Melbourne Demons forwards coach Troy Chaplin has pushed aside any nerves surrounding superstar Kysaiah Pickett's future at the club after their pre-season fixture against Fremantle at Rushton Park.
Chaplin was asked if the Demons had concerns when playing in Western Australia given the constant talk surrounding Pickett's future and previously losing star players to Fremantle in recent years, such as Jesse Hogan and Luke Jackson, but was quick to deny the thought.
"[I'm not nervous] because he's a contracted player. While he's a contracted player at the Melbourne Football Club, he'll see out that contract," Chaplin told media in the post-match press conference.
"We love Kozzie, we love that he's a Melbourne player. There will be all this external noise around [his future] but we can't control that. What we can control is being there for Kozzie and supporting him where we can to put him in a position to play great footy."
Chaplin highlighted the importance of trips to Western Australia for the Demons, with several players on the list originating from the state.
"We try to [help with homesickness] with all of our WA boys, we brought Koltyn [Tholstrup] back, Jed Adams," Chaplin said.
"Whenever we get an opportunity, we want to give those guys an opportunity to spend some quality time with their parents."
Despite a three-week suspension impending, Pickett shone in his limited play, picking up nine disposals in just 24% game time.
"We've got round 1 in mind, hence why [Pickett] sat on the bench, but he came on and had an impact for us," Chaplin said. "He's a big part of our future."
In a recent twist, it has been suggested that Melbourne premiership player and current Fremantle Docker Luke Jackson may seek a shock return back to Victoria.
Chaplin said it was a surprise to hear of the news but played a straight bat in his response.
"Yeah, it's a bit of a shock," Chaplin said, visibly surprised by the report.
"But [Jackson's] a contracted player, we don't get into those conversations. Out of respect for Fremantle, I won't get into that."
The Demons begin their 2025 campaign at home on March 16, taking on GWS at the MCG.
