Rankine wants out: Gold Coast Suns' excitement machine, Izak Rankine has requested a trade back home to the Adelaide Crows.
(AFL PHOTOS)
Just a few weeks ago, Izak Rankine informed the Gold Coast Suns of his desire to be traded to the Crows in the trade period. This is a major blow for the Suns as Rankine produced a career-best year this season and was finally starting to tap into his potential. Rankine was a much more consistent player this year while producing the odd spectacular move or goal, making him a very dangerous small forward. While it is a major blow for the Suns that Rankine wants out, they can still make it a positive, if they get the right price.
The Suns list is currently in a pretty good spot. They have lots of young talent with Ben King, Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell leading from the front, along with a good bunch of older players who are setting the example for the young Suns coming through. With Rankine going, the Suns can add to their massive amount of talent through the draft or even get a solidified product from the Crows.
Due to Rankine’s promising year and having been a former top five pick in the draft, he will have a high amount of trade value. The Crows also have the facilities to do the trade as well, which could end up being a win-win for both clubs.
The Crows currently have pick five in the draft this year (will likely become pick six due to Will Ashcroft being a father son selection) and will probably play a key part in the trade negotiation. Given Rankine was picked third in the 2018 draft, pick five seems like it will logically be part of the deal. This would be a win for the Suns as they could go and get another highly talented player and bring them into a group with a good strong culture.
The 22-year-old has played 48 games for the Suns since he was drafted.
(AFL PHOTOS)
The Suns also have pick seven currently and could end up with pick five and seven. This would be a huge positive for the Suns as two more highly talented players could be drafted and make the Suns a very dangerous team, to add on to the already stacked young core coming through.
The Suns could also ask for one of the Crows’ highly talented youngsters. They could try and prize Josh Rachele or Riley Thilthorpe. Rachele is a like-for-like swap for Rankine, as they are both quick, skilful, classy and both have ‘X Factor’. Both players can also pinch-hit in the middle of the ground and get a clearance and do something special. A swap for Thilthorpe on the other hand would also make sense for the Suns, as they could partner him up with Ben King and Mabior Chol, creating a potent three-headed monster up forward. The Crows would be unlikely to trade either of these players but it’s worth the Suns asking the question.
While Rankine leaving would hurt the Suns in the short term, it may be a blessing in disguise for the long term, as they could get a lot for Rankine. Given the Crows’ substantial contract offer to Rankine, it gives the Suns the upper hand in the negotiations, as the contract offer proves the Crows rate him very highly which means the Suns should be compensated highly.
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