Shane McAdam made the decision to leave Adelaide after becoming frustrated during contract talks, it can be revealed.
Michelangelo Rucci broke the news on Wednesday that McAdam had quit the Adelaide Football Club and was requesting a trade out of West Lakes.
Adding to his story late on Wednesday, Rucci revealed how the two parties fell out.
“Just to give you a bit of an insight into the last week, I told you how Adelaide put a two-year deal on the table earlier this year,” Rucci added on SEN SA’s The Run Home.
“McAdam wanted three. By the time they came together late last week when I first mentioned it off-air, Adelaide were prepared to go to three but the damage had been done in the sense he was out.”
Adelaide confirmed McAdam wanted to explore his options in a statement late on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old started the season in Adelaide’s best 22 before being suspended in Round 1. Injury and form issues then kept him out of the side, but McAdam broke into a talented Crows forward line for six of the last seven game of 2023.
He kicked a goal in every game he played this year and averaged just under two majors per appearance.
But the fact he’s out of contract and declared his hand weeks out from the trade period has AFL Media’s Cal Twomey a little unsure about what McAdam’s trade value is.
The 50-game forward is requesting a trade to the Demons.
“He’s a really fascinating one from a trade perspective. What’s he worth?” Twomey began on SEN Breakfast.
“He’s 28, out of contract and misses a bit of footy here and there… but has shown in the last six weeks of the season that he can kick goals.
“I struggle to work out exactly what he’s worth given he’s out of contract and at his age, but there’s three or four years (in a contract offer) there on the table.
“I think he’ll get to the Demons but there’s obviously a bit to play out to get that one right.”
Twomey added he believed McAdam would be worth somewhere around a late second round or early third round draft pick.
The fact 2023 appears to be a shallow draft class further complicates the matter, with not many picks expected to be taken beyond 40.
McAdam is a Western Australian who has kicked 72 goals in his 50 games. Initially selected as a mature-age pre-draft access pick by Carlton, he’s been at the Crows since 2018.