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Find your Sport Nation frequencyThe time former All-Australian Rockliff almost joined Carlton
SEN • July 13th, 2025 5:15 pm
Retired All-Australian midfielder Tom Rockliff was one of the biggest names to move clubs in the 2017 off-season.
After 154 games with Brisbane, a side he captained, won two best and fairests and an All-Australian blazer for, Rockliff knew his time was up at the Gabba after the then restricted free agent was offered a pay cut to remain in Queensland.
Having been offered less to stay during the season, Rockliff knew it was time to look around and he began having meetings with multiple clubs as he weighed up his next move.
“I got offered a fairly big pay cut even though the salary cap went up, so it was pretty clear to me that they didn’t have me in their plans,” Rockliff told This is Your Journey – thanks to Tobin Brothers.
“It was then, ‘Well ok, let’s see what’s out there and see where we go’.
“It’s a great process to go through and a lot happens, and a lot is reported on, but back then my manager went away and spoke to clubs that were interested.
“The year before I was close to going to the Adelaide Football Club, Brett Burton went there, who I had a really close relationship with, but nothing sort of eventuated.
“But then it was go and have meetings, so I met with Chris Scott about going there (Geelong), but their priority was to get Gary Ablett Jr back, so that didn’t really go anywhere.
“Then I had a good meeting with Hawthorn and Alastair Clarkson, and my cousin Harry Morrison was at Hawthorn, so it excited me, the prospect of playing with him.”
While he was a chance to go to the Crows, Cats and Hawks at different stages, Rockliff’s decision ultimately came down to choosing either Carlton or Port Adelaide, with both clubs offering similar deals.
The then 27-year-old inked a four-year deal at Alberton and it was team success that made him choose Port over the Blues.
“Then it got to a point where it came down to Carlton and Port Adelaide,” Rockliff said.
“Through the mid-season bye, I flew to Adelaide to meet with Ken Hinkley and Chris Davies, and I was able to get in and out without getting scoped (by media).
“Ken laid down where he thought they were at and where I could help and then it was down to what we wanted to do.
“We weighed it all up, the offers weren’t too different, but I just felt Port Adelaide, who just went to the finals… were cherry ripe. But we got a long way down the road with Carlton with Steven Silvagni and Brendon Bolton, they flew up to the Gold Coast and I met with them.
“But I wanted team success, and I thought at that time Port Adelaide could give me the best opportunity for that. So, the decision was made to go there.”
Rockliff would go on to play 54 games for the Power across four seasons including 18 in the 2020 campaign where Port finished as minor premiers and fell just short of playing off in the Grand Final.
From 2018 to 2021, Carlton failed to finish higher than 11th, with a win-loss record of 24-59 in that period.
Rockliff discussed the move and much more on this week’s episode.
Listen to Rockliff’s chat with Sam Edmund below.
