Port Adelaide vice-captain Hamish Hartlett declares his club of choice is still Power

HAMISH Hartlett has turned away from his Victorian AFL suitors — Richmond, Essendon and St Kilda — to declare he would prefer to stay at Alberton rather than be part of a forced trade.

Hamish Hartlett on the run. Picture: Sarah Reed.

HAMISH Hartlett wants to stay at Port Adelaide.

The Power vice-captain has turned away from his Victorian AFL suitors — Richmond, Essendon and St Kilda — to declare he would prefer to stay at Alberton rather than be part of a forced trade.

Hartlett’s manager Michael Doughty told The Advertiser today: “Hamish has decided at this stage he wants to stay at Port Adelaide.”

This follows the 26-year-old midfielder-defender meeting a group of Melbourne-based in Melbourne on Tuesday night and Wednesday.

Doughty told The Advertiser there also has been meetings with Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley and the Power leadership group to ensure Hartlett can return to Alberton as a valued player.

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Hamish Hartlett and Jack Hombsch thank fans. Picture: Sarah Reed.

“Hamish has had time to think about it, there has been another conversation with the coach and the leadership group and he has decided to stay at Port Adelaide,” Doughty said.

“So a trade is now unlikely.”

Hartlett’s move to a Melbourne-based club became increasingly difficult by the need to satisfy Port Adelaide’s wish for a first-round draft pick — and the need to absorb Hartlett’s five-year, $600,000-a-season contract when there is still no salary cap for next year and beyond as the AFL Players’ Association holds out on a new collective bargaining agreement.

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Richmond has first-round pick No. 6 but has this in play for Gold Coast midfielder Dion Prestia. Reports that the Tigers are prepared to offer their 2017 first-round draft pick for Hartlett does not suit Port Adelaide’s immediate needs.

Hartlett all smiles with Port captain Travis Boak after a win at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Sarah Reed.

St Kilda has first-round draft pick No. 10 — but concerns with absorbing Hartlett’s salary.

Essendon, which today confirmed it has met with Hartlett, has pick No. 1- far too much for the 127-game Hartlett who became the Power’s vice-captain to Travis Boak this season.

As a contracted player, Hartlett has the right to refuse any trade. AFL trade talks open among the 18 league clubs at Etihad Stadium on Monday morning.

The trade period closes at 1.30pm, Thursday October 20.

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Originally published as Port Adelaide vice-captain Hamish Hartlett declares his club of choice is still Power