List analysis: See the contract status of every Port Adelaide player
Port fans could be forgiven for worrying about the future of the a host of stars out of contract at the end of next season. But the Power have plenty of wriggle room.
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Port Adelaide will spend the next 12 months signature hunting, as half of its preliminary final side prepares to enter the final year of their contracts.
Eleven players who featured in the 71-point home thrashing by the Western Bulldogs in the preliminary final remained unsigned beyond next season, while seven others were also without deals after 2022.
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Headlining the list are young guns Zak Butters, Connor Rozee and Xavier Duursma, club greats Travis Boak and Robbie Gray, All-Australian squad member Karl Amon and halfbacks Ryan Burton and Dan Houston, who are coming off finishing equal-sixth in the club’s best and fairest.
Hardworking midfielder Willem Drew, crafty forward Todd Marshall and fullback Trent McKenzie are also heading into the last season of their deals.
The remaining seven are highly-touted Next Generation Academy prospect Lachie Jones, as well as wingman Kane Farrell, father-son duo Jackson Mead and Taj Schofield, Marty Frederick, Jake Pasini and Ollie Lord.
Clubs typically have a host of players heading into the final seasons of their contracts at this time of year, allowing list managers plenty of flexibility.
Port Adelaide also has wiggle room because it has few players tied down to long contracts.
Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines, who has a deal until the end of 2026, is the only Port Adelaide player signed for more than three years.
Only one other — All-Australian defender Aliir Aliir (2024) — is contracted beyond 2023.
This list strategy will allow Power full visibility of what the new Collective Bargaining Agreement looks like when it considers offering long-term deals for key players.
By comparison, Adelaide has 11 players set to come out of contract next year and 10 with deals until 2024 or later.
Power veteran Steven Motlop remains unsigned but is expected to stay, while mid-season recruit Jed McEntee is set to re-sign on a one-year deal.
Those who have departed are Hamish Hartlett, Joel Garner, Boyd Woodcock, Jarrod Lienert, Trent Burgoyne (all delisted), Peter Ladhams (Sydney) and Tom Rockliff (retired).
EVERY PLAYER ANALYSED
*Age as of October 19
1. Tom Jonas
Age: 30 Games 182 Status: Signed to 2023
The captain inked a one-year contract extension in March. Finished fifth in the club’s best and fairest, but might 2022 be his final season as skipper before a handover to Ollie Wines?
2. Sam Powell-Pepper
Age: 23 Games: 92 Status: Signed to 2023
Shopped during the trade period after being the medical substitute in both finals but attracted minimal interest. Then he copped a whack from Power football manager Chris Davies last week: “We will see how committed he is to playing in the midfield by the way he comes back in pre-season.” An interesting year ahead.
3. Ryan Burton
Age: 24 Games: 95 Status: Signed to 2022
After finishing the 2020 preliminary final playing as a decoy forward due to the recurrence of a quad injury, Burton lined up in every game in 2021 on his way to sixth place in the best and fairest. Will be an underrated key signature next year.
4. Todd Marshall
Age: 23 Games: 55 Status: Signed to 2022
Played 21 of the Power’s 24 games this year and kicked 24.12. One of a swag of players under 25 that Port Adelaide has coming out of contract at the end of next season.
5. Dan Houston
Age: 24 Games: 100 Status: Signed to 2022
Like Ryan Burton, a new deal would take Houston into the prime years of his career. A lot of the external spotlight will be on the 2018 draft trio but securing his signature will also be very important.
6. Steven Motlop
Age: 30 Games: 203 Status: Out of contract
The veteran is expected to stay. Not sure how many other suitors he had so Port Adelaide had the power in negotiations. He is tipped to sign soon.
7. Xavier Duursma
Age: 21 Games: 46 Status: Signed to 2022
Like fellow 2018 draftees Zak Butters and Connor Rozee, Duursma also falls out of contract at the end of next season and will be a priority re-signing for the Power. Played just 11 games this year due to a knee injury.
8. Hamish Hartlett
Age: 31 Games: 193 Status: Gone
The leadership group member headlined the Power’s departures, not being offered a new contract after injuries restricted him to 10 games this year. Weighing up his next move, likely in the SANFL with either the Crows or West Adelaide.
