Crows eyeing out-of-contract Lion, North delist 12th player
Adelaide are eyeing a South Australian homecoming for out-of-contract Brisbane Lions defender Mitch Hinge.
The 190-centimetre Glenelg product is without a deal for 2021 as the Lions deal with a list and salary cap crunch on the back of the new collective bargaining agreement unveiled late last week.
Sources familiar with the situation have indicated that Brisbane are keen to keep Hinge but that he could be swayed by greater security at West Lakes.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, North Melbourne announced the delisting of defender Ed Vickers-Willis, who became the 12th Kangaroo to be culled from the Roos' list this off-season.
With Ben Brown and Shaun Higgins traded from Arden Street, 14 players from North's 2020 list are gone, although Jamie Macmillan remains at the club in an off-field role.
The AFL also confirmed on Wednesday morning that clubs would be able to move two delisted players straight from their senior list to their rookie list during the second delisted free agency period next month.
Mitch Hinge (right) tackles Will Brodie in their under-18 days.Credit:Adam Trafford
Hinge, 22, has been with Brisbane for four years but has struggled for senior opportunities. He made his AFL debut - coincidentally against the Crows - midway through 2019, one of two senior matches he played that year.
He appeared at AFL level just once in 2020 as the Lions preferred the likes of Brandon Starcevich and Grant Birchall, however Hinge was an emergency in both of Brisbane's finals.
Brisbane could choose to delist Hinge, allowing him free passage to Adelaide as a delisted free agent.
Alternatively they could force him into the pre-season draft where the Crows are already committed to taking fellow South Australian Jackson Hately after the midfielder was unable to reach a deal with Greater Western Sydney for the midfielder during the trade period earlier this month.
The AFL's list lodgment deadline is on Wednesday, with the delisted free agency window opening the following day.
Should he join the Crows, Hinge would become the third Lion to leave to another club this off-season following fellow backman Alex Witherden's trade to West Coast and veteran ruckman Stefan Martin's move to the Western Bulldogs.
The Lions brought in Joe Daniher from Essendon and a free agent and traded for Nakia Cockatoo from Geelong.
The Lions have several promising academy players available to them at next month's draft including Blake Coleman, the younger brother of Brisbane goalsneak Keidean Coleman.