PORT ADELAIDE General Manager - Football Chris Davies says he has not spoken with Essendon forward Orazio Fantasia about a move to Alberton, despite mounting speculation about the livewire’s future.
Fantasia recently laughed off reports he wants to return to his home state of South Australia, but Davies admitted it would be remiss of the club to not be open to the idea of enquiring about a player who was looking to come back to Adelaide.
“When a young South Australian player wants to come home at any point, then we’ve got an interest,” Davies said on Telstra AFL Trade Radio on Wednesday morning.
“Orazio (Fantasia) hasn’t necessarily suggested that’s the case with him yet, but I think you can say across the board, if a South Australian wants to come home then both us and Adelaide would generally be interested.
“It’s hard sometimes - we obviously lose players going back to Victoria, so we’ve got to make sure when those guys want to come home then we are in the market.
“I think there is a fair bit to play out in regards to Orazio.”
The head of football at Alberton said Fantasia had some friendships with Power players and coaches which dated back to before his AFL career.
“I know that he has relationships with people at our club that pre-exist his time at Essendon,” Davies said.
“But I don’t want to get in too deep - other than to say - if a player like that wants to come back to South Australia, then we would have an interest.
“The specifics of it certainly haven’t played out yet.”
Davies said despite the media speculation surrounding the potential for a Fantasia move to Alberton, no approach had been made.
“I haven’t spoken to him, he is in a position now where he is in between managers,” he said
“I imagine once he has settled on who he is going to go with, we will be able to have a conversation with whoever his manager is.
“At this point, I certainly haven’t had a conversation in regards to that.”
The 2019 NAB AFL Trade Period commences on Monday 7 October at 9am, with the NAB Free Agency Period beginning on Friday 4 October.
