Retzlaff, Callum Ah Chee’s manager, is exasperated. A mega trade that would have seen the star move from Brisbane to Adelaide virtually collapsed only days ago. Even still, for months, his camp management strongly advocated the trade. As the negotiations went on, members were incensed by what they perceived as bungling by Brisbane’s negotiators.
In his remarks, Ah Chee’s manager, Ambrogio, said they’d tried to be open and honest every step of the way. In spite of this effort, the anticipated agreement failed to materialize. The mistake of that trade left no doubt about his position. He all but ruled out Callum Ah Chee returning to Brisbane next year declaring that there was “zero chance”.
Today that picture has changed completely. Callum Ah Chee is now set to join Adelaide via the pre-season draft, ensuring he gets the future he wants with his new club. This tense showing was indicative of a bigger leap for the player. He’s been an absolutely key addition to Brisbane, having played 124 matches since he joined from Gold Coast prior to the 2020 campaign.
Ambrogio expressed his frustration, and rightfully so, in a post-deal press conference with Adelaide after the deal fell through. He emphasized how little control they had over the eventual outcome. He drove home their overarching aim through their New Zealand adventures – to hang onto Callum Ah Chee.
“He’s leaving … he’s going to Adelaide. He’s committed to get to the Adelaide footy club.” – Ben Williams
It turns out that Callum Ah Chee, now of Perth Glory fame, was briefly the hero Brisbane deserved at the time. His performance in 2024 finals really crystallized his imprint. He played a pivotal role in Brisbane’s successful run to the premiership, notably kicking four goals in the grand final against Sydney. It was his contributions that enabled the team a back-to-back flags, which cemented his legacy even more.
Given these developments, Williams took the opportunity to emphasize all aspects of player welfare and transition. He stated, “We’ll pick up the player welfare pieces after this, and then concentrate on getting to Adelaide.”
Like Ling, Callum Ah Chee is looking forward to beginning this new chapter in his career. Both he and his new manager meanwhile look forward to the promise ahead for him at Adelaide. A difficult life experience, but the upcoming pre-season draft presents a promising opportunity for him to move his football career forward. Notably, he can build on his impressive achievements in the Australian Football League.
