The Lowdown Podcast: Tom Jonas says he’d love for friend Orazio Fantasia to come to Port Adelaide
Orazio Fantasia has yet to publically declare where he’ll play next year but Tom Jonas will do whatever he can to get his mate over to the Power should the Bomber ask for a trade back home.
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Port Adelaide co-captain Tom Jonas says Orazio Fantasia would be welcomed with open arms at the Power should he ask for a widely speculated move back to South Australia this trade period.
But despite his good relationship with the Essendon livewire forward, Jonas said he has not discussed any potential move to Alberton with Fantasia — although he is prepared to help sell any Port pitch to the SA raised product.
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Amid rampant speculation of what is looking increasingly likely as a trade request back to SA, Fantasia arrived in Adelaide on Thursday for a family visit.
When asked at the airport upon his arrival whether he would be playing for Essendon next year Fantasia remained coy on his future, following on from silence at the Bombers best-and-fairest night and parting ways with his manager.
Both Adelaide clubs are believed to be interested in the 24-year-old but Port is considered to be the frontrunners for Fantasia’s signature should he request a trade from the Bombers.
This is through Fantasia’s former coach at Norwood Nathan Bassett, now an assistant at Port, and Jonas who is a friend and golfing partner of the Essendon forward.
Speaking on The Advertiser’s football podcast, The Lowdown, Jonas said he would not be catching up with Fantasia while he was in town for his family visit.
“I caught up with him when our two amateur league footy sides played each other a little while ago,” he said.
“We had a beer together but that’s about the extent of it.”
But Jonas said should Fantasia want to come to Port then he would be more than welcomed at Alberton.
“Orazio is a pretty handy footballer and we would love to have him (if he wants to return to Adelaide),” he said.
“Obviously there is a fair bit of water to go under the bridge and there is always a lot of movement and a lot of speculation at this time of year so I’m not holding my breath.
“But we would welcome him with open arms at Port Adelaide.”
Jonas’ comments come after Port’s general manager of football Chris Davies said if Fantasia wanted to come back to Adelaide then the Power would be very interested.
Jonas said as a co-captain of the club he was prepared to a part of any pitch to Fantasia, or any other recruit, while he was in town for this trade period — which begins on Monday.
“Potentially, I think as a captain you sometimes have a role to play in those type of decisions,” he said.
“Whether you are involved in this one (a potential deal for Fantasia) or not or the other ones who knows but the captains, the leadership group and senior players do speak with players that they are trying to bring in, talk about what the culture is and the goals moving forward so I think it is important.”
While much has been made of the amount of players leaving fierce rivals Adelaide Crows this off-season, Port stand to still have a busy trade period.
Paddy Ryder has nominated St Kilda as the club he wants to go to, up to four clubs are interested in small forward Sam Gray, while Dougal Howard has been exploring his options.
And young tall Billy Frampton could become just the sixth player to move between the Crows and the Power as he chases more senior opportunities.
Jonas said he would not like to lose Frampton, but if he did make the move to West Lakes it would only add to the rivalry between the two clubs.
“Billy has shown huge improvement this year and he would be valuable for us,” Jonas said.
“But Bill wants to explore those opportunities.
“There has been a couple of boys who have moved between the two clubs and it only adds to the rivalry.”
Originally published as The Lowdown Podcast: Tom Jonas says he’d love for friend Orazio Fantasia to come to Port Adelaide