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Port Adelaide veteran Travis Boak has been told the decision to either retire or to play on next year is his to make, but he’s been warned the twilight of his career could be spent in the SANFL if his form doesn’t improve from this season.
The 35-year-old, who played 21 games this season including both the finals losses, is out of contract and was expected to hang up the boots after an extraordinary 348 games.
Travis Boak during Port Adelaide’s second semi-final against GWS.Credit: Getty Images
But a source close to Boak, who wouldn’t speak publicly due to the sensitivity of the contract situation, told this column he was keen to extend his career into an incredible 18th season.
Boak had his exit interview on Tuesday and a Port Adelaide source, who wouldn’t talk publicly about a player’s contract, said Boak risked spending time in the second-tier competition if he decided to sign on for another year.
The next generation of Port midfielders has arrived at Alberton, with Brownlow fancy Zak Butters, Connor Rozee, and 2021 No.1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis pushing the likes of
Boak and fellow club champion Ollie Wines out of the centre square.
Wines, who turns 29 next month, signed a four-year contract extension last year, less than a year after winning the Brownlow.
Both he and Boak have found themselves outside their natural habitat on the wings this season, and have failed to have the same impact they used to.
But Port Adelaide believe Boak has earned the right to make a call on his own future, while Wines is desperate to fight for an inside midfield position for the remainder of his contract.
Following their straight-sets exit, the Power will continue to be aggressive at the trade table, with Geelong’s Esava Ratugolea, Essendon’s Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and Western Bulldog Jordon Sweet already requesting trades to join the club.
Brodie Grundy will join Sydney pending a trade deal being reached between the Swans and Melbourne, while Port are weighing up whether to keep a list spot open for creative forward Orazio Fantasia.
Fantasia has played just four games in the past two seasons, having struggled with both form and injury.
Hewett to Neale?
George Hewett in Swans colours back in 2020.Credit: Rhett Wyman
Although he’s spent his last two seasons in navy blue, Carlton midfielder George Hewett was often used as a run-with player by John Longmire at Sydney.
And his stopping ability may be called upon again by Michael Voss at the Gabba on Saturday as the Blues look to quell the influence of Lions superstar Lachie Neale.
Nine football analyst Matthew Lloyd put it to him on 3AW this week and Hewett chuckled, choosing his words carefully.
“Um, I don’t know … I’ve been to him a few times. He’s obviously a very good player and very smart. Hopefully big Pitto (ruckman Marc Pittonet) can get the hit-outs and it doesn’t make our job as midfielders too hard,” he said.
“I probably find out later in the week what the go is this week, if we look to go to someone or if one of our mids look to go to someone. They’ve obviously got a great midfield.”
The good news for Carlton fans is that Hewett kept Neale to 20 disposals in round eight, his second-lowest disposal tally of the home-and-away season. The bad news is the Lions still won that game pretty comfortably.
Dave’s pricey pilgrimage
Speaking of the Blues, 2023 has been quite the ride for their supporters and none more so than iconic comedian Dave Hughes, who has ridden every bump.
But, like thousands of other Carlton fans, Dave and his 14-year-old son Rafferty are making the journey north for the club’s first preliminary final since 2000.
“Like most Carlton supporters, we wanted the club to quit the season halfway through because we were sick of the pain. We just wanted them to take the second half of the season off,” Hughes said.
“To go from that to where we are now – paying exorbitant prices to get to Brisbane and having to stay at Redcliffe, which is not exactly the centre of town – it’s worth every cent.”
Dave and Rafferty, who his father describes as an “astute follower of the game”, leave for Brisbane on Friday and Hughes believes his Blues aren’t done with yet in their finals journey.
“This is just joy, absolute joy,” he said. “We are addicted to the fun now.”
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