Port Adelaide have been urged to “bite the bullet” and pay what they must to secure Geelong swingman Esava Ratugolea after revelations negotiations have lasted just 20 seconds so far.
“You can’t say we weren’t warned by Geelong - Chris Scott sat at this desk on AFL 360 and said we think he’s a really good player, we’re gonna drive a very hard bargain. Andrew Mackie said as much at the trade period , it’s up to Port to get this done. And it’s playing out that way. “So this is something that’s becoming a real impasse for a player whose value seems to have gone up as the days have commenced towards the trade period.”North Melbourne champion David King implored the Power to cough up for Ratugolea, believing fixing their backline is absolutely critical if they’re to truly contend in 2024 under coach Ken Hinkley.