AFL 2022: Follow the latest Port Adelaide trade and free agency updates
Two time premiership Tiger Jack Graham could feel the squeeze with a pair of Giants stars joining Richmond’s midfield. Could Port lure him back to South Australia?
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Richmond faces a fight to keep Jack Graham from joining Port Adelaide following the Tigers’ big-money moves to recruit star midfielders Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto.
Graham met Power coach Ken Hinkley and football boss Chris Davies on a tour of Port Adelaide’s facilities on Wednesday as he weighed-up a decision to help reinvigorate Port’s midfield brigade.
The Power missed out on Western Bulldog Josh Dunkley this week but Graham, who is a dual premiership player and runner-up in the Tigers’ best and fairest last year, would be an ideal replacement to bolster their onball department.
Graham, 24, is contracted to Richmond for one more season but is strongly considering an offer to return home to South Australia.
The tough nut ball winner was touted as a captain-in-the-making at Richmond, however his midfield time could be squeezed next year as the Tigers look to add Hopper and Taranto to the engine room.
Richmond has offered seven-year deals to Taranto and Hopper in a bid to rejoin the premiership heavyweights, but it could cost them Graham.
Graham was due to become a free agent in two years but he could be swayed to join the Power with an attractive long-term deal and a permanent onball role.
Graham averaged 18 possessions and five tackles a game this season and is highly-rated for his toughness, team ethos, defensive acts and leadership.
Power footy boss Chris Davies said yesterday there was interest in the contested midfielder.
“We’ve got interest in South Australian players who might be wanting to come home definitely,” he said on Trade Radio.
“Jack is a good player and I’m not sure exactly where his situation is at with Richmond but any player who potentially is from South Australia and wants to come back we have to take an interest.”
Graham could also appeal to Collingwood as the Magpies consider making a play for Hawthorn clearance winner Tom Mitchell.
Graham’s signature would be a major coup for the Power as the club looks to make a serious tilt at next year’s flag in the last year of Hinkley’s contract.
The Power, under experienced list boss Jason Cripps, have vowed to be aggressive in next month’s exchange period.
Port is also keen to land Junior Rioli, a hard-running premiership small forward from West Coast, and could shuffle back six places in the first-round of the draft.
News Corp revealed on Tuesday the Power was open to getting involved in the Luke Jackson trade from Melbourne to Fremantle which could see the Power shuffle its first pick back from pick eight to 14 in return for a second-round pick.
While it is unclear what Richmond would want for Graham from Port, an early second-round draft pick could secure the trade.
That draft pick could be on-traded from Port to Richmond to GWS Giants as part of the package of picks Hopper and Taranto.
The Tigers already have picks 12, 19 and 30 along with their future first-rounder. Port also wants to receive an end of first round pick for the loss of free agent Karl Amon to Hawthorn.
CAT CULL PAVES WAY FOR FORWARD’S SA SWITCH
Matt Turner
Geelong goalsneak Francis Evans has been axed, paving the way for him to join Port Adelaide.
The Power is hoping to sign the 21-year-old Victorian as a delisted free agent and is now waiting on a decision from him amid some rival interest.
Evans, who was cut on Tuesday, played seven games for the Cats in two seasons, including five this year.
The Power is expecting an answer from him within a week, even though the delisted free agency period does not officially begin until November 3.
Port Adelaide has been eyeing Evans to help restock its small forward options in the wake of Robbie Gray and Steven Motlop’s retirements, as well as Orazio Fantasia’s injury issues.
West Coast’s Junior Rioli will fill a similar role if his trade goes through.
The key to that deal with the Eagles will be the Power’s compensation for losing free agent wingman Karl Amon to Hawthorn.
Port Adelaide is likely to learn on Saturday where that extra pick will land.
The Power has not ruled out recruiting Essendon defender Aaron Francis but Sydney is believed to have more interest in the 25-year-old South Australian.
Off the field, Hamish Hartlett is poised to make a return to Alberton to join its development coaching ranks.
