Leading South Australian journalist Michelangelo Rucci is confident Erin Phillips will play for Port Adelaide next year.
Phillips has become the dominant figure of the first era of AFLW, twice winning the league’s best and fairest and has been widely acknowledged as the game’s best player.
Her father Greg was an eight-time premiership player for Port Adelaide in the SANFL and is a life member of the club.
Phillips initially agreed to be a marquee player for Port in 2016, but the club was ultimately overlooked for an inaugural AFLW licence, leading to her signing with the Crows.
With the Power entering the AFLW competition next season, Rucci believes Phillips will move across town to don the Port Adelaide guernsey as part of the swansong of her career.
“I think she’s in the goal square for Port Adelaide next year which would complete a nice storyline for her, wouldn’t it?” Rucci told SEN SA Breakfast.
“The first Port Adelaide player signed, then there was no opportunity to play for Port Adelaide, picked up by Adelaide, finishes her career at Port Adelaide and follows her father’s footsteps.
“Leads a team in the very changerooms she grew up in as a kid.
“I don’t even think Adelaide would begrudge her that sort of storyline would they?”
Phillips will be a key part of Adelaide’s quest for a third AFLW premiership when they host Melbourne in the Grand Final at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The Power will likely sign numerous Crows players when they enter the competition alongside Sydney, Hawthorn and Essendon for the seventh AFLW season which is expected to begin later this year.
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