Port Adelaide trade news: Power confirms interest yet refuses to satisfy Sydney’s demands for Aliir Aliir
The cards are on the table, with Port Adelaide confirming it will seek to trade for Orazio Fantasia and that it remains keen on Sydney defender Aliir Aliir, while admitting there will be obstacles.
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Port Adelaide football manager Chris Davies has confirmed the club will seek to trade for Orazio Fantasia and has also had preliminary discussions with Sydney about Aliir Aliir.
The Power have been linked to both Fantasia and Aliir ahead of next month’s trade period, but while the Essendon livewire has nominated Port Adelaide as his preferred club, speculation surrounding the Sydney defender heading to Alberton “has got a little bit out of control”, according to Davies.
“Orazio has suggested that Port Adelaide is the club that he’d prefer to end up at but with a year left on his contract, it’s something that we’re going to have to work through with Essendon … and we’re going to have to do something to satisfy them,” Davies told FIVEaa.
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“(Aliir) is one player that we’ve asked the question of but there’s a number across the competition who are in the same boat whose names haven’t actually got into the public domain.“From there we haven’t necessarily heard back from Sydney as to what their position is and outside of asking the question, we’ve had no further discussions.”
Wanting a ruckman, Sydney was understood to have asked about Scott Lycett and Peter Ladhams, but was rejected.
Davies said during club exit interviews no Power player asked for a trade or was told to explore their options at rival teams.
He said links between Riley Bonner and the Bombers did not come from Port Adelaide, and that the club spoke to the half-back flanker post-season about having a strong summer and being at Alberton next year.
PORT REFUSES TO ENTERTAIN TALL TIMBER
Port Adelaide is refusing to satisfy Sydney’s desire for a ruckman by giving up Peter Ladhams in a deal for Swans defender Aliir Aliir.
With Sam Naismith sidelined into next season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, Sydney has inquired about Ladhams but the Norwood product is not keen on the move, nor is Port Adelaide, even if Aliir comes the other way.
Ladhams, 22, played 10 games this season, including both of the Power’s finals, and last year signed a deal until the end of 2022.
He was overlooked for the first six rounds and was suspended for three games for a COVID breach, but fought his way back into the side by the end of the campaign.
The Power view Aliir, 26, as someone who can bolster their key-defensive stocks and pinch-hit in other positions following the retirement of Justin Westhoff.
But he is contracted to the Swans for another year and it is understood he is likely to stay there, unless Port Adelaide is prepared to release Ladhams or Scott Lycett.
Sydney is not believed to be interested in emerging big man Sam Hayes, who has been on the Power’s list for three seasons without playing a game.
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley and football manager Chris Davies have publicly stated the club will not be very active during the trade period, but a deal for Essendon’s Orazio Fantasia looms.
Fantasia, also a former Redleg, has officially told Bombers coach Ben Rutten he wants a trade to the Power, where he has strong connections with captain Tom Jonas and assistant Nathan Bassett.
Davies said Fantasia has told the Power he wants to join them.
“He’s told us Port Adelaide is his club of choice and he wants to leave Essendon,” he said on Trade Radio.
“I know he is a contracted player but he’s had that discussion with Essendon.”
Since being drafted at pick 55 in 2013, Fantasia has played 80 games but has been injury-prone and kicked more than 30 goals just once – 39 in 2013.
He lined up in just five games this season.
The Power is not a suitor in any potential chase for Fremantle forward Jesse Hogan.
Meanwhile, Port Adelaide has inked Boyd Woodcock and Jarrod Lienert to new one-year deals.
North Adelaide premiership Woodcock made his debut in Round 10 and played another four games this season, while Sturt flag winner Lienert also featured in five matches in 2020, taking his career tally to 18.
List sizes will determine whether Woodcock is a rookie or in the primary squad.
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Originally published as Port Adelaide trade news: Power confirms interest yet refuses to satisfy Sydney’s demands for Aliir Aliir