Port Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett would no doubt be pondering his options elsewhere for season 2024 and beyond.
That is according to SEN SA’s Michelangelo Rucci who believes the offer in front of the 30-year-old is not quite enough for him to stay at Alberton.
Rucci says the one-year contract on the table could persuade West Coast premiership player Lycett to search for a third club this trade period or risk falling into the backup ruckman category with the Power next year.
“With what they’ve put in front of him, he would be very silly to sign that contract if there’s better offers elsewhere,” Rucci said on SEN WA’s The Run Home.
“We keep hearing he could chase a two-year contract somewhere else. Geelong has been mentioned before that perhaps they could put a two-year contract in front of him. If he gets that he leaves Port.
“They’ve put one year in front of him and it’s not a great one-year deal. That’s going to be interesting as to what actually materialises in the next few weeks in terms of trade options for him.
“If then no one bites and he’s got this one-year offer at Port, what do you think he does? He’d be like, ‘no one else is offering me anything, Port’s won the hard battle here and I’ll have to sign and hope that I’m not squeezed out by Jordon Sweet or Dante Visentini next year’.”
Lycett played 14 matches this season, averaging 10 disposals and 24 hit-outs, and was subbed out of games on multiple occasions.
He has played 71 games for Port after crossing from the Eagles prior to the 2019 season.
Another 30-plus Power player whose future in the black, white and teal remains uncertain is veteran Travis Boak.
The 35-year-old is without a contract for 2024 but is reportedly keen to play on.
Rucci feels this is now a delicate situation for Port who would want to avoid a subpar send-off for such a decorated player as seen with retiring captain Tom Jonas.
“He was banged up a bit,” Rucci said of Boak.
“What we’re noticing is time does catch up with you. We saw it with Tom Jonas this year, we excused Tom Jonas a year ago saying he was always injured.
“It never happened for him this year. He was slower and really struggled to keep up with AFL pace.
“We know that Travis Boak is a professional in getting himself right through a pre-season to give himself the best chance. That’s probably his sales pitch to Port Adelaide.
“At the other end Port Adelaide are sitting there going ‘there’s no guarantee’. The last thing they want to see is Travis Boak finishing his career in the SANFL because he’s pushed out of the side for a younger player who is going to contribute more.
“It’s a really delicate one because Travis Boak is the symbol of what kept Port Adelaide afloat through the darkest era and then the Ken Hinkley start-up.
“You really do want to leave it to be his call but there needs to be a fair bit of guidance that he’s not guaranteed a spot next year. If you have a look at the way Tom Jonas finished to be carried off after a losing final in his civvies, that’s not the last image you want of Travis Boak.
“He’s got a lot to think about. Can he get through a long campaign next year and be playing in Port Adelaide’s last game? You don’t want to see him spending the last six weeks in the SANFL and then being carried off in a Port Adelaide Magpies jumper against Glenelg at Glenelg Oval, do you?
“I’ll be intrigued as to how that one plays out.”
It shapes as a crucial off-season for the Power who at one stage in 2023 looked to be one of the top few sides in the competition before succumbing in the finals in straight sets.
A number of players, including Geelong’s Esava Ratugolea, Essendon’s Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and Western Bulldogs’ Jordon Sweet, have already requested to join the club this trade period.
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