Crows football operations general manager Phil Harper said the Club was extremely disappointed to lose one of its top players.
“Nathan is an All Australian defender and he won our Club Champion award in 2008, so we rate him very highly,” Harper said.
“However, the Club recognises Nathan’s honesty and courage to come forward to the Club and his team-mates to inform them of his decision now. This allows the Club to plan in terms of list management for next year and also helps with selection in the next two weeks.
“This is obviously an unusual situation. Our circumstances - in not playing finals - dictates that while we totally respect Nathan’s preparedness to be honest and open about his intentions, we obviously need to make a decision regarding the wisdom of his selection over the next two weeks.
“In the end, to continue to select Nathan would rob another young player of an opportunity in our side - and opportunity which (in preparing for the future) we need to take.”
Nathan Bock said: “My manager has been in discussion with Gold Coast and we have an offer and intend to continue those discussions when the seasons is over. As far as selection goes, I wouldn’t feel at all comfortable keeping a young player out of the side, so I totally understand and support the decision not to play me for the rest of the season.”
Bock, 27, played 113 games for Adelaide after initially being recruited as a rookie from SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens. He made his AFL debut in 2004.
See more soon from today’s press conference fon afc.com.au
