Adelaide appear to be getting set to make a play for South Australian-born Melbourne swingman Harrison Petty.
Petty had struggled to cement his spot in Melbourne’s team early in his career as a key defender with stars Steven May and Jake Lever occupying those roles, but flourished this year when he was released into the forward 50.
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The 23-year-old stamped himself as a bona fide AFL player in Round 20 this year against Richmond, when he kicked six goals and took 10 marks.
He’d kicked two the next week against North Melbourne when he went down with a season-ending foot injury, which hurt the Demons’ finals chances significantly.
Port Adelaide premiership player Kane Cornes said rumours of a trade home for Petty “will not go away”.
“The Adelaide Football Club are not giving up on Melbourne’s Harrison Petty, despite him having two years to run on his contract,” he said on Trade Radio.
“He’s from South Australia, the Crows are really keen. I’m hearing that Petty is super keen to get home and I don’t think that would be any secret.
“Could Melbourne really clean up here? Could they really sell high?”
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Harrison Petty has a decision to make. Credit: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Co-host Brad Johnson said he could be more valuable to Adelaide than he is to Melbourne.
“I see him as a very good footballer and an improving footballer all the time,” Johnson said.
“(There is) flexibility in his game now, playing at Melbourne. But what he will become at the Adelaide Crows — and I assume this is what they’re selling to him — he is their No.1 defender. He becomes the man down back.
“That’s pretty enticing, I would’ve thought, because he’s having to play forward at times at Melbourne because of the Lever and May setup, he just goes back there if there is a third tall for the opposition or one of those other players are injured.
“He’s never going to be the No.1 guy at Melbourne because of (May and Lever).
“There’s a decision to make here for Harrison Petty, and I like that there is for him. Adelaide, well done for being persistent with this … and now it’s up to Petty.”
Cornes said while it would hurt the Demons to lose Petty, his trade value will never be higher than what it is now.
“Melbourne can’t afford to lose him, that’s the only problem here. And if they do lose him, they need to replace him,” he said.
“My belief is you’re never going to get more for Harrison Petty than right now. Adelaide are desperate, they’ve got picks, they’re stacked with them — do they sell high right now?
“As much as Melbourne will bat it away publicly … this one’s not going away.
“There has been some talk for Adelaide having pick 10, 20 and Shane McAdam on the table for Harrison Petty.”
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