TOM ROCKLIFF'S manager can't imagine the Brisbane Lions skipper leaving the club that he has led for the past two seasons.
Responding to reports that Adelaide was seeking to lure the 26-year-old to the Crows, Stride Sports' Tom Petroro said he doubted that would happen.
"I wouldn't have thought so. He is captain of the club," Petroro told SEN.
Rockliff, who is contracted until the end of 2017, becomes a free agent at the end of next season if he remains unsigned.
However, Petroro said he expected talks regarding an extension to ramp up as the season draws to a close.
"We started those [negotiations about an extension] at the start of the year," Petroro said.
"We parked them until the end of the footy season. I assume we'll pick them up over the coming weeks."
Petroro said both Rockliff and his other Lions client Dayne Zorko were comfortable with the coach Justin Leppitsch and understood the journey ahead.
"There is light at the end of the tunnel," Petroro said.
"They are a growing list and they're developing and it will take a bit of time."
The reports caught the Crows unaware on Friday with the club privately dismissing them as inaccurate.
But Adelaide assistant coach David Teague believed the South Australian outfit was becoming an attractive destination for any player.
"I just heard that one," Teague said on Friday about Rockliff.
"That is probably not something that I'm really in charge of or focused on heavily but I do understand players from other clubs may want to come to us at the moment.
"We are playing exciting football, we are playing a real team brand of football so if players enjoy playing amongst a team, I think Adelaide would be a destination they would be interested in."
"The good clubs probably don't spend big - people want to come to their organisation because of the culture they have built.
"Right now, Adelaide is in a good place, we're a real team-first culture ... if you want to be part of that, you probably are going to come on those terms, you're not going to ask for a big pay cheque."
