Adelaide are prepared to "come hard" at attracting Essendon ruckman Sam Draper to South Australia next year.
The 205cm cult figure was taken with the first pick in the 2016 rookie draft from South Adelaide in the SANFL, however did not don the sash until 2020. Since then, Draper has played 73 games at the Bombers, including a breakout year in 2022 which saw him win goal of the year.
With a Crows side hellbent on re-entering finals contention, livewire Draper is already on the radar of the interstate club.
"Adelaide will come hard for Sam Draper, I've got absolutely no doubt about that," journalist Callum Twomey said on AFL Trade Radio.
"Maybe they have already started those intimations."
A South Australian-born footballer, the Crows will be aiming to lure Draper back to his home state, despite the ruck enjoying his time in Victoria.
"I think that the Bombers will be keen to re-sign him, and also he's got a pretty steady life in Melbourne as well, and hasn't previously looked to go back to South Australia, he's been very happy at the Bombers," Twomey said.
"But I do think the Crows will be well and truly in his ear about getting him to their footy club as a South Australian," Twomey said.
With Adelaide ruckman Reilly O'Brien coming into the latter stages of his career, the Crows are keen on trading for an established tall to take his place, having already made a play for Gold Coast ruckman Ned Moyle earlier in the season.
"It's clearly something that they'll be targeting," Twomey said on Adelaide's ruckman desires.
Adelaide are prepping for an aggressive trade period this off-season, with Alex Neal-Bullen and Isaac Cumming likely to commit to the South Australian club in this year's trade period. The Crows also joined the race for Giant James Peatling's signature this week, as well as targeting a blockbuster off-field move with the pursuit of ex-Collingwood football boss Graham Wright.
Draper is out of contract at the end of 2025, having penned a two-year extension in 2022.