Orazio Fantasia set to join Carlton on two-year deal

Carlton is poised to sign a new forward — who had been heavily linked with a move to New South Wales — in one of the shock moves of the off-season.

Orazio Fantasia.

Orazio Fantasia will make a shock move to Carlton on a two-year deal as the Blues back their fitness team to get the best out of the injury-prone forward.

GWS had believed Port Adelaide’s Fantasia might join them as a rookie but he has instead been offered a two-year deal on the Blues primary list.

The 28-year-old moved to Port Adelaide in the 2020 trade period but played only four games in the past two seasons after a 28-goal, 15-game 2021 season with the Power.

While Fantasia has shown he can play as a dynamic goalkicking half forward he has managed only 99 games since his debut in 2014 with persistent injury issues.

Orazio Fantasia is set to join Carlton. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

For the Blues he is a low-risk but high-upside forward who at 28 years of age could still have a significant impact if he can overcome the injuries that have derailed his career.

It was reported mid-season that Fantasia had reached out to his former club Essendon to return to play at the Hangar but instead arch rival Carlton will secure him as a delisted free agent.

Port Adelaide had secured Fantasia in the final 15 minutes of the 2020 trade period but knee issues and soft-tissue concerns meant he could not play regular senior football under Ken Hinkley.

Fantasia worked with Blues coach Michael Voss at Port Adelaide. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The Giants had believed he might round out a forward line that includes Toby Greene, Toby Bedford and Brent Daniels but could only offer him a rookie spot given their list crunch.

Fantasia has five seasons with 20 or more goals but only his best season saw him kick 39 goals in 20 games in the 2017 year for the Dons.

At Carlton he adds to a forward line that includes Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow and ruck-forward Tom De Koning as well as a bevy of small to medium forwards.

Father-son Jack Silvagni recently re-signed alongside Lachie Fogarty, while Jack Martin, Matt Owies, Matt Cottrell and Corey Durdin round out the club’s forward line options.

The Blues have traded for Gold Coast midfielder Elijah Hollands and have draft picks 22, 28, 70, 78, 96 to enter the November 20 national draft.

Originally published as Orazio Fantasia set to join Carlton on two-year deal