Scott joked that they might try to recruit a Queenslander to “make it a bit logistically easier”. He discussed the club’s mid-season options with the recruiting team after training on Monday.
“It’s exciting, in a way,” he said. “We’re going to be looking at players who even a week ago, we probably weren’t considering, so our recruiting team is working overtime at the moment.”
Adams, 21, did not play a game in two seasons at the Saints after being the No.51 pick in the 2021 draft, but returned to his junior club Glenelg and was part of their SANFL premiership last year.
The 198-centimetre lockdown backman is also on Gold Coast’s radar, according to three industry sources, but Essendon would be able to swoop on him before the Suns.
St Kilda suspended Adams in his first AFL season after a car accident where he recorded a blood alcohol reading above the legal limit. However, Glenelg’s head of football, Paul Sandercock, said Adams had matured since those days, and he would be “pretty surprised” if the defender was not drafted.
“Oscar’s come back to an environment that’s familiar to him, and we’ve given him every opportunity to develop as a key defender,” Sandercock told this masthead.
“He’s missed very little footy, played in our premiership side last year, and has just got better and better. He’s found a bit of confidence and been a valuable contributor the last 18 months.
“It’s a cutthroat business and he was probably not given enough time to settle into Melbourne and AFL footy life, but he’s working with his dad in the family [concreting] business, and he’s benefited from our strong leadership group and culture.”
The Bombers have also inquired about Adams’ Glenelg teammate, 202cm project Harry Ramm, while 199cm Werribee defender Ryan Eyers is another on their shortlist.
They are among at least five clubs, including Adelaide, Carlton, Collingwood and North Melbourne, who have spoken to 198cm Subiaco key forward Archer May.
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The Magpies encouraged May, who has requested an 18-month contract, not to play at the weekend, but he may be gone by their selection. The 20-year-old ex-VFL Tiger is averaging two goals and more than six marks in the WAFL this season.
Essendon were tracking Coburg ruckman Cooper Keogh until he suffered a navicular injury, but have shifted their attention to Claremont’s Ollie Eastland, GWV Rebels’ Floyd Burmeister and Murray Bushranger Ky Harding.
East Fremantle’s Lachlan Blakiston and Southport’s Brayden Crossley – who trained with the Western Bulldogs in the summer and played 10 games for Gold Coast in 2018 – are other ruck prospects.
Nathan Kreuger, who has been playing in the VFL with Geelong after being delisted by Collingwood, is a ready-made key defender who can also go forward.
Currently eight clubs have at least one list vacancy: Essendon (four), Gold Coast and Western Bulldogs (two each), and West Coast, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Collingwood and Carlton (one).
Brayden Maynard’s foot injury is not terrible news for the Magpies.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Maynard ruptured foot, Hill still absent for Pies
Michael Gleeson
Collingwood vice captain Brayden Maynard ruptured the plantar fascia in the foot that has troubled him since last year in the win over North Melbourne. But that is good news.
The fact he has torn through the foot tendon that has troubled him actually expedites the recovery of the tissue and means he is now likely to be able to overcome the pain he had been managing since late last year.
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He will miss one to two weeks, ruling him out of this week’s clash with Hawthorn but leaving him a chance to play against Melbourne on the King’s Birthday ahead of a bye for the Magpies.
Small forward Bobby Hill remains away from the club for personal reasons, and the club is unsure if he will be back this week.
Meanwhile, Lachie Schultz is expected to be available to play Hawthorn if he trains fully on Tuesday and clears the final stage of the concussion protocol. Schultz has missed two games since being knocked out playing against his former club Fremantle.
Scott Pendlebury, who missed last week with gastro, and fellow veteran Steele Sidebottom, who was managed out of the North match, will both return against the Hawks.
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