Cornes responds to trade rumours linking Port Adelaide star to Victorian clubs

AFL Media’s Cal Twomey is reporting that Victorian clubs have a ‘trade watch’ on Port Adelaide’s Dan Houston.

While the All-Australian defender is contracted until 2027, Twomey says clubs in Victoria are monitoring the 27-year-old’s situation with Melbourne among the clubs interested in his services.

Houston, who was drafted out of the Oakleigh Chargers, has played 163 games for the Power and is in the club’s leadership group.

In response to the report, SEN’s Sam Edmund asked Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes if he felt Houston was in any danger of leaving.

Cornes doesn’t believe that the report is realistic given Houston’s contract status as he doesn’t believe the Power would want to move him on.

The only way he sees a trade happening is if the defender himself demands a move home.

Edmund: “There’s a story on the website that Dan Houston is viewed by rival clubs as someone they think they can get in a trade.

“Now, he's contracted for three more years.”

Cornes: “This is the angle that I want to come at this story with, this is nothing against the story, it is interesting and for Melbourne fans out there going, ‘Jeez, we can get Dan Houston’, how good would that be?’.

“But then you look at it realistically and you go Port Adelaide aren't stacked with A-grade players, and he is one that is a genuine A-grader reigning All-Australian, probably leading their best and fairest I would have thought with Zak Butters this year.

“Now, why would Josh Carr, who's probably going to take over as coach, trade Dan Houston when he's got three years left on a contract? It's just not going to happen.

“So, at what point do you go as a journalist, with these stories in terms of length of contract, when it is a story versus when it isn't a story?”

Edmund: “How much do you think contracts are worth these days?”

Cornes: “A fair bit if you’re Port Adelaide.”

Edmund: “Well, what if you’re Dan Houston and you say to Port Adelaide (I want a trade).”

Cornes: “Then that's a different story.

“Like Shai Bolton, who's got four years left … it is a story for Shai because he's actually met with Fremantle.

“So, unless Dan Houston has met with Melbourne and says, ‘I want to go’, I'm just not sure there's much there's much in it.”

Edmund: “So, it's not a story for you if the story is rival clubs believe he could be gettable?

Cornes: “Of course, rival clubs are interested.”

Edmund: “But what if they view him as being something worth pursuing? They've obviously been given a little sniff … there’s a little bit of blood in the water potentially.”

Cornes: “I’d need something a little more definitive than that.”

Edmund: “It's a solid contract, isn't it? Until 2027.”

Cornes: “It’s three and a half years.”

Edmund: “He would have to force it and that's when things potentially get a little bit messy and a little bit awkward. Who knows whether he's inclined to do that.”

Houston had 34 disposals and nine rebound 50s in last week’s loss to Gold Coast at People First Stadium.