Port Adelaide are reportedly furious with Carlton’s “arrogance” amid indirect trade talks for dual All-Australian Dan Houston, with the club now “flat out refusing” to deal with the Blues.
Houston, who is contracted at Alberton until the end of 2027, has stated multiple times on Adelaide radio in the last few weeks that he had no intentions of leaving the club – only to request a trade back to Victoria earlier this month.
As a result of his two back-to-back All-Australian selections, the 27-year-old’s worth on the market has never been higher, and leaves the Power well within their rights to ask for the world in return for his departure.
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‘Need to change the way they attack’ | 01:51
Speaking on AFL Trade Radio on Monday morning, SEN’s Sam Edmund provided a thorough update on where dialogue between the Power and Blues currently sits.
“The Power are just flatly refusing to deal with Carlton over this player – they are angry at what they perceive to be Carlton arrogance in the early negotiations here,” Edmund begun by saying.
“They’re not even talking directly at the moment; they’re talking through Dan Houston’s management, it’s passing of messages on at the moment.”
Port Adelaide’s prickly first impressions of Carlton this off-season stem from their proposition for the defender, which include the trading of out-of-contract small forward Matt Owies.
The Blues look unwilling at this stage to part with this year’s first-round pick (#11), but could trade next year’s instead to acquire Houston.
CARLTON’S ALLEGED PROPOSITION FOR HOUSTON
Port Adelaide get: A first-round pick from a third club, Matt Owies
Carlton get: Dan Houston
Third club get: Carlton’s future first-rounder
“They (Carlton) are saying: ‘No, we’re keeping pick 11, we need to take it to a strong draft (this year). But what we will do, is we’ll trade our future first round pick to a third club; whether that be a Gold Coast or Richmond, that have an abundance of them this year, or no need for them,’” Edmund relayed.
“The Blues, then want to send that third club’s first rounder to the Power, and this is where Matt Owies has come up in conversations as well in various trade scenarios.”
And largely unsurprisingly, Carlton’s rough scenario did not go down well with Port Adelaide.
“The word that was used from Port Adelaide is ‘delusional, absolutely delusional’, when it comes to a player (that’s) 27 years of age, in his absolute prime, twice an All-Australian… (and) contracted for three more years!” Edmund exclaimed.
“The other part of it is (from Port Adelaide’s perspective), this isn’t an Alex Neal-Bullen situation.
“This isn’t a medical issue, it isn’t a drastic homesick issue, it isn’t a wife and family issue – this is a girlfriend who’s based on this side of the country.
“So Port Adelaide aren’t exactly falling over themselves to do the deal at the moment anyway. And then you’ve got Carlton fanning the flames indirectly with what they’re prepared to deal.”
‘If I can’t cope I shouldn’t be here’ | 07:11
Melbourne were hotly tipped as the frontrunners for Houston when initial reports emerged of Houston’s want to leave, but have since fallen down the pecking order.
But according to Edmund, the Demons shouldn’t be discounted given their initial willingness to pay up for Houston.
“Melbourne were absolutely prepared (to pay two-first rounders), and I think they might still be, now that they’ve seen to have almost worked through (their recent ‘crisis) – I wouldn’t shut the door on Melbourne,” Edmund stated.
Brewing away in the background have been North Melbourne, who currently hold picks 2, 22, 40, 58, 64 in this year’s draft and are very, very keen on acquiring Houston to strengthen their defensive stocks.
Arden Street is currently much further out of the premiership window than the Blues, but with several promising young guns emerging such as Harry Sheezel, George Wardlaw and Colby McKercher, will no doubt be a club on the rise in coming years.
“The people I’ve spoken to say North Melbourne, they are keener than mustard. This is going to be a major bid to bring Dan Houston to Arden Street,” Edmund continued.
“Alistair Clarkson will play, if he hasn’t already, a very hands-on role with this. But is that a tough sell?
“When you’re trying to get a player out of a team that’s been at the pointy end for a while, to a rebuilding club like North Melbourne – how desperately does he (Houston) want to get back (to Victoria)?”
Houston is managed by Connor Sports Management’s Nick Gieschen, who this trade period will also be looking to bring West Coast’s Tom Barrass east to Hawthorn.
