Demons star dealing with personal issue but expected to play

Melbourne star Kysaiah Pickett is dealing with a personal issue ahead of this weekend’s season opener against St Kilda.

Pickett and his partner Ardu Cubillo have split up and he has returned to the Northern Territory this week. Pickett and Cubillo have a young daughter together.

Pickett flew to Darwin on Tuesday and is not due back in Melbourne until Thursday. The Demons expect him to return for Friday’s main training session.

New Dees coach Steven King says he fully expects Pickett to play on the weekend.

"We were pretty proactive with it, Kozzy needed to get back for family reasons and I fully support any father at our club to make sure they get to support their family," King said on Wednesday.

"Kozzy will be back tomorrow (Thursday), he'll do our T2 (main training session two) and play.

"That's something I want to provide flexibility for our staff and players that family is equally or more important than just the game of footy.

"We'll give Kozzy all the time he needs to take care of his family and his daughter and he'll be fine. We'll work that with him throughout the season as it progresses but he'll play."

Demons great Garry Lyon received a statement from the cub regarding Kozzy’s situation and delivered the news on Wednesday morning.

“Kozzy Pickett has flown back to Darwin yesterday,” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast.

“He has some family issues, separation from his partner, they’ve also got a little girl.

“The family dynamic is super important. He’s gone back to Darwin and won’t be at training today, and he’s missed a couple of big sessions.

“I’m told that Kozzy is very supportive of his partner’s move back to Darwin and it’s important for her to be around family at this time.

“The club is supporting Kozzy to ensure he can still be connected to the family while still getting the job done from a footy club point of view.

“I understand that the footy club has spoken to him and understand the difficult situation he’s found himself in and they’re going to be pretty flexible for him to try and stay connected with his daughter.

“This a sensitive issue. I’m just telling you what’s going on. I can’t interpret this.

“He went to Darwin on Tuesday with the club’s blessing. The expectation is that he’ll return on Thursday. He’s missed a couple of sessions (wth the group) but he’s done those sessions remotely.

“The great hope is that he’ll be back with the group for Friday’s main training session.

“These are difficult times when there’s families and partnerships and breakups. But that’s why Kozzie won’t be at training (today).”

Lyon says the club remains hopeful that Pickett could still play against the Saints in Round 1.

“I think so,” Lyon said.

“The unknown in all of this is how it affects some people. Some people can deal with it, others need some time.

“He’s up in Darwin at the moment. The expectation is that he’ll be back for the Friday training session.

“From a Melbourne footy club supporting point of view of course you’re absolutely hopeful that he’s there for the game against St Kilda, but you don’t really know.”

The 24-year-old Pickett, entering his seventh season, is set to play a pivotal role as a small forward and through the midfield for the new-look Dees under Steven King in 2026.

He claimed his first All-Australian blazer in 2025 after a stellar 40-goal campaign.