Handshake snub exposes tension after ‘shock’ trade stalemate
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The biggest stunner of the AFL’s trade deadline wasn’t a deal that went through, it was one that didn’t.
Adelaide and North Melbourne ultimately found themselves at loggerheads over defender Nick Murray and the Crows chose to keep the contracted player.
Adelaide defender Nick Murray. getty
The tension between the two clubs was clear when Crows list manager Jarryd Roughead offered a handshake to his Kangaroos opposite Brady Rawlings only to have it snubbed.
The Roos reportedly offered their 2027 first round and third round picks as well as No.33 and No.49 in this year's draft for the 25-year-old and a future fourth rounder.
Roughead, however, was steadfast in not doing the deal, particularly given they lost a similar defender in Jordon Butts to the Bulldogs in free agency.
Rawlings spent the last few hours of the trade period pacing up and down Marvel Stadium, desperate to get the deal done. They attempted to trade their future first round pick to anybody with a pick in the teens or early 20s, hoping to get the piece that unlocked the trade.
Rawlings could be seen in Adelaide's room talking with Roughead at the buzzer, frantically going through a list of possible options. When those were rejected, he left with his arms raised in frustration.
Cameras captured the moment Roughead extended an arm for a handshake, but Rawlings – glued to his phone – missed it. Roughead shook the air as colleagues around him laughed.
The Crows have been widely panned for not making the trade, given the stack of picks they were offered for a player who played just 11 games for them in 2026, finished the season in the SANFL and was not in their finals team calculations.
Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes believes they should have done the deal.
"Adelaide are now the hardest team to deal with (in the trade period). Gee they were stubborn," Cornes told Trade Radio after the deadline.
"Nick Murray will never, ever be worth that much ever again.
"I'm surprised that Adelaide didn't do the deal. He'll never be worth that again.
Crows list boss Jarryd Roughead was snubbed of a handshake by his North Melbourne opposite number Brady Rawlings. Fox Footy
"Now, clearly, they've got a coach under pressure and they need to get better and their depth has been tested, I understand that, but on what was on offer and the work North did to make it happen, I'm surprised it didn't go through.
"That's the biggest shock for me."
St Kilda champion Leigh Montagna agrees, saying the Roos were prepared to give up a lot for a "backup defender".
"I'm surprised that Adelaide didn't do this deal for a guy that is a back-up defender. With a future first and a pick inside 35, I thought Adelaide would be tempted," Montagna told Fox Footy.
"You can go and find another back-up key defender. Interesting that they held their nerve. They wanted a first round pick this year. North weren't able to tempt them in the end. I think it's disappointing for them in the end."
Responding to Montagna, dual North Melbourne premiership player David King added: "You've got to know what these players are worth. I think they've made a blue here. I think they've overvalued this player".
Speaking to reporters after the deadline, Rawlings said they “tried everything they could”.
Things getting frosty in the Crows rooms over the Nick Murray trade. Jarryd Roughead refused to budge. AFL
“When you’re looking at contracted players it’s always tough. We tried our hardest and it wasn’t quite good enough, Adelaide said no,” he said.
“We tried everything we could. Nick has two more years at Adelaide and we understood that it might not get done. We had a throw at the stumps and the throw was a bit short.”
Roughead said their call was based on the pressure on the club to perform in 2027, rather than looking to the future.
“We're in a win now phase. So, losing two key defenders…is going to be quite hard. That tests our depth. So, yeah, if we're in a win-now phase, why would we give away two key defenders?" Roughead said.
It was a strange trade deadline overall. With Zach Merrett, Rowan Marshall, Nick Blakey, Lachie Whitfield and all the other big name trades completed, there wasn’t a big fish to sell the deadline on.
Ultimately, there were 10 players who became the focus of the deadline. Of those, four didn’t move, including Murray.
Laitham Vandermeer stayed at the Bulldogs, Gryan Miers remained with Geelong and Collingwood and Richmond never got close on a trade for premiership defender Jayden Short.
Jack Viney has been traded to West Coast. Getty Images
The Tigers and Pies both threw pointed barbs at each other in the aftermath as neither were on the same page about the 30-year-old’s value.
Melbourne got busy, trading contracted pair Jack Viney and Trent Rivers to West Coast, while adding Will McLachlan from Brisbane and Bodie Ryan from Hawthorn. They managed all four of those transactions inside the final 10 minutes.
Viney, a former club captain, was asked to find a new home as the Dees continue their list turnover under coach Steven King. He joins the Eagles and becomes the veteran midfield leader they’ve been searching for.
Luke Pedlar made the rare move from Adelaide to Port Adelaide, while Josh Goater got his wish to join Hawthorn from North Melbourne.
Essendon likely got the biggest addition of deadline day, securing Brisbane defender Keidean Coleman for picks No.21 and No.27. They got back No.25.
Coleman settled on the Bombers late in the piece and immediately becomes one of their best players.
