power best and fairest winner Kane Cornes dubbed Betts one of the two most popular players to ever represent Adelaide alongside Tony Modra. So for Cornes, to “read how he was treated by his own football club – of which he is an icon of – that was the saddest part for me”.
Cornes said he would be fascinated by how the Crows, as well as South Australian media personalities, would respond to the Betts book.
“The question is, all of the people who have defended the camp and have said nothing went on… what do they do now?” I have asked on SEN SA Breakfast.
“How are they going to deal with that? Because we do now have a ‘blow-by-blow account’, which is pretty harrowing that your second or most popular player in the club’s history was treated like an animal, really, on this camp.”
Cornes added: “There’s a lot of egg on the face from Crows supporters, from the footy club and a few players that were there.”
