PORT Adelaide caretaker coach Matthew Primus says out-of-contract defender Nathan Krakouer is yet to decide whether he’ll remain at the club beyond this season.
The Power headed off a challenge from rival Victorian clubs to re-sign promising midfielder Travis Boak, as well as talented duo Robbie Gray and Hamish Hartlett, but it’s still unclear where Krakouer will play next year.
The 22-year-old has put off contract talks until the end of the season, fuelling speculation he’s poised to join the Gold Coast Suns.
Primus said the club would continue to try to talk Krakouer into staying at Alberton.
“Krak says he hasn’t made a decision [about his future] and we’ll believe him in that,” Primus said on Friday.
“He’s got a decision to make and he’s going to wait until the end of the year [to make it]. You’d like to have him signed up like Travis Boak, Paul Stewart and Robbie Gray but he’s decided to wait until the end of the year.
“All we can do is keep talking to him and tell him how good the future here is going to be. In the end it’s his decision and we’ll have to wait and see.”
After two months on the sidelines with osteitis pubis, Krakouer has been recalled to the side to take on Hawthorn this weekend.
Krakouer has been brought in as a replacement for Tom Logan (concussion), while midfielder Matt Thomas (corked calf) won’t be risked, opening the door for elevated rookie Danny Meyer to play his first game of the season.
Primus said he would continue to play Krakouer, even though he might not be part of the Power’s future.
“Krak is contracted with us this year until whenever that runs out,” Primus said.
“We’ve been waiting to get him in some form. His groins have improved significantly and we think he’s in our best 22. He’s contracted with us and we’ll play him until that changes.”
Speculation has also continued to mount over the future of struggling veteran Chad Cornes, who broke his finger playing for Glenelg in the SANFL last weekend.
Primus said Cornes, who is likely to miss the rest of the season, still had a role to play with the Power.
“I think he’s still important to our squad and structure,” he said.
“It’s disappointing that we can’t see him get back into some form, but there are a lot of other bigger decisions to be made yet that will impact on Chad.”
Hartlett has already been ruled out for the rest of the season, after suffering a series of soft-tissue injuries.
“Hamish is heading overseas for a month just to have a bit of time out and get away from the place. He might see a couple of people (specialists) while he’s over there, but it’s more for him to freshen his mind and to try and wipe 2010,” Primus said.
“He’ll start an earlier pre-season than most of the other guys. We just think it’s a matter of his body getting used to the loads. He’ll have an extended pre-season, but it’ll be at a lesser rate.”
