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LEADING player agent Tom Petroro believes his client Tom Rockliff will remain at the Brisbane Lions under new coach Chris Fagan.
Rockliff's name has been thrown about in trade talk since the end of the season, but Petroro, from Stride Sports Management, told NAB AFL Trade Radio on Wednesday that the skipper wasn’t looking for a new home.
Petroro said that he had been in contact with recently appointed Lions football manager David Noble this week, and Rockliff was likely to sit down with Fagan to discuss his future in the next few days.
"Unless the current regime has a different spin on this, and something drastic happens in the next couple of weeks, I can't see Tom moving," he said.
"But I doubt that would be the case.
"I think the last couple of years have been really difficult for Tom.
"(The club has a) really young group, a really young leadership group, (and he's had) probably a lack of support, hence why the changes have been made over the past two months.
"There's probably been time where he's considered that (leaving), but if you know Tom well, and you know how loyal he is, there's Lions in his blood.
"It's been more about speculation than Tom seeking to look around."
Noble indicated on Tuesday that Rockliff would remain at the club next year.
Rockliff's leadership has come under question at times since he took over the captaincy from Jed Adcock ahead of the 2015 season, and Petroro believes a new coach can help the 26-year-old thrive in Brisbane.
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"I think captaincy at any club is a really difficult job, but I think it's even harder when you're at a struggling club that has lost a lot of players, year on year," he said.
"Tom being so Brisbane through and through, has probably taken a lot of that personally along the way.
"Was he ready (for captaincy)? I don't know if anybody is ever ready.
"They say Joel Selwood was ready when he was drafted, but I think Tom has really matured in the role.
"With the appointments of David Noble and Chris Fagan, two really wise heads, and experienced people, are going to really support and make Tom a better leader, and a better player as well."
