Homesick Melbourne star Kysaiah Pickett expresses concerns to club

Melbourne premiership star Kysaiah ‘Kozzy’ Pickett has suddenly become a name to watch in the trade period after expressing a level of homesickness in his exit meeting with coach Simon Goodwin on Tuesday.

7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary understands, however, the club and his management are confident they can work through the 23-year-old’s concerns.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Kozzy Pickett tells Melbourne he’s homesick.

Pickett did sign a four-year deal to remain at the Demons until the end of 2027 just last April and, as a contracted player, any decision to trade Pickett would be at Melbourne’s discretion.

Pickett and his partner welcomed their first child into the world earlier this year.

And Cleary — who was first to break the news of Pickett’s concerns — said the star player had “family links in both WA and SA”.

“The club and his management are confident they can work through his concerns and that he will remain (at the Demons) with three years to run on his contract,” Cleary said.

Pickett’s issues are not considered to be linked to the ongoing cultural questions surrounding the Demons.

Port Adelaide have long been a fan of Pickett and made a strong pitch last year before he recommitted to the Demons.

Melbourne is already dealing with the bombshell news that superstar midfielder Christian Petracca wants to leave.

And premiership forward-mid Alex Neal-Bullen has also requested a trade home to South Australia.

Melbourne key defender Adam Tomlinson is another player looking for opportunity elsewhere, with Collingwood and St Kilda among the interested parties.

Pickett is a fan favourite and would be a shattering blow for the club if he did leave.

He is an electrifying member of their underperforming forward line, and he can also light up the midfield.

He will, however, miss the first three games of the 2025 season after Melbourne failed to overturn a three-match suspension for a bump on Collingwood’s Darcy Moore on Tuesday night.

Melbourne missed out on finals this year (the first time that has happened since their drought-breaking premiership win in 2021) and finished fourteenth on the ladder ... so the Pickett ban carries over into next year.

Pickett also missed the first game of this season after being banned for a high bump on Patrick Cripps in last year’s semi-final loss to Carlton.

He has played 106 games for the Demons after he was taken with pick 12 in the 2019 draft.

- With AAP