Port Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett said the playing group has spoken to AFLPA regarding China game
Port Adelaide star ruckman Scott Lycett said ‘we’ll wait and see in the next three to four weeks’ as to whether the club’s prized Shanghai clash with St Kilda goes ahead.
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Port Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett expects there’ll be answers regarding the Shanghai game against St Kilda within the month.
Speaking on SEN Breakfast, Lycett said the playing group has spoken to both the club and the AFL Players Association regarding the match.
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“They’ve said things are pretty obvious that we won’t go there if it’s not safe,” he said.
“They’ll figure these things out in the next month.
“We’ll wait and see in the next three or four weeks.”
The Power star, who came across from West Coast at the end of 2018, said it would be a massive disappointment for the club if the clash doesn’t go ahead.
“At this stage we’re going but it has to be safe, if we don’t go, it’s disappointing for the club who have put a mountain of work in for this one game,” he said.
“I would like to go, but it obviously has to be safe.
“Not just the players but everyone who goes … last year was an awesome experience.”
It would be another blow in the Power’s pre-season if the Chinese game doesn’t go ahead, after vice-captain Ollie Wines went down with a shoulder injury which will keep him out for early parts of the season.
Yet, Lycett said while it’s a shame for Wines, it opens up another opportunity.
“Joe Atley is training very well and he’s quite similar to Ollie,” he said.
“Hopefully he can play some more senior footy this year.
“Sam Powell-Pepper has been training predominantly in the forward line, but I can see him taking Ollie’s spot.
“It’s exciting in a way, there’s a spot available and they’re going to be training harder.
“While it’s unfortunate for Ollie, it’s created some more competition for a spot.”
Wines was also linked with a move away in October’s trade period, and while the midfielder stayed, one of Lycett’s close mates, Sam Gray, moved to Sydney.
“He’s (Gray) really enjoying it, it was not ideal he didn’t get another go here,” he said.
“Both of us understand it’s a cutthroat industry and he’s got a two-year deal at Sydney.
“He was over in Adelaide and we had some beers together.
“He’s waiting for his missus to move over, and they have their first trial game today.”