With Freo steadfast on Luke Jackson staying, what does that mean for Kysaiah Pickett?

Thirteen rounds into 2025, Kysaiah Pickett’s position on a potential trade hasn’t changed. But if a deal between the Dees and Dockers is to happen, it’s clear who won’t be involved.

Kozzie Pickett started his sixth season intent on being traded to Fremantle to join his great mates Shai Bolton, Michael Walters and Quinton Narkle.

He texted them saying as much, he publicly expressed his homesickness and he envisioned a future where his partner Ardu was united with her sister Tayla, partner of Narkle.

Thirteen rounds into the season he hasn’t necessarily moved from that position.

But after a week in which his new manager Anthony Van Der Wielen spent Wednesday with Pickett and also met the Demons, the picture is becoming clearer.

Pickett is now aware that if he is to request a trade to the Dockers it will not come about through a trade that involves Luke Jackson.

Any deal between the Dockers and Dees won’t involve Luke Jackson. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Fremantle remains resolute that while they can get a trade done Jackson will not be the centrepiece or indeed any piece of that trade.

The Dockers have made crystal clear no matter the public and private posturing that Jackson is staying put.

So the Dockers’ absolute intent to keep Jackson means that if Pickett is truly intent on getting to Fremantle, it might be a 12-month process.

Like Geelong star Tim Kelly, he might have to do the hard yards by publicly declaring his wish to be traded then watching that request knocked back by Melbourne in October.

For Kelly that deal worked out fine – a six-year deal on nearly double the money the Eagles had initially offered a year into his career at Geelong.

But while Kelly had legitimate family reasons to return home to be closer to support in Perth, even in 2026 the Demons might hold their client.

There is not a single deal that doesn’t involve Jackson that would be fair value for the Demons now that Pickett is on his way to becoming a top 10 player in the league.

Fremantle could hand over its 2025 and 2026 first-rounders but a Dockers first-rounder that is on current ladder order at pick 11 will be blown out at least five spots by NGA, academy, father-son picks and free agency compensation.

Potential compo picks for Oscar Allen, Tom De Koning and bids for Daniel Annable, Max King, Dylan Patterson and Zeke Uwland would make pick 11 pick 17 even before the national championships allow other academy picks to thrust their names forward.

Pickett has been intent on getting to Freo. Picture: Michael Klein

The Dockers will hope to be even better next year so could offer a pick at 12-15 which will again be pushed back many spots.

Imagine the Demons copping picks 17, 20 and another later selection for a generational talent in Pickett.

West Coast could enter the picture for Pickett but haven’t yet, intent on re-signing Harley Reid instead of contemplating any situation where they get the first four picks (one for Allen, two from Richmond for Reid).

So Pickett has time for think music.

The path of least resistance is to do nothing – honour his contract for next year when he becomes a pre-agent who can sign a mega-deal or use it as leverage to officially push for a trade.

The other option raised by Melbourne this week is to sign what would be a massive lucrative extension at the Demons.

Call it $5m over four years or any tenure he wanted.

It would give him total financial security at a club that loves him, with a fan base that adores him, and at a club that has proven it can get his best football out of him.

In an era when contracts mean very little it wouldn’t necessarily lock him in for life.

It is impossible to see this Melbourne team as a premiership contender without Pickett in it.

Fremantle absolutely needs Jackson as a dynamic ruck-rover transforming their midfield with Pickett as a luxury given they already have Shai Bolton performing magic.

And Melbourne absolutely needs Pickett as a dynamic mid-forward transforming their midfield with Jackson as a luxury given they still have Max Gawn performing magic.

If Pickett’s contract or his own behaviour was a distraction it would be another matter for the Demons but they know he loves Melbourne FC and his coach Simon Goodwin even if he has a love-hate relationship with the actual city he lives in.

In the Demons’ five victories in six weeks he was electric with 16 goals (two five-goal bags) and 13 centre square clearances basically doing as he pleased.

It wouldn’t be lost on the Demons brains trust that when Marcus Windhager clamped Pickett last week it was up to Melbourne’s forward line to rise to the task and instead they kicked 7.21.

Simon Goodwin has rebounded from that 0-5 start to the season and under new CEO Paul Guerra there is no prospect of him losing his job this summer.

Now his biggest task is to convince Pickett to sign on long-term at Melbourne.

Pickett is incredibly well supported at Melbourne by the football department and indigenous welfare officer Matt Whelan.

In an ideal world he would be closer to family.

Simon Goodwin and Kysaiah Pickett. Picture: Michael Klein

But he can sign a deal at Melbourne to be richer than his wildest dreams playing at the MCG in front of adoring fans at a club which will believe its best days are ahead.

The Demons can and should work behind the scenes to assess whether the Jackson picture changes.

But their every message should continue to be that Pickett remaining – not swapping him for Jackson – is their only priority.

He is the only player Melbourne should not and cannot trade any under circumstances.

Their Mr Untouchable.

There is a world where Pickett re-signs, where Oliver remains and where Petracca continues to elevate his leadership for a bright new future under Goodwin.

It will take a fat cheque of as much as $1.2 million a year past 2027, but every dollar spent on Pickett will be worth the investment.

Originally published as With Freo steadfast on Luke Jackson staying, what does that mean for Kysaiah Pickett?