Fantasia joins the exodus

Move to Adelaide likely

ORAZIO Fantasia has become the third Essendon star to walk in eight days with the club’s mounting player exodus to be a focus of a scheduled Bombers board meeting on Thursday night.

But the besieged Dons will retain Michael Hurley and Matt Guelfi despite speculation over their futures as future captain Andy McGrath signed on for two more seasons on Monday.

Injury- plagued forward Fantasia joined Joe Daniher and Adam Saad on the get- out list on Monday, while Devon Smith has also been linked to a potential move.

Essendon’s hierarchy believes it will stem the bleeding at Fantasia, Saad and Daniher, with coach Ben Rutten and football boss Dan Richardson to front the board to outline the strategy for the upcoming trade period.

Richardson, the club’s general manager of football since December 2017, is considered to be under the most pressure at Tullamarine.

It is understood the Dons are not chasing Collingwood’s Jordan De Goey or Adelaide’s Brad Crouch but North Melbourne key forward Ben

Brown remains a strong consideration. The Bombers are looking at replacement options for Daniher and are expected to meet with Brown about potentially joining the Bombers.

But Essendon would not hand over a first- round pick for a player who was put up for trade by North Melbourne against his wishes, with clubs sensing the chance to secure the spearhead for bargainbasement pick.

Brown is driving home from Queensland and is keen for long- term security after the Roos pulled a three- year deal earlier this year.

Fantasia has long been linked to a return home to Adelaide, with his issues stemming more from homesickness than the club’s cultural issues.

Those issues were laid bare by retired Essendon midfielder Brendon Goddard, who said on Sunday there had not been clarity over the club’s game plan, with no “hard- nosed culture” of success.

It was revealed last week that Fantasia had passed independent tests on his body after a series of quad, calf, knee and hip issues.

It means Adelaide and Port Adelaide will consider whether to launch bids for the talented but injury- prone player, who kicked 39 goals in 2017.