AFL

Breakout Demon expected to knock back Power interest

By Anna Harrington

Aug 14, 2026

AFL — Tom Sparrow seems set to stay at Melbourne, leaving Port to look elsewhere for reinforcements. -AAP Image

With Port Adelaide's prime target Tom Sparrow poised to re-sign with Melbourne, the Power are preparing to hit the draft hard in a bid to bounce back up the AFL ladder.

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Free agent Sparrow has enjoyed a career-best season and is now expected to resist the lure of a return to South Australia to stay with Steven King's resurgent Demons.

The 15th-placed Power will host Sparrow's finals-bound Demons at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

"Good on him. He's had a great year and they've had a great year and they're obviously a good football club that looks like they're on the up," Port coach Josh Carr said on Friday.

"So if that's the case, then well done."

If superstar and restricted free agent Zak Butters departs as expected for Victoria, Port would almost certainly demand a monster haul of draft picks via trade, to add to their own early selection (currently pick No.4).

"We'll explore every bit of the market when it comes to making our list better," Carr, who insisted he still didn't know what Butters's intentions were, said.

"Now that is through trade, through free agency, through the draft.

"The draft is going to be the main one that we are going to hit and bring in some players through there.

"We need a lot. To be honest. We need young midfielders to come in and develop.

"And all areas of the ground, we need to bring some youth in and some talented youth to make us better."

Butters, currently sidelined with a syndesmosis injury, is still attempting to make an unlikely return for Port's final game of the season against lowly Essendon.

"We will give him right to the last training session to get himself up," Carr said.

"We won't rule him out and give him every opportunity to play."

First-year coach Carr indicated young tall Dante Visentini would remain in defence, having previously played in the ruck before an impressive turn down back in an otherwise tough 97-point loss to Sydney.

Defender Aliir Aliir will mark his 200th AFL game in the clash with the Demons.

Port regain Mitch Georgiades, Joe Richards, Lachie Jones and Xavier Bamert.

Darcy Byrne-Jones is suspended while Christian Moraes, Jackson Mead and Will Lorenz were all dropped.

Melbourne named an unchanged side with forward Kade Chandler to play his 100th game.