Robbie Gray attracts strong interest from Victorian clubs

Robbie Gray has strong interest from multiple Victorian clubs amid a belief the Port Adelaide star — who will be a free agent next year — could be interested in a return to Victoria.

Robbie Gray of the Port Adelaide Power.

Robbie Gray appears certain to stay at Port Adelaide next year despite strong interest from Melbourne clubs and uncertainty about his future in recent weeks.

Multiple Melbourne clubs have inquired about the Port Adelaide star, who turns 32 next year and qualifies for unrestricted free agency.

Both his camp and Port Adelaide were today emphatic he would play at the Power next year.

Hawthorn was one club that had considered whether to chase Gray, a move that could allow the Hawks to play ex-Port star Chad Wingard in the midfield.

As little as two weeks ago more than one Victorian club believed they might be able to drag Gray out of the Power, feeling he was interested in exploring a return to Victoria. Gray played his junior footy at the Oakleigh Chargers.

At Hawthorn he would have linked up with former teammates Jarman Impey and Wingard.

Some Melbourne teams were prepared to offer three seasons for him.

With Orazio Fantasia staying put at Essendon Gray is clearly a required player given the Port Adelaide forward line lacks potency.

He kicked 24 goals and averaged 22 possessions this season.

But he finished 10th in this year’s best-and-fairest at a club that is pushing young talent including Connor Rozee, Zac Butters and Xavier Duursma.

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Robbie Gray has been in the sights of Victorian clubs.

Port Adelaide’s salary cap situation is confusing, with the Power having pushed back a portion of some the salaries of star players and around $650,000 of banked cap space into 2020.

But president David Koch said recently the club had the capacity to pay 100 per cent of the salary cap and football department soft cap.

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The strong interest in the veteran means he is certain to have options as a free agent if the Power does not put a contract to him early next year.

Gray is a three-time best-and-fairest winner and four-time All-Australian (2014, 15, 17, 18).

He has played at least 19 games at the club in each of the past seven seasons despite groin issues that have at times limited his midfield minutes.

Port Adelaide continues to ask for a first-round pick from St Kilda for swingman Dougal Howard, with the Power also trading Paddy Ryder to Moorabbin.