ADELAIDE recruiting manager Matt Rendell has confirmed the club is targeting Carlton pair Andrew Walker and Sam Jacobs ahead of next month's AFL exchange period.
Walker has played 103 games for the Blues since his selection at No.2 in the 2003 NAB AFL Draft.
The 24-year-old has showed glimpses of brilliance throughout his injury-plagued career, including a three-goal cameo in Carlton's elimination-final loss the Sydney Swans earlier this month, but has struggled for consistency and was sent back to the VFL twice this season.
Jacobs was limited to 13 games in 2010 after falling behind ruckmen Matthew Kreuzer, Robert Warnock and Shaun Hampson in the Blues' pecking order.
Although Carlton says Jacobs is a required player, he is out of contract and has expressed an interest in returning to his native South Australia.
Port Adelaide, which is without a proven second ruckman to support veteran Dean Brogan, is also courting the 22-year-old.
Walker met with Adelaide officials on Tuesday and Rendell said the club was keen to entertain further talks with the enigmatic utility.
"We're sniffing around there [at Sam Jacobs] and we've spoken to Andrew Walker. Those are the two [trade targets] in particular," Rendell told Adelaide radio station 5aa.
"We want to follow up with Walker because finding somebody who wants to come and live in Adelaide and is not born and bred here is like finding a big chunk of gold in your backyard.
"Walker is contracted, so it's going to be difficult. It hasn't been decided by us yet, but if he wants to come [we'll try to trade him in]."
Walker's manager Tom Petroro said Carlton had indicated it would be willing to trade his client, but was also happy to keep him if a deal couldn't be reached.
"Andrew is contracted therefore what would need to happen is for both parties to agree to a trade that is suitable," Petroro told afl.com.au.
"But if it doesn't work out, Carlton and Andrew have decided that if a trade doesn’t come he'll continue to play at the Carlton footy club."
Rendell revealed the Crows had also put in calls to Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle), Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs), Shannon Hurn (West Coast) and Beau Waters (West Coast) - all South Australians - but none were willing or able to leave their current clubs.
The Crows and Power have also been monitoring another budding ruckman in Sturt's Jonathan Giles.
Giles spent four years at Port Adelaide but failed to play an AFL game and was delisted at the end of last season.
The 22-year-old has since switched from SANFL powerhouse Central District to become one of the premier ruckmen in that competition.
Rendell said he had little doubt Giles would be snapped up by Gold Coast as one of its 10 players who have previously been listed by an AFL club or have previously nominated for the draft.
"Giles is the best player in the SANFL competition," Rendell said.
"He is far and away the best ruckman outside of the AFL and he would walk into an AFL team as a ruckman.
"We're not having a crack because Gold Coast I think are going to take him … I think Port might have gone too early in getting rid of him."
Follow our complete coverage of the 2010 AFL exchange period from October 4-11. No trades are official until paperwork has been accepted by the AFL and formally recognised after 2pm on Monday, October 11.
Join the AFL trade conversation on Twitter: use #tradeweek in your tweets.
