‘No bad blood’ as Port axes Hartlett

PORT Adelaide leadership group member Hamish Hartlett says the club hasn’t offered him a new contract because it does not feel he can keep up with the game’s demands.

Hartlett, 31, did not feature in the Power’s finals campaign after undergoing knee surgery and was told on Monday he would not be receiving a deal for 2022.

The defender (pictured) says there is no bad blood with Port Adelaide but he does believe he can play at AFL level for the next couple of years.

He is prepared to move interstate and was going to discuss his options with his manager on Tuesday.

“I had a chat with (coach) Kenny (Hinkley) and (football manager) Chris Davies yesterday, and Kenny pretty much just said there won’t be a contract for you next season for a couple of reasons,” Hartlett told SEN SA.

“One, he doesn’t physically think that I can keep up with the demands of the game, particularly in the position I play at half-back against some players that are quite lively.

“Also, with the development of some of our younger guys coming through … he doesn’t feel like there’s a position on the list for me any more. I didn’t necessarily agree with them but I can understand the angle that they’re coming from.

“I owe the footy club a lot – they’ve been unbelievable to me for 13 years. No bad blood, I’ve got nothing but love for that footy club and that’ll always be the case.”

Hartlett said he was not surprised. “I got a call from Kenny on Sunday afternoon saying he wanted me to come in and have a chat and it was well before my exit meeting time had been scheduled, so I suppose when you receive that call the writing’s on the wall to some degree,” he said. “I firmly believe I’m capable of playing good AFL footy.”

Hartlett, the Power’s highest ever draft pick at No. 4 in 2008, sits 10th on the club’s alltime games list with 198.