Hartlett, who was delisted at the end of last year after 193 games in 13 seasons, spent this past season playing in the SANFL with his junior club West Adelaide, where he was also youth development manager.
After winning their best-and-fairest at the weekend, the Bloods announced the 32-year-old would be rejoining the Power.
It is believed Port Adelaide will appoint Collingwood premiership player turned Power development coach Tyson Goldsack as its new SANFL mentor.
Goldsack would replace Matthew Lokan, who departed this month, along with midfield assistant Brett Montgomery.
PORT BOSS REVEALS AGGRESSIVE TRADE PLANS
Simeon Thomas-Wilson
Port Adelaide footy boss Chris Davies says the Power are planning on being “aggressive” this trade period as it strives to make a tilt at the premiership in the last year of coach Ken Hinkley’s current contract.
Davies said the Power would look to bring in ready-made players including West Coast’s Junior Rioli and didn’t rule out a play at Tigers premiership midfielder Jack Graham.
Rioli has told West Coast that he wants to move to Alberton, which would help address the Power’s small forward issue in the wake of Robbie Gray and Steven Motlop’s retirements and Orazio Fantasia’s injury issues.
“If you are looking at areas in our list that we left ourselves a bit short, that high half forward is an area that I think is becoming really important,” Davies said on Trade Radio on Tuesday.
“From our perspective it is his goal sense, his ability on-ground to link that midfield and forward area.
“It’s an area of our team that we need to improve.”
Davies said the Power would not stop at just looking to trade in the premiership winning Eagle this off-season.
“We will be pushing to bring in more players than that,” he said.
This will be driven by the Power’s disappointing 2022 campaign.
“We just don’t want to be playing finals, we want to be competing for premierships and the reality is that we were a long way from that (in 2022),” Davies said.
“We have some areas of our list that we want to address.
“We want to be aggressive enough to get some good players in.”
Davies on Jack Graham
The additions of Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper from GWS could further squeeze Graham out of the Richmond midfield.
The Power missed out on Western Bulldogs star Josh Dunkley, who chose Brisbane, so are still expected to look for a contested midfielder.
Graham, 24, was the South Australian captain at under-18 level and when asked if there was an interest, Davies said the Power were always looking at players who wanted to return to Adelaide.
“We’ve got interest in South Australian players who might be wanting to come home definitely,” he said.
“Jack is a good player and I’m not sure exactly where his situation is at with Richmond but any player who potentially is from South Australia and wants to come back we have to take an interest.”
Davies on Karl Amon compensation
Amon will join Hawthorn as a free agent after agreeing a four to five year deal with the Hawks.
It was previously anticipated that the Power would get a compensation pick in the second round for the wingman.
But Davies said it could be in the first round.
“We need to wait and see on that, it is probably the most lucrative free agent deal I think from what we know through this free agency period,” he said.
“We aren’t 100 per cent sure … but I think it will be close to a first round if not an end of first round selection.
”It will be up in the air, no-one knows where these things land.”
Davies on Kysaiah Pickett
Talk that the Power would make a move for Pickett increased after they missed out on Dunkley.
Pickett is contracted for 2023 at Melbourne and Davies said he hadn’t given the Power a suggestion that he wants to play for them.
“No, again we maintain interest in players who are interested in coming back to South Australia, are from South Australia originally or have ties to the state,” he said.
“Kozzie is contracted to Melbourne, I think that worked up a head of steam over the last couple of weeks.
“He is contracted to Melbourne and I think its reasonable to suggest that he will be there next year.”
Although Pickett was born in Port Lincoln and lived with his uncle, Power Norm Smith Medallist Byron Pickett in Adelaide before being drafted from SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens, he spent his formative years in WA, in Perth and the wheatbelt town of Quairading.
Pickett has more family in WA, including Byron, who is now working in Kalgoorlie.
Originally published as AFL 2022: Follow the latest Port Adelaide trade and free agency updates
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