Former AFL recruiter Matt Rendell believes Port Adelaide need to be aggressive at the trade table to improve in 2022.
Having fallen at the Preliminary Final hurdle in consecutive years, Rendell feels the club needs to be ruthless in trading away assets that hold significant currency.
Despite his All-Australian pedigree, Rendell says the Power should look at moving on defender Darcy Byrne-Jones this off-season, citing his average season in 2021 as cause for concern.
“I don’t know what happened to Darcy Byrne-Jones, he had an All-Australian year off half back (in 2020),” Rendell said on FootySA.
“Part way through the year they took him off small forwards and put (Ryan) Burton on them.
“Burton did a great job, but bar a couple of games, Darcy Byrne-Jones had a pretty average year.”
On top of Byrne-Jones, Rendell said the power should consider moves for Dan Houston and Kane Farrell.
He believes the potential inclusion of Jordan Dawson makes the duo expendable.
“These are players that I’ve thought, if they’re trying to get Dawson and (Jeremy) Finlayson into the club (they can be traded out),” Rendell said.
“Kane Farrell, there’s quite a few players in front of him as wings and halfbacks.
“He’s a really good player, beautiful skills, he should be looking for another home.
“If they bring Dawson in, where’s Houston? It’s sort of his spot, so maybe he should be looking for a new home.
“Darcy Byrne-Jones, same reason, Dawson comes in, he might be the one missing out and looking for a new home.”
With Giants forward Jeremy Finlayson potentially arriving as well, Rendell says young tall Todd Marshall should consider other opportunities.
“(Todd) Marshall, if Finlayson comes in, is a very similar player,” Rendell said.
“Marshall’s going to be thinking, ‘Where am I at?’, if Finlayson comes in.”
Having been on the Power’s list for four seasons but unable to earn a debut, Rendell also thinks it’s time that young ruckman Sam Hayes moves on.
“Sam Hayes I think he’s ready to go as a ruck,” Rendell added.
“He’s got one year to go, he’s got currency now Sam Hayes, and he should want an opportunity somewhere else.
“I really like him as a player, but he’s behind (Peter) Ladhams and (Scott) Lycett and doesn’t look like getting in.”
The Power currently hold picks 16, 60, 70 and 71 in November’s National Draft.
Moves for Dawson and Finlayson would need to be trades as neither player is a free agent.
Should Port look to trade Darcy Byrne Jones?
— Footy SA (@Footy_SA) September 18, 2021
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