I don’t have access to the Advertiser, but this went up about 5 minutes ago.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/news/adelaide-crows-bid-to-lure-neil-balme-to-south-australia-hits-a-stumbling-block/news-story/7dbf17f45ffc7c96cb44054fff27191e?amp&nk=9e01de56f7980a65c87d79078e3e82ee-1630311632
Here's the full article. Still denying the report was wrong.Adelaide has hit a stumbling block in its bid to lure football guru Neil Balme to West Lakes.
Balme is contracted to Richmond for one more year and is understood to be still weighing up the approach to join the Crows football department.
The Crows and Balme have had informal talks about him relocating to Adelaide.
Reports over the weekend had suggested that it was confirmed, and Balme would be the club’s head of football – a role currently held by Adam Kelly.
But Balme is still under contract at Richmond and is yet to make a call as to whether he will leave Melbourne.
Kelly is also remaining in the head of football role, with senior coach Matthew Nicks praising him in his speech at Adelaide’s Club Champion night on Saturday.
“To Adam Kelly, not many have earnt the respect of the group that you have in such a short time,” he said.
“You have been a rock for me and I look forward to working with you long into the future.”
The Crows pursued Balme last off-season to bolster the experience around Nicks and Kelly, who were both in their first seasons in their respective roles.
Balme was open to returning to Adelaide having coached Norwood to two premierships in the 1980s.
But a health condition meant Balme stayed at the Tigers, in a “godfather” role in their footy department.
The talks with the Crows have focused around a yet to be specified role, but it is understood if Balme went to Adelaide he would be along with Nicks as the two most influential figures in the football department.
The potential of Balme, who has also worked at Geelong and Collingwood, coming to the Crows had been praised by those in the industry.
Premiership Cat Cameron Mooney, who is now on FOX FOOTY, said the Crows and Nicks would be “extremely lucky to have him”.
“He’s the best person I know in football,” he said.
“He is supremely calm, he is a beautiful man, he is a great influence on coaches, on players, on staff and on footy clubs in general.
“He came into us (Geelong) at the end of 2006 and along with Steve Hocking, they just made the club run smooth.
“He was just a great voice to have, he was a voice of calmness and reason.”
Outgoing Geelong chief executive Brian Cook told FIVEaa on Sunday that Balme had the ability to turn waves into flat water.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/news/adelaide-crows-bid-to-lure-neil-balme-to-south-australia-hits-a-stumbling-block/news-story/7dbf17f45ffc7c96cb44054fff27191e
