Adelaide Crows’ Midfield Ambitions
Adelaide Crows coach Matthew Nicks has confirmed that the team is actively seeking to strengthen its midfield by adding depth and talent. This move comes in response to their reported interest in Zac Bailey, a dual premiership player.
“Yep, we’re always looking for talent,” Nicks said on SEN. “We have a major interest in Brisbane’s Zac Bailey, where it is understood they have put a massive 10 million dollar deal across seven years in front of him.”
Nicks highlighted the importance of the midfield, stating:
“The one area you want to continually add to is your midfield because that’s where the ball spins most of the time. The reason why they’re so highly rated is because they’re around the ball more often than not.”
Midfield Struggles and New Opportunities
The Crows have faced some challenges in the midfield at the start of the season, prompting them to introduce new faces into the mix. One such player is Josh Rachele, who has seen increased midfield time this year.
“We want to get our best players around the ball as much as we can, and you’ve probably seen that with Josh Rachele this year,” Nicks explained. “Through a little bit of health of the list and some unavailability, we were able to really give him a big opportunity and a lot of time through the midfield, and he did a great job.”
Rachele has had a standout season with his role change, and the Crows are looking for more players to join him in the midfield alongside Dawson and Rankine.
“We’d love to get to a point where we have a number of guys that we can move through there at different times depending on where the game’s at.”
Zac Bailey’s Free Agency Decision
Zac Bailey opened up about his free agency decision, expressing his desire to remain with the Lions.
“Of course, I want to stay (at the Lions),” Bailey told AFL Media. “I love this club.”
Bailey acknowledged the various factors involved in contract decisions, stating:
“When it comes to contract years, there are a lot of factors you have to weigh up. I’m at that stage at the moment, just weighing things up. I won’t rush into anything, but I’m loving my time at the club so far.”
He emphasized the importance of happiness and culture:
“Firstly, it’s about just being happy. Coming into the club, especially at the Lions, it’s such a good culture. You want to be able to go into work and enjoy every day and enjoy the work that you do. That’s probably top of the list for me. Then there’s stuff around family and being close to them. There’s just a lot of factors to weigh up.”
Bailey also shared his feelings about his home:
“I’ve been all over the place, but I love it up in Brisbane. It’s hard to say, I think NT will always be home. But (Brisbane) is my second home now.”
