Former Port Adelaide defender Hamish Hartlett says he is open to joining an AFL club via next year’s mid-season rookie draft.
The 31-year-old was not offered a new contract for 2022 by the Power and has since returned to SANFL club West Adelaide in a playing/development role for next year.
Hartlett was drafted from West Adelaide with pick No.4 in the 2008 National Draft and went on to play 193 games over 13 seasons at Alberton.
“I’ve had those conversations with West Adelaide and certainly they would wish nothing more than for that to be the case with me,” Hartlett told SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
“I’m certainly very open to that (rookie spot) occurring.
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“I guess that’s the only opportunity that I’ll have left in trying to get back onto an AFL list, unless someone at the end of the draft wants someone with a bit of experience on their list.
“I’ll wait and see how that unfolds. The club is certainly very open to that occurring and I’d certainly love for that to be the case as well.”
West Adelaide finished last for a third straight year, winning just two games for the entire SANFL campaign.
Hartlett, a former vice-captain at Port Adelaide, was restricted to 10 senior matches in 2021 due to a knee injury.