PORT Adelaide has held preliminary talks about the possibility of relocating one of its home games – against Gold Coast – from AAMI Stadium to Darwin when the new franchise enters the competition in 2011.
The Power are currently in negotiations with the SANFL, the owners of AAMI Stadium, to secure a better deal at the venue.
However, the cash-strapped club is still keen to explore its options in the Northern Territory.
The AFL is expected to extend the season from 22 to 24 rounds in 2011 to accommodate the byes created by the introduction of the league’s 17th team.
With the fixture change, existing clubs would receive an extra home game during the regular season.
Port Adelaide chief executive Mark Haysman said the idea of using the opportunity to strengthen the Power’s footprint in the Top End made good sense.
"We as a footy club have a genuine interest in the Northern Territory because a number of our wonderful players come from there. The Motlop boys, Peter Burgoyne and Tommy Logan all love going back there," Haysman told afl.com.au.
"With the Gold Coast coming in, we initially entertained the idea that we’d play them in Darwin as a home game so that we don’t have to shift any of our home games up there and we’d still have 11 games at AAMI.
"We haven’t even spoken to our supporters and fans about it, but I would think they’d see it as a sensible thing for us to look at."
Gold Coast spokesman Greg Price said his club was yet to be approached about potentially playing a game against the Power in Darwin.
"We would of course be supportive of taking the game anywhere that promotes it to new markets," Price said.
"Northern Queensland and the Territory are particularly relevant to us, so we would welcome the opportunity."
Port Adelaide meets the Western Bulldogs at Darwin's TIO Stadium on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs have been playing one 'home' game in the Territory for several years.
More recently, Melbourne expressed interest in an annual game in Darwin if it encouraged a long-term development opportunity.
Haysman said any club that considered selling off a home game to the Territory would need to have a genuine interest in the area.
"For a long time we’ve had a strong link with the NT and the indigenous culture within our club is alive and well. Our coach Mark Williams is very much an advocate of bringing that diversity into the club and helping those boys flourish and grow," Haysman said.
"We’ve been playing away games up there for the last couple of years and we’ve been running community camps and putting on a lot of other activities, even though we’re not the home club.
"That demonstrates our commitment to trying to grow the code in the NT and it would be a natural fit for us, for sure."
