Port Adelaide should keep Sam Powell-Pepper as trading him would be a “lose-lose” for the club, according to Power champion Kane Cornes.
The midfielder-forward, who has one year to run on his contract, has been recently linked to West Coast as he weighs up a return home to Western Australia.
Cornes wants to see Powell-Pepper, 23, remain at Port Adelaide and fight for his place next season.
“This is why it’s a lose-lose for Port Adelaide. They’re not going to get anything significant in return for a contracted player who’s nearly played 100 games,” Cornes told AFL Trade Radio’s The Early Trade.
“He’s only 23 years of age, has been on the outskirts of their best 22 and West Coast aren’t going to want to give up anything.
“Unless Sam Powell-Pepper said like (Sam) Petrevski-Seton has done, ‘I want out. I’m done. I'm going home. I’ve flown over and met with the Eagles, that’s my club’, until he says that, I don’t see there’s a way Port Adelaide have any upside into letting him go because of the compensation you’re not going to get back in return for him.
“They’ve invested significantly in him – in five years he’s played 92 games. There are some areas of his game that need work.
“The best environment for him to do that is at Port Adelaide, I’ve got no doubt about that because the opportunities will open up with (Robbie) Gray and (Travis) Boak getting to that stage of their careers.”
Powell-Pepper made 16 appearances in 2021, averaging 13.6 disposals and 3.8 tackles per match.
He was selected with pick No.18 in the 2016 draft.