Why Jenkins would baulk at reported eye-watering Lukosius price if he were Adelaide

Gold Coast forward Jack Lukosius could be on the move this off-season, but it’s going to cost a lot to get him to depart the Suns according to AFL Media’s Cal Twomey.

While some reports have suggested a second-round pick could get the deal done for the former No. 2 pick, Twomey says that a rival club may have to offer Lukosius a deal worth around $1 million a season given the lucrative deal that he has on the Gold Coast for the next two seasons.

Although Adelaide has been the club linked most to the South Australian, Twomey also expects Victorian clubs to be ‘in the mix’ if he looks at his options.

“Jack Lukosius … he’s got two years to go on his deal at the Suns,” Twomey said on AFL.com.au’s Gettable.

“Adelaide is circling, and they’ve been circling for a little bit, and I expect Victorian clubs to be in the mix as well.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily return to South Australia or stay at Gold Coast … he’s got a couple of years left and a lucrative couple of years as well.

“If he was going to be dragged out, it’s probably going to be at that million-dollar level, but that can be smoothed out over a longer-term deal potentially.”

In response to Twomey, former Adelaide forward Josh Jenkins thinks that the Crows shouldn’t be going after a player like Lukosius if that’s what it’s going to take from a salary cap perspective.

While Jenkins thinks that Lukosius would make a quality second-key forward, he simply wouldn’t be investing in that area of the ground if he were the Crows given their issues in the midfield and down back.

“Cal Twomey says … ‘It’s going to have to be at that million-dollar level’ … I’ll be strong, Adelaide can’t be putting another million-dollar player into their forward line,” Jenkins told SEN The Run Home.

“If it was going to be a forward of the Izak Rankine level, then you tick it off.

“But we’ve seen enough of Jack to know he’s not going to be turning into or have Izak Rankine impact.

“I think he really wants to be a forward from all reports … the talent's obvious, and maybe he needs to play as that second key forward.

“Maybe Melbourne clubs are in the mix for him. I just don’t see him as a great fit for Adelaide.

“I just wouldn't be spending my money in that area of the ground if I were Adelaide.”

Lukosius has kicked 60 goals from his last 42 games after playing primarily as a defender for the first few years of his career.