9. Robbie Gray
Age: 33 Games: 255 Status: Signed to 2022
Turns 34 around the time next season starts and is coming to the end. But he was sitting fourth in the club’s best and fairest after 12 rounds this year and played at least 18 games for the ninth straight campaign, so might have a couple more seasons left yet.
10. Travis Boak
Age: 33 Games: 306 Status: Signed to 2022
Another huge season for the evergreen midfielder, who finished runner-up in the best and fairest, equal-seventh in the Brownlow Medal and broke Port Adelaide’s AFL games record. Shows no signs of slowing down, so it will be a shock if 2022 is his swan song.
11. Tom Rockliff
Age: 31 Games: 208 Status: Gone
Retired in August after an injury-hampered campaign that included getting deep vein thrombosis and being restricted to a wheelchair early in the season because of surgery on both knees.
12. Trent McKenzie
Age: 29 Games: 139 Status: Signed to 2022
The ex-Gold Coast Sun is the third-oldest Power player set to enter the last season of his contract, behind Robbie Gray and Travis Boak. Kept Tom Clurey out of the side during the second half of this year, including both finals.
13. Orazio Fantasia
Age: 26 Games: 95 Status: Signed to 2023
Kicked 28.23 from 15 matches in the first season of a three-year deal after joining from Essendon 12 months ago. Will be hoping for a bigger output in 2022.
14. Miles Bergman
Age: 19 Games: 23 Status: Signed to 2023
Emerged as an important piece of the Power’s future this past season, missing just one match after making his AFL debut in the opening round. Has two years remaining on his contract.
15. Karl Amon
Age: 26 Games: 102 Status: Signed to 2022
Looms as another key signature for the Power in coming months after his selection in the 40-man All-Australian squad and fourth placing in the club’s best and fairest. Amon is now one of the competition’s best wingmen and is in the prime of his career.
16. Ollie Wines
Age: 27 Games: 182 Status: Signed to 2026
Capped a brilliant season by becoming the first player to win a Brownlow Medal for Port Adelaide. Was already contracted to the end of 2022 when he extended his deal to 2026.
17. Tom Clurey
Age: 27 Games: 110 Status: Signed to 2023
Assessed his options at other clubs after falling out of the best 22 late in the season but decided to remain at the Power. Has another two years left on his deal, having agreed a four-season extension in May 2019.
18. Zak Butters
Age: 21 Games: 48 Status: Signed to 2022
One of the Power’s most important players coming out of contract next year. Port Adelaide will be hoping to re-sign the 21-year-old forward/midfielder, who will no doubt attract interest from Victorian clubs.
19. Mitch Georgiades
Age: 20 Games: 28 Status: Signed to 2023
The West Australian is locked away for another two seasons. Kicked an impressive 32.17 from 21 games, only to miss out on playing both finals due to a hamstring injury sustained in the last minor round.
20. Connor Rozee
Age: 21 Games: 59 Status: Signed to 2022
Arguably ranks alongside Zak Butters as the most important Power player without a deal beyond next year. Rozee has not reached the heights of his stunning debut season, in part due to injury issues, but the 2018 No. 5 draft pick is a major piece of the club’s future.
21. Aliir Aliir
Age: 27 Games: 88 Status: Signed to 2024
Arguably the league’s recruit of the season, Aliir earnt All-Australian honours for the first time after switching from Sydney. Getting him for a future second-round pick last year looks a steal. He is one of just two Power players signed beyond 2023.
22. Charlie Dixon
Age: 31 Games: 177 Status: Signed to 2023
The Power spearhead will be 33 by the time his deal expires in two years. Remains vital to the side’s results.
23. Dylan Williams
Age: 20 Games: 1 Status: Signed to 2023
Has the X-factor to become a regular player at AFL level but needs to improve his fitness. Made his debut in the Round 15 home win over Sydney.
24. Kane Farrell
Age: 22 Games: 33 Status: Signed to 2022
Recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered in July. Not ideal coming into a contract year, but Farrell boasts plenty of class, an elite kick and is still only 22.
25. Sam Hayes
Age: 22 Games: 0 Status: Signed to 2023
Suddenly is the Power’s No. 2 ruck option after Peter Ladhams’ trade to Sydney. Hayes shone in the SANFL this year, winning Port Adelaide’s reserves best and fairest, and would seem a strong chance to debut at AFL level next season.
