AFL trade news: Gold Coast forward Jack Lukosius wants to play for Port Adelaide in 2025
He’s been weighing up offers from both the Crows and Power, but Gold Coast forward Jack Lukosius has made his choice ahead of the trade period.
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Port Adelaide has won the battle for Suns forward Jack Lukosius, who has chosen to play alongside best mate and Power captain Connor Rozee next year.
The Power will hand Lukosius a six-year deal, which will eclipse the two seasons he had left on a back-ended contract of nearly $1m a year at the Suns.
It’s understood Lukosius was offered a more lucrative deal to join Adelaide.
The Crows made the first big move for the 24-year-old, with coach Matthew Nicks and other key staff meeting Lukosius on the Gold Coast last month.
But his strong relationship with Rozee, whose upcoming wedding Lukosius will be involved, helped Port Adelaide get their man.
“I’ve certainly had a fair few chats (with him) about where we’re at as a football club and what we bring and how we feel like he’d fit in,” Rozee told Channel 9.
“There’s no surprise that we’re obviously good mates and I would have loved to play with him no matter what.
“But I tried to keep my distance a little bit and respect his decision. It had nothing to do with our friendship.
“(It was) more how he felt like he could fit in at Port Adelaide and make us a better football side to hopefully win a premiership.
“Obviously really excited that he made a decision, he told me last night actually. Pretty rapt.”
Gold Coast will want a first-round pick for Lukosius, which the Power do not currently have.
So it will add to the likelihood of Dan Houston arriving back in Melbourne, with clubs including Carlton and the Roos offering future first rounders for the All-Australian defender.
Lukosius fell out of favour at the Suns, given he did not fit the style of play that coach Damien Hardwick preferred for his forwards.
He was keen to stay, and even take a pay cut, given his close friendships with his teammates but was ultimately wooed by the Power despite Adelaide’s pitch.
It will mean the Power has a collection of key forwards who are not the AFL prototype, with Todd Marshall and Mitch Georgiades not pack-crashing types.
But the Power has some doubts over the future of Marshall, who has endured five concussions in three years, so it will be a smart acquisition for Port Adelaide and Ken Hinkley.
Originally published as AFL trade news: Gold Coast forward Jack Lukosius wants to play for Port Adelaide in 2025
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