Inside story: How Port Adelaide landed Orazio Fantasia from Essendon after two-year pursuit

In the beginning, Essendon made a staggering demand for Orazio Fantasia. So how did the deal get done? And were the Crows ever a chance? Here’s the inside story.

Orazio Fantasia in his sparking debut for Port Adelaide. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

It was the homecoming trade two years in the making.

Twelve months after Port Adelaide courted Essendon’s Orazio Fantasia, the Power landed the South Australian goalsneak, along with pick No.73, in exchange for No.29 and a future third-round selection.

Now, Fantasia is preparing to face his former side at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

And, after kicking 4.4 in Round 1 on the back of impressive trial-game form, he is already showing why the Power has been so keen to get him.

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Orazio Fantasia celebrates one of his four goals last weekend. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The public perception was Fantasia left Port Adelaide at the altar at the end of 2019 but a deal was never believed to be close.

Although the Power was interested and had preliminary chats to him about a contract, Fantasia was not quite ready to leave the Bombers then.

The fact Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley was unsigned beyond 2020 ensured some uncertainty on Fantasia’s behalf.

There were also doubts a deal could get done.

It would have taken a significant offer for Essendon to trade him, given his front-ended contract still had two years to run.

Regardless, Fantasia decided to stay at the Bombers, hoped to get fit, play well and would see where things stood with both SA clubs the next year.

The 2020 campaign was a struggle for the Payneham Norwood Union junior.

He played just five games due to a quad injury and the Bombers being in a Queensland hub and coronavirus lockdowns meant he could not see his family.

Fantasia saw a homecoming trade as crucial to him producing his best football.

Port Adelaide and Fantasia had preliminary discussions during the season, then talks ramped up later in the year.

Fantasia joining Royal Adelaide Golf Club was not a sign he was definitely coming home – it was a Victorian-based membership and he had done it the year before.

Fantasia battles Tom Jonas in a 2019 Essendon-Port Adelaide match. Picture: Michael Klein

Whether it felt jilted or not by what happened in 2019, Port Adelaide made it clear in its wooing of Fantasia last year, it needed him to make the first move.

“If he tells Essendon that he wants to go and he wants to come back to South Australia then we’ll absolutely be in the market for him,” Davies said in October.

“But there’s a significant moment that he needs to take first and that’s telling Essendon that he wants out.”

Days later, Fantasia requested a trade.

The Crows were also in the frame and, like the Power, put the injury-prone Norwood product through a medical.

Adelaide had some interest, but it never really became serious and Port Adelaide was always in the box seat.

The Crows were intent on going to the draft and not giving up too many picks.

Port Adelaide also appealed more to Fantasia.

Not simply because the Power was a premiership contender and the Crows were in a rebuild.

But Port Adelaide’s strong track record in injury management also enticed Fantasia, who had spent long stints from 2018-2020 either on the sidelines or dealing with body issues.

For the Power, he was the type of player it needed so it could push Connor Rozee and Zak Butters into the midfield more often.

Essendon did not want to lose him.

It initially asked for a player, such as Ollie Wines, Mitch Georgiades, Xavier Duursma or Butters, rather than a pick in return.

Port Adelaide was never going to part with any of its young guns.

Orazio Fantasia in his Norwood gear ahead of the 2013 national draft. Picture: Simon Cross

Negotiations turned to picks because the Bombers needed one to unlock the deal for Jye Caldwell from GWS.

Fantasia’s trade value had also depreciated due to his run of injuries.

After kicking 111 goals from 80 games for the Bombers, Fantasia joined the Power on a three-year deal.

Essendon fans will be wondering how Port Adelaide has helped get Fantasia healthy.

In 2018, it was knee, adductor and hamstring issues.

The next year he battled hip and knee injuries.

Last season, when the Bombers used him across half-back, it was a quad problem then a calf strain.

People around Fantasia felt Essendon did not manage some of those injuries well, rushing him back before he had built up his training loads.

The Power have tweaked his training program and he has strengthened areas of his body he has needed to, such as around his hip.

Getting through a full pre-season has given him a base for a strong year.

A stress-free mindset has also been great medicine.

He loves being back around family, with whom he is very close, and his partner, Mikayla, who has been in Adelaide during his time at Essendon.

“I’m a big stress-head, so coming home … has been massive,” Fantasia said this week.

“Sleeping better, recovering better, and my body’s just in such a good position from that.”

Hinkley said on Friday: “Orazio’s reasons for leaving weren’t so much that he was unhappy with Essendon, it was more about wanting to be home with family.”

Before facing the Kangaroos, Fantasia’s most recent game was in Round 7 last year, in July.

He made up for lost time.

Fantasia’s 4.4 was the most scoring shots he’d had since Round 13, 2016.

He also earned eight coaches’ votes.

Fantasia and the Power will be hoping he can produce his best season since 2017.

That year, he kicked 39 goals and finished sixth in the Bombers’ best and fairest while helping the club make the finals.

Essendon will be aiming to keep him quiet on Saturday.