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West Coast premiership player Scott Lycett ponders retirement as Port Adelaide unlikely to renew contract

Steve LarkinAAP
Scott Lycett's (right) days as a Port Adelaide player could be drawing to a close. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)
Camera IconScott Lycett's (right) days as a Port Adelaide player could be drawing to a close. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP

Port Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett could retire as the Power ponder tossing another AFL lifeline to injury-prone Orazio Fantasia.

Lycett’s five-year deal, signed after winning the 2018 premiership with West Coast, is set to expire with the 146-gamer unlikely to be offered a deal at Alberton.

But Port’s football manager Chris Davies says a “banged up” Lycett could quit.

“Scott right now is more thinking about whether he wants to continue to play,” Davies told reporters on Wednesday.

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“He’s in a position where he’s had a pretty injury-interrupted last few years and the poor bugger right now, as big of a warrior as he has been, he’s really banged up.

“A guy who was able to get back at the end of the year, probably earlier than we thought he might be, has worked hard.

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Scott Lycett.
Camera IconPort ruckman Scott Lycett is pondering his future with a new deal unlikely. Credit: AAP

“But he’s spending some time away now just to think about what he wants in the future, first and foremost.”

Lycett’s past two seasons - in which he’s managed four and 14 games respectively - have been restricted by injury, while fringe Western Bulldogs ruck Jordon Sweet has nominated Port as his preferred trade destination.

Richmond’s Ivan Soldo is also attracting the Power’s interest.

Ex-captain Travis Boak, the club’s games-record holder on 348, is poised to agree a one-year deal.

“If he wants to play next year, he’ll be at Port Adelaide,” Davies said.

Goalsneak Fantasia could also be offered a one-year contract, despite the 27-year-old managing only four AFL games over the past two seasons.

Fantasia, stuck on 99 appearances since round three, had similar soft-tissue issues during his seven seasons at Essendon.

“Raz (Fantasia), we haven’t been able to finalise some of those lists decisions because we need to go through a really important period of time for us from a trade perspective,” Davies said.

“We all see that Orazio has significant talent and we would have liked to have seen it more at AFL level in the past two or three years.

Port Adelaide forward Orazio Fantasia.
Camera IconOrazio Fantasia his likely to be offered a one-year deal. Credit: AAP

“Whether that means that he continues to be contracted into the future remains to be seen.

“It’s more likely than not that we’ll want to give Raz an opportunity.

“But how the numbers fall out from a trade and list number perspective, I can’t answer that right now.”

Bulldog Sweet, a South Australian 25-year-old who has played 11 AFL games for the Dogs since being drafted as a rookie in 2019, joins Esava Ratugolea (Geelong) and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Essendon) in wanting to join Port.

Davies was confident deals will get done for the trio despite the Power having limited draft capital after last year’s multi-faceted trade for Jason Horne-Francis.

But tall defender Tom Clurey, contracted for two more seasons and turning 30 next May, is on the trade table after just one game this season because of a back injury, along with fringe ruck Sam Hayes.

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