Former Port Adelaide and Geelong goalkicker Steven Motlop will play for Wanderers in 2022-23

Former Port Adelaide and Geelong goalkicker Steven Motlop will play in the NTFL this year in some capacity after having a change of heart about abandoning his plans for the season. 

Former mercurial Geelong and Port Adelaide forward Steven Motlop chose to play at Wanderers after having a change of heart about planning to miss the 2022-23 season.

The club announced late last week the 31-year-old would play for the Eagles this season, just seven days after his older brother and PINT coach Shannon Motlop told SEN Top End had abandoned his plans.

He said his younger brother, who was “100 per cent” coming to the Greenants at one stage, required shoulder surgery and also had a desire to travel.

However, on Monday, Steven's first cousin and Wanderers coach Aaron Motlop said he was always confident Steven would eventually return to the Eagles in some shape or form.

Motlop would join the likes of Eddie Betts and Gary Ablett Jr to play NTFL this season.

It comes as Steven “dominated” in a practice match against St Mary’s last Thursday night with the Eagles, and was a “class above”,  Aaron said.

“There are no agreed terms ... he has indicated he wants to play with us and we’re running with that at the moment,” Aaron told the NT News.

“We’re just trying to accommodate him the best we can, whether that’s Round 1 or Round 7.

“There’s no fixed numbers.

“At this stage he wants to play at Wanderers, who knows what that might mean.

“We’re certainly happy about having him on board for the season.

“It was always going to happen, it was just a matter of when."

Motlop celebrates a goal with Todd Marshall in June against Richmond. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Aaron said he had nothing but sympathy for his cousin and the “really difficult” situation he faced, with strong family ties at the Eagles.

“He’s grown up at Wanderers ... he would have been toying with it every day,” he said.

“There’s so much history at Wanderers, just within his immediate family.

“He’s been a bit torn.

“Those ties are still really important to him.

“I just know it’s a really difficult time and decision for him.

“He was never going go please everybody.

“We all want what’s best for Steven. He had to make a call he was comfortable with.

“You can understand why Shannon wanted him at PINT.”

However, Aaron was unsure if or when Steven would have shoulder surgery.

“That will get fleshed out ... as he gets closer to a point where he wants to play,” he said.

Steven Motlop to return to the Eagles, club says

Former Port Adelaide and Geelong goalkicker Steven Motlop is now reportedly playing NTFL this season, a week after his older brother announced he had abandoned his plans.

PINT coach Shannon Motlop told SEN Top End late last week his younger brother was "100 per cent" coming to the Greenants before changing his mind.

He said Steven was going to have some shoulder surgery and do some travelling.

It was expected to be a tough choice between PINT and Wanderers for the younger Motlop with strong family ties at both clubs.

Steven was contacted by the NT News about his future plans.

However, on Friday, Wanderers announced through a video on Facebook that the 217-game veteran was "in for season 2022-23". 

The club has been contacted for comment.

Steven Motlop will miss the NTFL season, brother says

Former Geelong and Port Adelaide forward Steven Motlop has abandoned plans to play in the NTFL this year, his brother has announced.

The NT News revealed last month the mercurial goalkicker was intending to play at either PINT or Wanderers for the 2022-23 season, with strong family ties to both clubs.

However, his older brother Shannon, who will guide the Greenants through their debut Men’s Premier League season, said his younger sibling had a change of heart recently.

Motlop told SEN Top End this week Steven was going to “take the season off” and not play anywhere.

“I’m glad that’s over, I’m sick of talking about Steven,” Motlop said with a laugh.

“At one point we 100 per cent had him to PINT.

“But he’s got some surgery on his shoulder to get done, that’s going to take up a lot of the season.

“He’s also looking at doing some travelling.

“Apparently he’s not playing for anyone.”

Motlop said he understood Steven had fielded plenty of offers but he gave him space to make the right decision.

“Everyone was chasing Steven but me,” he said.

“As his brother, I left him alone ... let him make his own decision.

“Our ties are so strong with Wanderers … I didn’t want him having regrets halfway through the season.

“I want all of him and him to be 100 per cent into it.”

Steven Motlop was contacted for comment.

Steven Motlop ponders NTFL career 

FORMER AFL star Steven Motlop will return to South Australia to ponder his NTFL future as one of the local clubs gunning for his services says the mercurial forward has a "tough decision to make".

Motlop, who retired from AFL football earlier this month, has committed to playing NTFL in the 2022-23 season.

It appears at this stage he will play at either PINT - which joins the Men's Premier League this season and is coached by his older brother, Shannon - or return to Wanderers which is coached by his cousin Aaron and where he has very strong family ties.

Steven told the NT News this week he was still "unsure" about where he would play this season.

"(I'm) heading back to Adelaide for a bit so (I) will decide back there," Steven said.

However, Shannon said on Wednesday the club was "reasonably confident" it could get his brother's signature and could potentially bring "a few mates with him".

"There's a lot of planning around getting Steven to the club," Shannon said.

"We want to get him on board as quick as we can.

"It's a hard one though.

"He's also a week and a bit off retiring, he needs weeks to think about it.

"We're not going to force him, we'll sit back and hope he makes the right decision.

"His brother Daniel is also playing so there will be a few family members around the club."

Shannon said the club was also close to announcing a few "big names" for the coming season

Meanwhile, Wanderers coach Aaron Motlop said he was unsure which club his cousin was favouring at this stage.

“I can’t say yes or no," Motlop said of the possibility of landing Steven.

"That’s a decision Steven has got on his hands at the moment. That's a really difficult thing for him to deal with.

"That's a tough decision to make.

“I’m obviously respectful that his brother is coaching PINT and me as his cousin and his other cousins are at Wanderers.

“A lot of his lifelong friends are playing and are around the club as well.

“He’s never going to make everyone happy.

“He’s just got to do what’s right for him. At the end of the day, all you want is for somebody to be happy.”

Meanwhile, Aaron said he was unsure if Marlon Motlop would play this season, after he missed the Eagles' two finals last season due to work commitments.

He said Marlon's music career had gained traction, and he also had other business interests, which could drag him away from football.

“I would hope he’d tell me if he was going to play at PINT," he said.

“I’m really supportive of him as a coach, family member and a cousin.

“He knows if he wants to play footy he’s got a spot at our club. We want to make sure we look after our people.”

Steven Motlop to play with an NTFL club in 2022-23

FRESHLY-retired Port Adelaide and Geelong goalkicker Steven Motlop will play in the NTFL this season.

However, the mercurial 31-year-old, who booted 229 goals across 217 AFL games, is undecided on where he will play locally in 2022-23.

Motlop, who was recruited by the Cats with pick 39 in the 2008 draft, called time on his AFL career on Tuesday.

He told the NT News he was “very keen to get up there (in the NT) and play” but was unsure where he might head.

It comes as his older brother Shannon was appointed coach of PINT in May for its debut Men’s Premier League season.

He left Wanderers in acrimony after coaching them to a preliminary final in 2020-21.

Motlop, with Port Adelaide forward Todd Marshall, played 14 AFL games in 2022. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Steven said he had some thinking to do about his NT playing future, with PINT and Wanderers top of the list.

“I am a ‘Muk Muk’ at heart but obviously with Shannon coaching that makes things interesting,” Motlop said on Wednesday.

“(I) have a big decision.

“I am keen to get up there.”

He could be the third former AFL player in the NTFL this year after Eddie Betts signed with Palmerston and dual Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett Junior reported to be heading to Cazalys Arena.

PINT president Spencer Harvey said it was too early to know where Motlop was heading this season.