Callum Ah Chee’s move from Brisbane to Adelaide has hit a stumbling block amid revelations the two AFL teams are “miles apart” on the terms of a trade. Ah Chee won his second premiership with the Lions when they beat Geelong in the grand final, before requesting a trade to the Crows.
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan confirmed his departure at the club’s presentation night, as well as that of Brandon Starcevich. The latter has completed a move to the West Coast Eagles (with some help from Fremantle), but it looks a different story for Ah Chee.
Leading reporter Sam Edmund revealed on Friday that Brisbane and Adelaide are “miles apart” on a potential trade and have some work to do. Edmund wrote on social media: “Lions want Crows’ pick 16 or their future first. Adelaide’s future second has been on the table for days. Stalemate as things stand.”
Callum Ah Chee (far left) has requested a trade from Brisbane to Adelaide. Image: Getty
Starcevich officially moved to West Coast on Wednesday morning, with Fremantle joining a three-way trade to get the deal over the line. The Eagles gave picks 16 and 22 to Brisbane and 23 to Fremantle, while landing the Dockers’ picks 12 and 33. Freo also got the Lions’ pick 19.
“We’re disappointed to see a player of Brandon’s quality leave,” Lions list manager Dom Ambrogio said. “However, aside from the free agents we have targeted to bring in, our main aim in this trade period is to strengthen our draft hand, and we feel this trade has accomplished that.”
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Starcevich’s move allowed the Lions to get Oscar Allen from the Eagles as a restricted free agent. It appears a third team might need to get involved in the Ah Chee situation if the stalemate between Brisbane and Adelaide continues.
Fagan paid tribute to Ah Chee and Stercevich at the club’s presentation night, saying: “Cal Ah Chee and Brandon Starcevich will take up the option to move to other clubs next year. We all understand why that’s happening.
“We’re incredibly grateful for what they’ve done for our club. I can’t thank those guys enough … they’re real team players. We wish you all the best at your new clubs and hope you do very, very well.”
Brandon Starcevich and Callum Ah Chee after Brisbane’s win in the AFL grand final. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Should Callum Ah Chee have copped a suspension?
Ah Chee and Starcevich were involved in a nasty incident in the grand final when Starcevich was concussed and ruled out of the game. Ah Chee appeared to push Geelong player Ollie Dempsey into a marking contest, with Dempsey clattering into Starcevich.
Speaking a week later on SEN radio, AFL legend Dermott Brereton questioned why Ah Chee escaped a sanction from the match review officer. Brereton pointed out it appeared very similar to when Essendon player Dylan Shiel was banned one game in August for pushing Geelong’s Mark O’Connor into Shiel’s teammate Luamon Lual.
“It’s almost like [they’ve said] ‘it’s the end of the season so we’ll let everything slide’,” Hawthorn legend Brereton said. “The injured [player] was on the winning side so they’re happy, we’re all happy, [they’ve said] ‘let’s move on’.
“Did anyone think it was unusual that Callum Ah Chee pushed Ollie Dempsey into his own teammate and concussed Brandon Starcevich? Similar to when Dylan Shiel pushed his opponent into Lual and he went toppling over. Lual got concussed and Dylan Shiel got a one-week suspension when the injury sustained was his own teammate.
“Callum Ah Chee pushed an opponent and his teammate got injured, and [the match review officer] has given it the all-clear, nothing to see here, shuffle along please, season’s over. I thought it was exactly the same set of boundaries/parameters as to why Dylan Shiel got suspended four weeks before.”
Any ban that Ah Chee might have received would likely have affected the Crows for the start of 2026.