Jackson Hately on the failed trade, why he wants to join Adelaide and the influence of Crows coach Matthew Nicks

An excited Jackson Hately has shrugged off the failed trade on a ‘hectic’ deadline day, revealing his involvement with Crows so far and why he wants to make the move.

Orazio Fantasia has been traded from Essendon to Port Adelaide.

Even though he did not switch clubs, Jackson Hately spent trade deadline day on the move – from his house in Sydney’s inner-west to a hotel.

Now the 20-year-old midfielder is set for his SA homecoming on Sunday, as he prepares to become a Crows player.

Hately’s spot on Adelaide’s list will not be official until next month’s pre-season draft but he is already following Crows high-performance manager Matt Hass’s training program and talking to soon-to-be teammates about 2021.

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Jackson Hately fires out a handpass in front of Sydney’s Josh Kennedy. Picture: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

The Central District product said although it would have been nice to for his switch to be finalised before Thursday night’s trade deadline, moving furniture out of his place in Five Dock kept him busy and regular communication with his manager David Trotter and Adelaide list boss Justin Reid kept him at ease.

“I was with my girlfriend (Celine) yesterday … and the moving truck came so it was a pretty hectic day,” Hately told The Advertiser.

“We moved all the stuff, went to a hotel and it wasn’t so bad because we could just relax.

“We were just waiting for it (trade) to go down, it ended up not going down, but it (joining the Crows) is still going to happen, so it’s all good.

“I’m pumped to be going there.”

Hately, who was drafted with pick 14 in 2018, said he was never homesick and joining the Crows was simply about getting more opportunities, particularly as an inside midfielder.

Over the past two seasons he has struggled to cement a spot in the Giants’ team, playing a total of 13 games, and been used mainly as a wingman or at half-forward.

INSIDE MAIL: IS NO. 1 PICK RACE DOWN TO TWO?

Hately, left, celebrates his first goal with GWS teammates Lachie Whitfield and Bobby Hill.. Picture: SARAH REED

“There were some games early I thought like I was playing well and doing what they asked of me … but almost every week I wasn’t sure if I’d be in the team or not,” he said.

“It was certainly tough.

“A lot of the time it was ‘look, we’re actually happy with you, but we’ve got to get so and so back in’, and they’ve obviously got a lot of mids.

“The thing I liked about the Crows’ vision for me is it fit my vision – I want to be a genuine inside mid who can run on the outside.

“That decision was footy related. (Being around family) is just a cherry on top.”

Hately was drafted from Central District with pick No. 14 in 2018. Picture: MATT LOXTON

Hately said Crows coach Matthew Nicks, who was a senior assistant at the Giants last year, played a massive role in him joining the club.

They were in constant talks once discussions between Hately and Adelaide started with about eight weeks remaining in the season.

“He’s an unbelievable person and coach, and I’m excited to play for him,” Hately said.

Hately was optimistic about playing for a team coming off its inaugural wooden spoon.

“Growing up, the Crows were always successful and a proud club,” he said.

“I’m excited to be part of building the club up.”

MORE AFL NEWS

New Port Adelaide forward Orazio Fantasia opens up on his move to Alberton

AFL trades: Jaidyn Stephenson, Adam Treloar and Tom Phillips leave the Magpies

AFL trade ratings 2020: Did your club make good deals? Or did you miss out on star power?

PORT TRADE WRAP - FANTASIA ARRIVES

- Simeon Thomas-Wilson

Orazio Fantasia has finally secured a move to Port Adelaide after the Power convinced Essendon to part with the livewire forward.

After flirting with a move back to South Australia last year, but ultimately deciding not to pursue one, Fantasia told the Bombers ahead of this year’s trade period that he wanted to return to Adelaide to be closer to family and nominated the Power as his club of choice.

The 25-year-old former Norwood product has been training with his now Power teammates in recent days but a deal sending him to Alberton was only confirmed until the final 20 minutes of the trade deadline on Thursday night.

After threatening to walk away if the Bombers demanded significantly more than pick 29 for Fantasia, who still had a year on his contract with Essendon, the Power have secured the forward for that second-round pick and a future third-round selection while also receiving pick 73.

Orazio Fantasia has finally secured a move back to South Australia.

Fantasia arrives at Port on a three-year deal and is reunited with former 2013 Norwood SANFL premiership coach Nathan Bassett at Alberton.

Fantasia has struggled with injuries in recent years, only managing five games in 2020, but Port Adelaide general manager of football Chris Davies said the Power would back their medical department to get his body right.

“Orazio is a player that we think will make our side better,” he said.

“We know his speed, skill and goal sense will add to our forward mix, and his availability in the front half will allow us to give more midfield minutes to some of our younger players like Zak Butters and Connor Rozee.

“He has had some injury issues in recent years but we back our medical and high-performance teams to get him back to full fitness and playing some strong, Port Adelaide football over the coming years.”

Fantasia averaged 27 goals a season between 2016 and 2019, including 39 goals in 20 games in 2017.

Adelaide did speak to Fantasia about a move to West Lakes, but did not hear from him in recent weeks after he decided on the Power after speaking with senior coach Ken Hinkley.

Fantasia was taken by the Bombers with the 55th pick in the 2013 Draft.

Along with his addition, the Power bolstered their key defensive stocks by securing Aliir Aliir from Sydney for a future second-round pick.

With clubs only requiring to pick up one player in the draft this year, the Power still have enough picks to secure highly-touted Next Generation Academy prospect Lachlan Jones.

CROWS TRADE WRAP - HATELY WAIT CONTINUES

- Simeon Thomas-Wilson

Jackson Hately will have to wait until the pre-season draft to join Adelaide after the Crows and GWS could not come to an agreement for the young midfielder.

After being confident for much of the trade period that a deal would be struck for the big-bodied South Australian midfielder the Crows told the Giants it was pick 40 or nothing for Hately given they could take him in the pre-season draft, which Adelaide holds the first pick.

Hately’s representatives were hopeful a deal would get done before the trade deadline, once the Giants sorted out moves and adequate returns for their other wantaway players.

Jackson Hately of GWS Giants will head to the pre-season draft.

But after the Giants finalised last-minute moves for Jeremy Cameron to join Geelong and Jye Caldwell to move to Essendon, GWS did not accept the Crows offer of Pick 40 for Hately.

The 20-year-old, 13-gamer now needs to wait until next month to officially become a Crow after telling the Giants more than a month ago he wanted to return to Adelaide and join Matthew Nicks’ side.

Hately going to the pre-season draft means the Crows will have picks one, nine, 22, 23, 40, 56, 66, 80 in the strongest hand in club history.

But their plan of securing the Western Bulldogs’ pick 14, with other club recruiters believing they were favoured to do so, was ended when the Dogs used that selection to secure Adam Treloar from Collingwood.