AFL 2023: All the Port Adelaide news, analysis ahead of its round 17 home game against Gold Coast

Port Adelaide forward Orazio Fantasia has rubbished a report from Melbourne this week that claimed he wanted to return to Essendon. See his full response.

Injury-plagued Port Adelaide small forward Orazio Fantasia has said he thought reports linking him with a return to former club Essendon was “one of the boys taking the piss”.

And as well as reiterating his own desire to stay at Alberton post 2023, Fantasia has also said that Power senior coach Ken Hinkley told him this week that he wants him to remain at the club, but he has to get back on the park.

Fantasia has played just three AFL games this year, after not getting on the field at all in 2022, because of injury issues.

Since Fantasia has been out of the side, with another quad injury, Port has gone on a 12-game winning run and the likes of Jed McEntee have taken his spot.

The 27-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and his future at Alberton is set to be determined by how many games he can string together in the back half of the season.

Orazio Fantasia wants to remain at Alberton. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

This week a report from Melbourne claimed Fantasia had spoken to close friend and Bombers captain Zach Merrett about a potential return to Essendon.

Speaking on FIVEaa on Friday, Fantasia said he thought it was “a joke”.

“I thought it was one of the boys taking the piss out of me. It wasn’t, it has gone everywhere so that is a bit of a laugh,” he said.

“But I know where I want to be but I’m also realistic enough to know that I haven’t played enough football at Port Adelaide for them to dish me out a four-year contract, which is where I want to play my footy but I am just focusing on getting back and playing footy.”

Fantasia made the move from Essendon to Port Adelaide at the end of 2020.

In 2019, reports emerged that he was looking to return to Adelaide, which were rejected by Fantasia himself.

On Friday, Fantasia said he wanted to remain in South Australia.

“I want to be back in Adelaide, that is the biggest thing I moved back here for a reason,” he said.

“My family is here, I’m about to hopefully start a business venture with a few friends, opening a café which will be awesome, about to get married soon as well.

“But I am a realist as well and Port Adelaide say you haven’t done enough I might have to look at something else.

“It might be in the SANFL to try and get back in the AFL there are so many avenues I still feel like I have a lot of football left in me.

“Kenny and I had a good chat about this yesterday, he said we want you here you just have to play and I said the same thing.

“I am a realist and I understand that.”

Fantasia knows he needs to get back on the park first. Picture: Dean Martin

Fantasia has played 19 games since crossing from the Bombers at the end of 2020. Picture: Michael Klein

Fantasia will play at least the first half for Port’s SANFL team against Woodville-West Torrens on Saturday.

Hinkley said it was a simple equation for Fantasia.

“We are incredibly optimistic he will be at Port Adelaide,” Hinkley said.

“His only challenge is a physical challenge and we are hopeful that he will play tomorrow at SANFL level and if he does that gives him a nice little block of conditioning.

“There is no challenge for Orazio with talent.

“He has had a horrible run of staying on the park, if he is able to then he will be on the list.”

Ruck dilemma: The big men on Port’s trade radar

– Matt Turner

Port Adelaide is weighing up its ruck options for 2024 as the futures of three of its big men remain clouded.

With Scott Lycett, Brynn Teakle and Sam Hayes all out of contract at season’s end and uncertain to remain at the club, the Power is scouring the market for other talls.

Brisbane’s Darcy Fort and the Western Bulldogs’ Jordon Sweet are among the rival ruckmen Port has shown some interest in.

Both their deals expire at the end of the campaign.

Fort, who turns 30 next month, has played six games for the Lions this year, including the past two as the substitute, and 32 matches in total since 2019 for Brisbane and Geelong.

If the former Central District SANFL ruckman moved to the Power, it would be as a short-term solution while one-gamer Dante Visentini developed.

Sweet, 25, wants more opportunities at the top level after featuring in 11 matches across five seasons (none in 2023).

South Australian Jordon Sweet is seeking more opportunities. Picture: Martin Keep/Getty Images

Tim English’s dominance and the off-season arrival of Rory Lobb have limited his chances.

Lycett, 29, has been the Power’s No. 1 ruckman since returning to his junior club from West Coast as a premiership player ahead of the 2019 campaign.

He was dropped after round 5 to find form and confidence in the SANFL after an injury-hit 2022.

Lycett impressed in five consecutive matches on his AFL return, only to be a late withdrawal against Essendon on Saturday night because of a knee injury.

Scott Lycett is out of contract at season’s end. Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Teakle, 23, has played games for the Power, including four in 2023, since joining as a mid-season recruit last year.

He is sidelined for a month with a foot issue.

A decision on Lycett and Teakle’s futures is expected to be made later in the season and hinges on what the club does with its ruck stocks more broadly.

Their absences opened the door for 20-year-old Visentini to make his AFL debut on Saturday night.

Port has liked Visentini’s progress in the SANFL and believes he is a future No. 1 option.

He has moved ahead of Hayes, 24, in the ruck pecking order.

Visentini recorded four disposals, one clearance, two hit-outs and won a holding-the-ball free kick from 49 minutes of game time before being subbed off against the Bombers.

Hayes, who has played seven matches in six seasons, all in 2022, is almost certainly in his last campaign with the Power.

Asked last month if he expected to be at Port in 2024, Lycett said: “I’d like to be”.