Adelaide list boss Jarryd Roughead has defended the club’s call to hold Nick Murray given it’s in a “win-now phase” after North Melbourne “threw everything” at a trade.
Murray’s attempted move to Arden Street was the only deal that fell over on deadline day, with the defender to return to West Lakes, where he’s contracted until 2028.
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The Kangaroos’ failed bid to appease Adelaide made for dramatic scenes on the final day of the trade period as the clock wound down, with North’s final offer of picks 33 and 49 along with their 2027 first-round and third-round selections unable to get it done.
Roos list manager Brady Rawlings was seen storming around the Marvel Stadium halls to desperately try and facilitate a deal, which was made harder after the club went all in on a Nick Blakey trade..
North tried just about everything including bringing other clubs into the deal, with Rawlings evidently frustrated when he left Adelaide’s room one final time in the dying minutes of the exchange window.
It came after Roughead’s attempt for a friendly handshake was rejected by Rawlings when he first entered the room to run through trade options.
Rawlings was all business at that point in the fanatic final minutes for one final go at it.
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Murray’s managers, Nick Gieschen and Robbie D’Orazio from CDG Sports, were also about earlier trying to make something happen.
However, ultimately, North was unable to meet Adelaide’s demand for a top-20 pick, with greater premium on 2026 draft assets in the last crop that won’t be compromised by Tasmania for a few years.
After losing fellow key defender Jordon Butts to the Bulldogs as a free agent, Roughead explained that it didn’t make sense to also send away Murray.
“We’re in a win-now phase – losing two key defenders is going to be quite hard, that tests our depth,” Roughead said.
“If we’re in a win-now phase, why would we give away two key defenders?
“(North) did what they had to do on behalf of their football club. That was never our intention to send Nick Murray there to make them stronger. We wanted to keep him.”
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Rawlings, who joked that he needed an ice bath with how much he paced around Marvel Stadium, suggested the Roos would again target Murray in 12 months’ time.
“We threw everything we had at it,” Rawlings said.
“We obviously really rate him as a player and you can probably tell from what we offered today. We have a high price on his value and our need for that position.
“A lot can happen within another 12 months but I think if we are fishing in the same sort of farm for next year.”
Carlton, Port Adelaide, GWS and Brisbane were among the clubs North tried to organise pick swaps with to no avail.
“I was actually looking for the ice baths at the end of the evening,” Rawlings said.
“We clearly had to try and look at a few different things to throw to Adelaide, and most of that was trying to get a good pick in this year’s draft.
“With that you are looking at different clubs to try and switch picks with, but it was a really tough market get into this year, to try and get inside pick 20.”
Rawlings said North would assess other avenues including the draft and pre-season supplementary period to bring in a key defender but could “stick with our boys,” with the club excited by youngster Blake Thredgold.