Amid Port Adelaide's underwhelming and shaky start to the new season, unsigned backman Miles Bergman has managed to find a promising vein of form, seeing his potential asking price rise in the process.
The Power have suffered a pair of poor defeats to Collingwood and Essendon on the road in their opening three matches, the former result being a 91-point embarrassment to start their final season under Ken Hinkley.
Sandwiched between their pair of losses is a 12-goal victory over wooden spoon fancies Richmond, with the Power managing to run rampant in a one-sided affair.
That dominant display was dismally followed by Thursday's fall to the Bombers, with neither side looking like a September contender before Essendon kicked away in the fourth term.
Across an inconsistent and concerning three games for the Alberton club, Bergman has been a compatible asset for Hinkley in what has often been an under-fire rearguard.
It's hard to find positives within a defensive unit that conceded 21 goals in Round 1, and gave up a further 27 scoring shots this week, but Bergman's form across all three games is sure to excite some.
While you might think it'd be the Power who would be the most satisfied with the 23-year-old's form, the mix of Bergman's strong start and the club's poor results could cause headaches for those at Port Adelaide.
Bergman looms as a player of interest for clubs from his home state, with St Kilda - who are keen to lure Bayside products back to Moorabbin - named as one keen suitor for the versatile defender.
The backman's rising form could see his price tag ascend with it at a time when the Power look to get their defensive ducks in a row by the off-season, with fellow stoppers Jase Burgoyne, Kane Farrell, Josh Sinn, Ryan Burton and Logan Evans also currently without deals for 2025 as the race to find the departed Dan Houston's replacement continues.
Bergman's standing is separate from the others however, with his ability to play as a tall or small, intercept or lockdown, dashing or defensive asset for the Power making him a valuable commodity.
His best efforts were on full display in the club's loss to the Bombers, with Bergman coming away from the game as arguably the Power's best alongside Burgoyne while amassing 26 disposals, 10 marks, 575 metres gained, four intercept marks and eight total intercept possessions.
The fascination surrounding the uncertainty of Bergman's future, as well as his aforementioned teammates, is compounded by the Power's reported interest in Saints young gun Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, who could look to return home come season's end.
The Power could secure one of the game's best running defenders while simultaneously losing a more flexible asset in Bergman, with Wanganeen-Milera potentially costing more from a trade standpoint and would add to an area of the field the Power already thrives in.
A best-of-both-worlds outcome would see Port Adelaide retain Bergman and secure Wanganeen-Milera, but the Power are unlikely to have the draft capital to appease St Kilda, given their 2025 first-round selection is held by Gold Coast.
But the Power could place their eggs in the Bergman basket instead, backing in their current crop of running half-backs to reach new heights, something that's certainly not of reach to some.
Burgoyne, who would be expected to recommit to the club that drafted him as a father-son selection at Pick 60 four years ago, looks to be the ace in the Power's pack down back, while Evans has shown poise in less than a month on an AFL list.
Burton and Sinn have looked to cement senior roles and consistency when the opportunity comes, while Farrell is the standout to step into Houston's shoes this season.
Convincing Bergman to remain in South Australia is another factor, with the Saints' seemingly stupendous salary cap wiggle room likely meaning they could outdo any contract offer from the Power.
Given Bergman isn't a free agent, any exit would need to be done via a trade, with the Saints then needing to assess if the one-time 22under22 selection should be prioritised over draft access.
The Saints would see tremendous value in Bergman, given his strengths as a defender, with Ross Lyon in need of further rearguard reinforcements given the club's lacking group of next-gen tall defenders. Pick 10 selection Alix Tauru will be one for the long haul, with fellow draftee James Barrat another unknown quantity.
St Kilda's lack of second-round selections for 2025 could hurt their case to trade for Bergman, with their first-round pick likely off the table. The Power will be keen to get back into the top end of this year's draft, especially if they fall short of the finals frame, with somewhere in the middle likely needing to be met by both clubs.
