In 2018 Izak Rankine was the third overall pick in the AFL Rookie Draft when the Gold Coast Suns acquired his services.

Being selected so early in the draft comes with immediate attention and expectation, but unfortunately for Rankine, he missed the entirety of the 2019 AFL season through injury.

He has since gone on to play in nearly 50 games for the Suns and was nominated for the AFL’s rising star award in 2020.

Rankie’s time at the Suns could be coming to an end though, as he has been in talks with the Adelaide Crows about a move back to his home city next season.

SEN South Australia reporter Kym Dillon has given an update on how negotiations are progressing.

“There’s been a lot of talk around Izak Rankine; I think it was three weeks ago I said 95 per cent (chance he would go to Adelaide),” Dillon said.

“I can tell you over the weekend and earlier this week, that deal, he nearly pulled out of that deal to go to the Crows.

“We had the father of a Gold Coast player here (up in Gold Coast) over the last couple of nights, they’ve done a remarkable job trying to get him to stay to the point he was on the cusp of totally backflipping and not going”

Neither the Suns nor Crows are in contention for the finals heading into the final round of the season and are both looking to push for a spot in the top eight next year.

The Suns will face the bottom of the ladder North Melbourne Kangaroos tomorrow as Stuart Dew’s side looks to finish season 2022 in 11th place while the Kangaroos could finish the year in 17th with a win.

Adelaide is currently in 14th on the ladder, and with a win, in their final game against their local rivals, the Port Adelaide Power could also finish as high as 11th but may drop to 15th if they lose.

Both the Suns and Crows will be desperate to sign Rankine as he could prove a key component in their hunt for finals footy in 2023.