26. Riley Bonner
Age: 24 Games: 65 Status: Signed to 2023
Looked unlikely to be re-signed before finishing the season in career-best form, including producing a standout display in the Power’s preliminary final shellacking. It led to a new two-year deal last month.
27. Joel Garner
Age: 22 Games: 4 Status: Gone
The defender was delisted last month after playing four games in four seasons. All of those matches came in 2019.
28. Willem Drew
Age: 23 Games: 34 Status: Signed to 2022
Add Drew to the long list of young guns the Power will want to tie down beyond next season. Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma continued to get a lot of the attention outside Alberton this year, but Drew showed his importance, playing every game.
29. Scott Lycett
Age: 29 Games: 128 Status: Signed to 2023
The ruckman has another two seasons remaining on his five-year deal after crossing from West Coast. Finished 10th in the club’s best and fairest.
30. Ollie Lord
Age: 19 Games: 0 Status: Signed to 2022
This year was very much a developmental one for the tall forward. Kicked 10 goals from 14 games and will be hoping to take another step next season.
31. Trent Burgoyne
Age: 20 Games: 0 Status: Out of contract
Axed on Saturday after injuries plagued his two seasons at Alberton. Port Adelaide has access to his younger brother, Jase, as a father-son prospect this year.
32. Sam Mayes
Age: 27 Games: 118 Status: Out of contract
Was delisted on Saturday but the Power committed to reselecting him as a rookie. The former Brisbane Lion has been a handy squad player, featuring in 17 games in the past two seasons, often as the medical substitute in 2021.
33. Darcy Byrne-Jones
Age: 26 Games: 129 Status: Signed to 2023
Was not at the level that led to his first best and fairest win last year but the tough defender still managed to finish eighth in the John Cahill Medal count. Byrne-Jones has another two seasons remaining on his deal.
34. Lachie Jones
Age: 19 Games: 6 Status: Signed to 2022
Impressed when he got an opportunity this year but injuries restricted him to just six games. The club will be eyeing a new deal for the promising Next Generation Academy prospect.
36. Boyd Woodcock
Age: 21 Games: 12 Status: Out of contract
The Power delisted the small forward last Saturday. He played seven games this past season but was behind several others in the pecking order.
37. Taj Schofield
Age: 19 Games: 0 Status: Signed to 2022
The father-son prospect is entering the final year of his deal and will do so with dad Jarrad back in WA after joining West Coast as an assistant. Missed the back half of the campaign with a hamstring injury.
38. Peter Ladhams
Age: 23 Games: 32 Status: Gone
The Power traded the forward/ruckman to Sydney last week, in exchange for moving up four spots to pick 12 and a future third-round draft selection. Port Adelaide secured Jeremy Finlayson from GWS as a ready-made replacement.
40. Jarrod Lienert
Age: 27 Games: 23 Status: Out of contract
Delisted on Saturday after playing five games this year, taking his career tally to 23. A reliable back-up but never became a regular in five seasons.
41. Jed McEntee
Age: 20 Games: 1 Status: Out of contract
The mid-season rookie draft selection is set to stay on a one-year deal. His only match this past season came as the medical substitute.
44. Jackson Mead
Age: 20 Games: 0 Status: Signed to 2022
The son of inaugural Power star Darren Mead was struck down with a ruptured spleen this year, sidelining him from Round 3 to 13 in the SANFL. Drafted as an inside midfielder but finished the year playing across halfback.
45. Martin Frederick
Age: 21 Games: 8 Status: Signed to 2022
The speedy half-back flanker agreed to a new one-year deal last month. Impressed on debut against St Kilda with a 23-disposal performance, then was regularly the medical substitute late in the season.
48. Jake Pasini
Age: 20 Games: 0 Status: Signed to 2022
The West Australian tall defender signed a two-year deal in September 2020, then was struck down by a shoulder injury requiring a reconstruction. Port Adelaide likes him and he will be hoping to knock on the selection door next season.
50. Tyson Goldsack
Age: 34 Games: 165 Status: Gone
Was rookie-listed a year ago to help provide leadership in the SANFL but sustained a medial ligament injury. Has been delisted and will remain at the club as a backline development coach.
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