Melbourne midfielder Christian Petracca has added to the wave of optimism about young forward Kysaiah Pickett re-signing, saying he has “zero doubt” he will remain at the club.
No deal has been agreed upon yet but Pickett and his management have made clear throughout the process their preference was to stay at the Demons, despite Port Adelaide, West Coast and Fremantle all expressing strong interest.
Teammates (and former housemates) Christian Petracca and Kysaiah Pickett.Credit: Getty Images
Pickett’s agent, Peter Rohde, and Melbourne are still thrashing out specifics, with a source familiar with the situation telling The Age one was the 21-year-old’s willingness to sign a long-term deal, with the Demons tabling a four-year offer.
A contract of that length would tie Pickett, who has kicked 97 goals in 66 matches, to Melbourne until 2027 – when he would be a free agent – and is expected to be completed soon.
Kysaiah Pickett has a good relationship with coach Simon Goodwin.Credit: AFL Photos
The rising star has kicked 40-plus goals in each of the past two seasons, while providing a physical and defensive presence in attack and being a valuable centre-square, pinch-hitting option for coach Simon Goodwin.
“He is a gun, absolute star. He should be signing. He should be fine. I have zero doubt at all,” Petracca told KIIS 101.1 of Pickett.
“We are really close. We lived together for a year, and he was awesome and great to live with – super easy, chill. Nothing to worry about [with the contract].”
Pickett has kicked nine goals in four games this year, missing two others through suspension after a brutal bump on Western Bulldogs on-baller Bailey Smith.
He was drafted No.12 overall in 2019 from South Australia, where he lived with his uncle and ex-Demons, Kangaroo and Power footballer Byron Pickett.
Pickett also spent his early years in Western Australia, hence the Eagles’ and Dockers’ attempts to prise him out of Melbourne.
The Demons have enjoyed great success retaining their top-shelf talent, aside from Western Australian ruckman Luke Jackson, who was taken nine picks before Pickett but joined Fremantle on a big-money deal last year.
Clayton Oliver (2030), Petracca (2029), Angus Brayshaw (2028), Brodie Grundy (2027), Bayley Fritsch and Christian Salem (2026), and Max Gawn, Steven May and Jack Viney (2025) are among those to commit long term.
