Port Adelaide has confirmed it isn't ruling out bringing Melbourne small forward Kysaiah Pickett back home to South Australia next season.
Pickett, whose name came up in trade rumours with the Power last September, remains under contract with the Redlegs until the end of the 2023 season.
Yet, according to Port Adelaide 2004 Premiership player, 300-gamer, now football commentator Kane Cornes, he expects the Power to relentlessly continue pursuing the crafty 21-year-old especially because of his connection with battering ram Uncle Byron.
"Whilst Pickett has opted to see out his contract with the Dees, he has paused any talk with the club most likely until the deal expires in October," Cornes said on SEN radio waves.
"Pickett is said to love Melbourne the club but not Melbourne the destination.
"There is a Port Adelaide connection, his uncle Byron won the 2004 Norm Smith Medal for the club, Pickett's manager Peter Rhode was formerly Port Adelaide's long-term GM of football and Pickett was drafted from Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL.
"The powers at be have been working on him for over 12 months and they are cautiously optimistic he's going to choose them."
Melbourne though remains highly optimistic Pickett will remain in the red and blue, with the club allowing him plenty of time to make his decision, per reports from Peter Ryan of The Age in January.
Given the Demons' have already handed long-term deals to key players Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, Angus Brayshaw, and Christian Salem it is still unclear what Pickett's management and Pickett himself will want as a suitable offer.
Pickett has grown to become one of the elite small forwards in the competition kicking 40 goals in their drought-breaking 2021 Premiership and backing it up with 41 goals in 2022.
The former 12th pick in the 2019 draft has played 62 games booting 88 goals.