Port Adelaide AFL news: trade talk, player movement, delistings, coaching changes

With Willie Rioli’s commitment already secured, Port Adelaide is working to bolster its list in trade and free agency. Find out who the Power are showing an interest in.

Kysaiah Pickett is expected to stay at Melbourne despite strong interest from rival clubs, including Port Adelaide and the Western Australian sides.

Talk that the Power may be able to lure Pickett back to SA has increased this week after the team’s failed pursuit of Western Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley.

But nothing is understood to have changed from the 21-year-old small forward’s perspective.

He is contracted until the end of next season, has given no indication that he intends on leaving the Demons this coming tradeperiod and it will be a surprise if he does not remain at the club.

Pickett has been in Karratha, WA with family, since the end of Melbourne’s finals campaign.

Although Pickett was born in Port Lincoln and lived with his uncle, Power Norm Smith Medallist Byron Pickett in Adelaide beforebeing drafted from SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens, he spent his formative years in WA, in Perth and the wheatbelt town of Quairading.

Pickett has more family in WA, including Byron, who is now working in Kalgoorlie.

Kysaiah Pickett celebrates a goal against Port Adelaide.

The 2021 premiership player really likes the Demons, but not the city of Melbourne.

While there is confidence he will stay this trade period, a big decision looms for him in 2023.

Port Adelaide expects Richmond’s Jack Graham may emerge as a recruiting option if the Tigers get deals done for GWS midfielders Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper.

Graham, a South Australian and former state under-18 captain, is contracted until the end of next year but right now is considered unlikely to leave.

Out-of-contract West Coast goalsneak Junior Rioli wants to play for the Power next season, while Port Adelaide has also been interested in Geelong small forward Francis Evans.

The Eagles and Power will start discussions on a Rioli trade next week.

Port Adelaide is expecting ruckman Sam Hayes to find a new home by the end of the trade period, even though it has yet to have talks with other clubs about the 23-year-old.

Hayes played seven games this year but fell down the pecking order despite Scott Lycett being sidelined with injury.

Crows midfielder Matt Crouch has been offered to the Power but it has no interest in bringing him to the club.

Speedster Martin Frederick is keen to leave Alberton for more opportunities and is likely to be in limbo until after the trade period.

Gold Coast is understood to have shown the most interest in the 14-gamer.

But his chances of going there probably depend on the Suns’ chase of St Kilda’s Ben Long or Western Bulldog Jason Johannisen.

Kysaiah Pickett with his uncle Byron Pickett.

CARR HAS RIGHT TOOLS TO RECHARGE POWER

Josh Carr is a potential AFL coach-in-waiting whose relationship-building and honesty will make him a big asset for Port Adelaide next season.

That is the view of two-time North Adelaide grand final mentor Jacob Surjan, a former Port teammate and coaching colleague.

Port Adelaide brought Carr back to the club last week to oversee its midfield – seven seasons after the 2004 premiership player was last in the Power coaches box.

Since then, Carr has won a SANFL flag with the Roosters in 2018 and played a key role in Fremantle’s climb from 11th last year to a semi-final this season, mentoring its on-ballers.

Surjan said the 42-year-old was a very good coach who would have grown working alongside Justin Longmuir at the Dockers.

Josh Carr during his North Adelaide coaching days. Picture: AAP/Matt Loxton

“Josh went to Port as an inexperienced coach and a first-time line coach … so he’d be much more experienced and worldly now,” Surjan told News Corp.

“(Dockers youngster) Andrew Brayshaw finished top five in a Brownlow so there’s obviously something there with the way he’s teaching and coaching that’s working.

“The Rooster boys absolutely loved him and would run through brick walls for him.

“His Xs and Os were very good as well, and he taught me plenty of things.

“He’s said he wants to be an AFL coach.

“A lot of footy and coaching comes down to being really honest and having strong relationships and that’s what he’s great at.”

Warren Tredea, right, and Josh Carr celebrate Port Adelaide’s grand final win in 2004.

Port Adelaide has reshaped its coaching box after slumping from consecutive preliminary finals to finish 11th this year.

Carr returns in a key coaching role as Ken Hinkley prepares to enter the final season of his contract.

West Australian Carr played 124 games for the Power from 2000-04 and 2009-10, then was in its coaching box from 2011-15, first under Matthew Primus and then Hinkley.

He left Alberton to gain more experience as senior coach of North Adelaide, which he steered from 2016-19, before returning to the AFL with Fremantle for the past three seasons.

As Carr arrived, midfield coach Brett Montgomery and SANFL mentor Matthew Lokan departed.

Originally published as Port Adelaide AFL news: trade talk, player movement, delistings, coaching changes