Fingers Crossed for More: Jacob van Rooyen Urges Departing Demon Kysaiah Pickett to Stay

Melbourne forward Jacob van Rooyen has expressed his desire for teammate Kysaiah Pickett to remain committed to the club, even though the goalsneak has revealed that he is feeling homesick.

Despite speculation linking Pickett to a trade back home to Western Australia, no deal materialised during the 2024 offseason.

This heartfelt comment from Van Rooyen follows Pickett’s candid reflections on his position within the Demons, as the AFL’s Indigenous All Stars game approaches.

“Being in Melbourne, I do experience a bit of homesickness, but I’m still under contract and I have to honour my time here (at Melbourne),” Pickett remarked earlier this week.

“We maintain open and honest dialogues.”

Pickett also highlighted that expressing his feelings and homesickness has positively influenced his relationships with the Demons’ management.

“Being able to articulate my emotions and share my homesickness in these relationships shows that we’re quite close,” he stated.

Your tweets regarding trade speculation were reignited after Pickett liked a post on a Fremantle fan Facebook page, hinting at a potential move to the Dockers next season, following his cousin Isiah Dudley’s recent signing there.

His desire to return to WA has been further fuelled by the recent transfers of mates Shai Bolton and Quinton Narkle, who both left Richmond and Port Adelaide for clubs in Western Australia during the trade period.

Nevertheless, van Rooyen remains optimistic that the talented young premiership forward will ultimately decide to stay with the Demons, despite the challenges faced during the 2024 season, both on and off the field.

“We all have a deep admiration for ‘Kozzie’; he’s a unique talent and one of a kind,” Van Rooyen stated on Friday.

“We’re all fond of him, and he’s contracted — I’m eager to play alongside him this year and hopefully for many more to come.”

However, van Rooyen, a native of Perth, understands the temptation of being closer to family and the difficulties of being away from home.

“It’s a natural part of the experience; being a Perth boy myself, I think it’s crucial to build a strong support network here. Kozzie has plenty of friends and family nearby,” he elaborated.

“We definitely rely on each other, and there are moments we discuss home and such, but being together here definitely helps.”

In light of the external chatter regarding the club’s cultural issues, van Rooyen affirmed that the playing group is focused on their preparations for Round 1.

“Internally, we recognise the strength we have; we just stick to what we know,” he remarked.

Melbourne is set to face off against GWS at the MCG in Round 1 on Sunday, March 16.