Joel Tippett - the brother of wantaway Crows spearhead Kurt Tippett - is being targeted by the Sydney Swans. Picture: Campbell Brodie Source: adelaidenow
KURT Tippett's controversial push to join Sydney has taken another twist, with the premier also eyeing his brother, Joel.
West Adelaide coach Andrew Collins - who has helped revive Joel's AFL aspirations - said the Swans were one of three AFL clubs to show strong interest in rookie-listing the key defender at the December 11 draft, along with St Kilda and Carlton.
Providing it is given AFL approval, Sydney is expected to claim key forward Kurt at the pre-season draft on the same day in a four-year deal worth $3.5 million.
In a move which could be seen as trying to further sweeten Kurt, the Swans have spoken to the Bloods several times about Joel - a standout 24-year-old full back who in is first season in the SANFL this year made The Advertiser team of the year.
"I've had quite a few clubs enquire about him because he's a great kid," Collins said of Joel, a former Brisbane rookie who played two games for Gold Coast in 2011.
"Sydney's been in the mix along with a few other clubs, so it will be interesting to see where he ends up.
"But I'm sure he'll get rookie-listed somewhere because he is a beauty and could certainly make the step up to the AFL."
Adelaide had shown considerable interest in drafting 197cm Joel before Kurt's shock decision to walk out on the club.
Port Adelaide, which picked up four defenders in the draft and trade period - Jack Hombsch, Lewis Stevenson, Campbell Heath and Tom Clurey - has declared Tippett is not on its radar.
Collins backed Joel to blossom if he was given a third AFL try and questioned why clubs had overlooked a ready-made player at the national draft to punt on less-talented kids at the draft's back end.
"The fact so many mature-age players are overlooked at the draft bamboozles me," triple Hawthorn premiership defender Collins said.
"I can't understand why young kids are taken right at the end of the draft when you've got mature-age players who are clearly better and only a couple of years older.
"I'm sure these players are thinking 'I'm a better player than them now and I'll still be a better player than them in a couple of years'.
"Joel would be disappointed he didn't get picked up, along with another one of our players in Jono Beech, because they've certainly got the talent to make it."
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