Power Play: Port Adelaide must outbid the Crows for super Saint Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera

If St Kilda star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera really is coming home to SA, the Power can’t let history repeat, writes Andrew Capel.

This is a backyard battle Port Adelaide cannot afford to lose.

If St Kilda playmaker Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is serious about wanting to return home to South Australia at the end of the season, the Power must win the bidding war against its arch-rival Adelaide for the silky-smooth defender.

It lost the fight for now Crows captain Jordan Dawson when he left Sydney four years ago to return to SA and it can’t afford to be outpointed in this arm-wrestle.

Wanganeen-Milera, who has just turned 22 and is out of contract at the end of the season, is not only a game changer but his surname is royalty at Alberton.

He is the nephew of Port Adelaide great and Essendon Brownlow Medallist Gavin Wanganeen while his step-dad is former Port SANFL player Terry Milera.

Wanganeen-Milera also happens to be the type of player the Power desperately needs - a perfect replacement for dual All-Australian Dan Houston, who showed Ken Hinkley’s outfit just what it is missing when he torched his former club in his Collingwood debut at the MCG on Saturday night.

St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera bursts clear of Adelaide’s Ben Keays at Adelaide Oval on Sunday. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Port was roundly criticised for sanctioning a trade to Collingwood when Houston still had three years of his contract to run with the club.

The condemnation grew louder following Houston’s spectacular, 27-disposal Magpies debut when he played a starring role - and was described by Pies coach Craig McRae as “a rare talent’’ - in consigning Port to its heaviest defeat in Hinkley’s 13-year reign as coach.

But all will be forgiven if the Power can land one of the AFL’s next big things.

And perhaps that was behind the club’s thinking all along.

Only time will tell.

Wanganeen-Milera is one of the league’s rising stars and would fill a glaring need for Port, which is in retooling mode and trying to play a faster brand of footy following the retirement of man mountain key forward Charlie Dixon, who was its No. 1 focal point for the best part of a decade.

The classy Wanganeen-Milera was one of the Saints’ few shining lights in their hefty 63-point loss to the Crows in Round 1 on Sunday, recording 27 disposals, six marks, a goal and 570 metres gained.

Selected at pick 11 at the 2021 national draft from SANFL club Glenelg, he will command big dollars - and a long-term deal - to lure from Moorabbin.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera celebrates kicking a goal in St Kilda’s Round 1 loss to Adelaide. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera marks in front of Crow Ben Keays at Adelaide Oval on Sunday. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

St Kilda has plenty of salary cap space to try to keep Wanganeen-Milera - it reportedly offered emerging GWS superstar Finn Callaghan a deal worth $17 million across 10 years to move back to Victoria and is eyeing a big-money deal for Carlton big man Tom De Koning - meaning the Power and Adelaide would need to splurge the cash to pry him away.

But he would be worth the big investment.

The Crows, who, if the Round 1 results are anything to go by, appear closer to their next premiership than Port, have reportedly tabled a “massive offer’’ to sign Wanganeen-Milera.

This is despite spending big to recruit key trio Alex Neal-Bullen, James Peatling and Isaac Cumming, who were all effective in their first games for their new club on the weekend, in the off-season.

Wanganeen-Milera’s ties to coach Matthew Nicks’ side extend to fellow half-back Wayne Milera, who is a distant cousin.

However, he is understood to be good mates with Port pair Jason Horne-Francis and Jase Burgoyne.

His signature is one of the prized ones on offer this year, with both SA clubs looking to make him a “lifer’’, with deals around eight years.

Wanganeen-Milera is in his fourth season with the Saints, who appear to be treading water, and has made consecutive AFL Players’ Association 22under22 teams.

It’s all smiles for Collingwood’s Dan Houston after he played a starring role in his first game for his new club against his former team Port Adelaide at the MCG in Round 1. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Last season, at age 21, he produced career-best statistics, averaging 26 disposals and 521 metres gained, illustrating his ability to move the ball with speed and skill.

He is also an excellent decision maker who can seemingly weave his way through traffic with ease.

When pressed on Adelaide’s supposed interest in Wanganeen-Milera, Nicks said: “We don’t talk about players from other clubs’’.

But he added: “He’s a fantastic player - one of those guys who, when you talk about some of the really high-end talent, stands out in the league’’.

Power premiership ruckman Dean Brogan said his former club - which beat the Crows for key forward Jack Lukosius’s signature from Gold Coast in the off-season - should make signing Wanganeen-Milera a priority, highlighting the hole Houston’s departure has left in Port’s backline.

“Houston’s a massive loss for Port and when they let him go they probably had in the back of their mind who they could get as a replacement in a year or two and Wanganeen-Milera would have been at the top of the list,’’ he said.

“They let Houston go for a reason, to go to the draft and bring other players in while also having a plan to fill his spot within 18 months, and Wanganeen-Milera would be the perfect replacement.’’

NUMBERS GAME

91

Points that Port Adelaide lost by against Collingwood in Round 1 - the biggest defeat in Ken Hinkley’s 13 years as coach.

392

Travis Boak games for Port Adelaide, equalling four-time Magarey Medallist Russell Ebert’s club record.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“We were miles off the pace.’’ - Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley following the Round 1 loss to Collingwood.

“We got what we deserved.’’ - Carlton coach Michael Voss on the Blues’ shock Round 1 loss to Richmond.

Originally published as Power Play: Port Adelaide must outbid the Crows for super Saint Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera