Power lock away Dylan Williams, race for Esava Ratugolea heats up

The Power have locked down another piece of their future down back, but what impact will it have on their plans to land Esava Ratugolea, as other clubs start to come to the party.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - MAY 20: Esava Ratugolea of the Cats looks to pass the ball during the 2023 AFL Round 10 match between Walyalup/Fremantle Dockers and the Geelong Cats at Optus Stadium on May 20, 2023 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Port Adelaide has locked away free agency key defender Dylan Williams on a two-year deal as clubs frantically scour the market for quality defenders.

But the Power has a fight on its hands in its bid to prise Esava Ratugolea out of Geelong, with the 25-year-old defender in high demand.

Geelong is still hopeful of retaining the intercepting tall, but Ratugolea has strong interest from multiple clubs.

Port Adelaide is one of those suitors but Ratugolea has a five-year offer on the table from a rival, putting the Power down the pecking order.

Essendon and Hawthorn are seen as strong suitors for Ratugolea, who has been stuck at times behind Jack Henry, Tom Stewart, Jake Kolodjashnij and Sam De Koning.

The Power have re-signed Dylan Williams. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Sydney is another club sure to be aggressive in the key position defender market given their strong interest in Tom Barrass has been rebuffed, with the veteran to stay at the Eagles.

The Cats are hopeful of retaining Ratugolea but given the 25-year-old is out of contract they do not have the same leverage as last season so could end up trading him.

Ratugolea had been linked to the Power, who this week re-signed full back Trent McKenzie on a one-year deal.

Williams was a free agent after being delisted, then relisted by the Power before his breakout season.

The No. 23 draft pick from 2019 was finally able to finally work hard enough to develop elite fitness then transform himself into a long-kicking marking defender.

The Power have also been linked to Essendon defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, who has been offered a modest deal by the Dons.

Ratugolea has been linked to the Power. Picture: Mark Stewart

Sydney’s Lewis Melican and Melbourne’s Adam Tomlinson are other key forwards across the league battling for opportunities.

The Herald Sun reported this month St Kilda’s Dougal Howard could be a contender to move to a third club despite being in contract.

The Roos are happy for McKay to leave for free agency compensation but warned this week they might match a free agency bid if it did not trigger first-round compensation, which would see them receiving the No. 3 pick overall.

In recent years the trigger for first-round compensation has been around $750,000 a season on a deal of at least three years.

Originally published as Power lock away Dylan Williams, race for Esava Ratugolea heats up