Bickley reacts to claims that star SA prospect has concerns about being drafted by Crows

Former Adelaide captain Mark Bickley has responded to claims that people around draft hopeful Sid Draper are concerned about the potential of him being picked up by the Crows.

The South Adelaide product is considered a strong chance to be selected inside the top 10 in November’s national draft and it is believed that the Crows are showing interest.

Josh Money from Channel 7 in Adelaide reported on Wednesday night that there are people close to Draper who have their reservations.

“Seven News understands those close to Sid Draper are worried about Adelaide’s ability to manage its younger players,” said Money.

“With Adelaide holding Pick 4 in the draft and in dire need of young midfielders, many expect the Crows to pursue Draper.

“But it’s understood that the All-Australian Under-18 junior star prefers a move to a big Victorian club.

“The Draper camp was alarmed by Adelaide’s handling of Josh Rachele at the end of the season where he was dropped for the club’s final game and called out by a number of the Crows’ leaders.”

Two-time premiership captain Bickley has questioned the report, wondering where the information has actually come from.

He just doesn’t believe a young player with his entire career in front of him would baulk at the chance to join a particular AFL club.

“The Sid Draper camp are worried about Adelaide and their treatment of Josh Rachele,” Bickley said on SEN SA Breakfast.

“There's a couple of things in this. One is a young draftee being worried about an AFL football club that potentially might be going to pick him.

“You don't get a discussion around which club I’m going to. Whichever club decides to draft you, it’s an absolute honour and I bet you Sid would be absolutely rapt to go to any club, I would have thought.

“The second part is just this whole ‘Sid Draper camp’. Who's that? Is it his manager? Is it his parents? Is it his mate's mate? Is it a friend of a friend?

“Who's saying this? There's no quotes attributed to it, they're not saying it's any person.

“Put someone to it. ‘The Draper camp’, is that his manager?”

Bickley then questioned Adelaide’s apparent inability to handle young players, especially considering Riley Thilthorpe penned a contract extension in early September.

“The obvious one you think of is the manager because they give advice, but Sid's manager (Ben Williams) also manages Riley Thilthorpe who just signed a long-term deal,” he added.

“He's another young player, so if they were that alarmed, would they then be committing one of their star players for the next few years?

“I just feel like if you're going to use strong language like alarmed and worried about the treatment of players, well, at least get an interview or at least attribute a quote to someone as opposed to ‘people close to the camp’.

“I just think it's a very broad reference.”

Gun midfielder Draper performed well for the SA Under-18 side as well as featuring six times in the SANFL for the Panthers.

He is expected to be the first South Australian selected in the 2024 draft.