Collingwood are refusing to give up Taylor Adams without a fight, with the veteran midfielder keen for a trade to the Sydney Swans. Adams made his trade request official on Sunday and is keen to take up a three-year deal with the Swans.
The 30-year-old, who wasn’t fit in time to play in the Magpies’ grand final triumph over Brisbane, has one year left on his current deal with Collingwood. However he made the bombshell request to move north of the border last weekend.
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“Taylor’s part of our leadership group and would’ve been in our grand final team,” Collingwood list boss Graham Wright told reporters on Monday at the start of the trade period. “He’s been vice-captain of the club, so from our perspective we see him as a required player. But we’ll have conversations with Sydney and see where it goes.”
Wright said Collingwood had not discussed extending Adams’ current contract in an attempt to get him to stay. The 206-game veteran is said to be seeking more midfield time, having been pushed to half-forward for longer stints after Tom Mitchell’s arrival at the Magpies a year ago.
Wright dismissed talk that John Noble – who also missed the grand final after being overlooked for selection – could look to follow Adams out the door. Noble played all 23 games in the regular season this year but was dropped on the eve of the finals. “We really understand and sympathise with John but he’s just signed a three-year deal and we see him as part of what we’re doing as well,” Wright said.
Collingwood are still paying about $250,000 per year of Brodie Grundy’s salary, a year after he left the Magpies to join Melbourne. Grundy now appears to be heading to Sydney to link up with Adams, but Wright said Collingwood won’t try to extricate themselves from the deal. “Our heads of agreement is with Brodie, not Melbourne or Sydney,” Wright said.
Sydney have also managed to snag premiership players James Jordon and Joel Hamling – from Melbourne and Fremantle respectively. But they will face a tough fight with Collingwood to get Adams.
The Magpies confirmed Adams’ trade request in a statement on Sunday, declaring him “a required player and leader”. A club statement said: “The club will discuss the request with Sydney.”
Taylor Adams switch on the cards as AFL trade period begins
Adams has played 175 games for the Magpies, winning the club’s best-and-fairest award in 2020 during his All-Australian campaign. He started his career at GWS and played 31 games for the Giants. His potential move to Sydney shapes as the most high-profile switch of the trade period, which runs from October 9-18.
Adams’ heartbreaking absence from the grand final reignited debate about who should received a premiership medal when a team wins the grand final. Only the 22 players who take part in the actual game received a medal, meaning the likes of Adams and Noble miss out.
They were a big reason why we were there (in the grand final),” Mason Cox told The Herald Sun last week. “It is frustrating to not see them have a medal around their neck to be honest
“I would change it in a heartbeat. Without them we are not in this situation. To have that happen is f***ing shattering. Guys like John Noble and Tay Adams, it is something you wouldn’t wish on the worst person. I don’t know what the ruling would be but it just seems wrong to not have them with a medal.”
