Adelaide coach Neil Craig is adamant the Crows won't be forced into paying young gun Kurt Tippett an inflated wage to keep him away from the Gold Coast's clutches.

Tippett, 22, is a prime target for the Gold Coast, who are scheduled to enter the AFL in 2011, because he grew up in the region and played for local club Southport.

Tippett enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2008 and has developed into a powerful forward this season capable of winning matches, such as in round 11 when he booted seven goals against Essendon.

He booted two goals against St Kilda on Sunday night, which gave him 34 for the season and made him the Crows' second-highest goal kicker this season behind Jason Porplyzia.

Craig conceded Adelaide faced a battle to hold on to Tippett, who is out of contract at the end of 2010.

But he said the Crows would not be suckered into awarding Tippett a huge contract just because he was in demand at the 17th club.

"We like to think that we can provide an environment where Kurt believes he can play his best football in," Craig told the Seven Network on Sunday.

"When it comes to re-negotiating his contract our club will be fair and reasonable and pay market value for Kurt.

"We won't pay inflated, we're not going to get into that game because that's not the way we do our business.

"He'll be paid fair and reasonable and he'll probably be a 40-game player then (Tippett has played 35 games).

"In the end Kurt will make that decision, not us.

"Hopefully everything else being equal he will stay with us, but if you're a young kid and you have the opportunity to go back to your home town ... a family network and that sort of thing, that's the thing we're competing against."

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