SEN SA co-host Michelangelo Rucci believes Port Adelaide are increasing their push for Melbourne small forward Kysaiah Pickett.
Following the Demons’ shock elimination from the AFL finals, Sam Edmund reported that the Power were interested in acquiring the young gun to bolster their underwhelming forward line.
With the trade period less than a month away, Rucci is confident the Power are improving their efforts to attract Pickett.
“Melbourne has got Luke Jackson out the door and at the other end of the clubhouse they’ve got Kozzie Pickett sitting there with Port Adelaide making all sorts of lures to him to get him,” he said on SEN SA The Run Home.
“I don’t know about legitimate chance (to get him this year) but I know there’s a legitimate campaign, they’re certainly trying, they haven’t stopped trying and they’re ramping it up.
“How would you know in this trade period (whether it happens this year), there’s some wild stuff happening.”
With Port Adelaide already positioned to acquire West Coast small forward Junior Rioli, the club’s offseason plans are seemingly centred around small forwards.
Former AFL recruiter Matt Rendell agrees with this approach, expecting big things for the Power forward line if they can secure these players.
“They would be chasing (Pickett) and fixing up that small forward, they know that’s an area they have to fix up and they’re going a long way towards getting some real class in there,” he said.
“Especially if (Orazio) Fantasia gets up and about, they’ve got three of them: Rioli, Fantasia and Pickett.”
Despite Rendell being a fan of the move, he believes Port Adelaide should wait until next year to chase Pickett, with his proposed plan centring around West Coast’s reported interest in Power forward Mitch Georgiades.
“If I was Port, I’d wait a year, this is how you do the deal.
“I think West Coast will go hard for Georgiades, it makes sense that they do.
“So they get Rioli with the (Karl) Amon (compensation) pick this year, (Mitch) Georgiades will go to West Coast at the end of next year, so you’ve got a year to go, that will require West Coast’s first rounder next year.
“That first rounder next year can be used to get Pickett, so be patient, Port Adelaide.”
Pickett is coming off another impactful season in his young career, averaging 1.8 goals and 10.4 disposals per game.