‘He’s gone’: Buddy’s huge call on Saints star as rival drops big hint over trade race

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Outgoing Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has hinted that his club’s pursuit of St Kilda star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is on track while also declaring only “1 per cent” of AFL rumours actually come true.

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Wanganeen-Milera has been linked to a move home to South Australia, and Port, and remains the biggest unsigned name in the AFL as the Saints, and coach Ross Lyon, rebuff reports that lingering contracting issues have impacted player harmony.

But after AFL goalkicking great Lance Franklin said this week that the lack of a signature so late in the season from Wanganeen-Milera suggested he would leave the Saints, Hinkley, who is ending his 13 seasons in charge of Port, painted a similar picture.

“History would tell you that long term, late in the season, those decisions do seem to go a certain way,” he said on Wednesday.

“But I’m not going to make any prediction on any of that because I have no information and I can’t help you in any way to predict the outcome.

“I do know that the young man that everyone’s talking about, I can understand why everyone’s talking about him.”

Franklin told the Buddy & Shane Show that he does with Brownlow medallist Shane Crawford that “if you’re not locked away now, you’re gone”.

“I think he’s gone, I think he’s definitely going,” Franklin said.

“For me, why would you hold out so long? This has taken all year.

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“If the decision was to stay, it would’ve happened weeks ago I would’ve thought.”

Hinkley also dismissed a report that premiership-winning Collingwood star Beau McCreery had toured Port’s headquarters and was considering a four-year offer from the club.

“I have not seen Beau at the footy club,” he said.

“If he has been here, I might not recognise him, but I think he’s trying to get over a hamstring to get back and ready to play football for Collingwood.”

With rumours flying about a host of players, as well as his own future amid links to a role at Carlton, Hinkley said getting caught up in the AFL rumour mill was fraught with danger.

“Everyone gets linked everywhere, don’t they, this time of year when there’s an opportunity,” he said.

“What I do know about footy is that about 1 per cent come true.”

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