His name had come up late as the Magpies and the Brisbane Lions continued discussing what was a fair trade for former Collingwood midfielder Dayne Beams.
Crisp tried to ignore the talk that night so he could enjoy the party but it didn't take long for him to ring his manager Anthony McConville the next day to find out what was really happening.
"On the Monday I was down here (at Collingwood's Westpac Centre) doing my medical," Crisp told AFL.com.au.
Eight days later he was in a Collingwood polo top fronting the media alongside Nathan Buckley and the club's two other recruits, Levi Greenwood and Travis Varcoe.
House hunting in Melbourne's suburbs was scheduled for the afternoon.
It was unlikely he would be interrupted on that mission by anyone other than the most avid football watcher.
Neither a big name nor the highest profile trade of the past fortnight, Crisp is a big-bodied midfielder with a good mix of speed and endurance.
He played 18 games with the Lions in three seasons, including good performances in the final six games of 2014 when he kicked six goals and proved to himself and others he could compete at the highest level.
“’Leppa’ (Lions coach Justin Leppitsch) finally gave me a go in round 18 and I just took it. The way I played, I was pretty happy with it. It sparked a bit more interest in me and made me feel pretty good about myself," he said.
Crisp is built like a country lad and appears to have the bush in his bones but he wasn't pining for home.
His dad Matt was a good local footballer in Myrtleford where he works as a builder and carries the nickname ‘Mamba’, and his grandfather, Bob, who died just before Crisp's AFL debut, played in the club's famous 1970 premiership.
Crisp felt no pressure to come home but saw opportunities at Collingwood and was open to the idea of being back in Victoria if the chance arose.
He'd been comfortable in Brisbane and with five aunties in Queensland, was not too far from a home-cooked meal if he wanted one.
However, he is rapt to be just down the highway from his hometown and thinks Collingwood has identified him as "a tall bloke that can run and take marks and hit the scoreboard as well".
He hopes to fulfil that brief and restart a career that seemed to be gaining traction late in 2014.
And having only once played at the MCG – in the Lions' 67-point win over Collingwood in round 21 – he can't wait to experience football Victorian style.
