Ollie Wines’ long-term deal can help Port Adelaide in many ways as it seeks to win the premiership

Ollie Wines will be at the Power until 2026 after signing a new contract extension – but was it a risky move from the club?

Ollie Wines’ contract extension is a good sign Port Adelaide is trending in the right direction. Picture: Tom Huntley

Ken Hinkley could not have been more emphatic when he stood on stage at Port Adelaide’s best and fairest night nearly a month a go.

“We want to be great and our journey has just started and this team is going to go a long, long way and win,” he said.

“More than once, more than once it is going to win.”

Getting vice-captain Ollie Wines to sign a new four-year extension with two-years still remaining on his existing deal at Alberton, so essentially a six-year commitment, is a big plus as the Power embarks on what Hinkley believes can be a successful journey.

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Ken Hinkley has said this Port Adelaide side will win a premiership and “more than once”. Picture: Sarah Reed

It isn’t without risk, far from it, as the AFL world has seen what can happen when footballers ink long-term deals with negative impacts for not only the players themselves but the club’s salary cap and future aspirations.

Wines will be 32 when his contract expires following the four-year extension, and not every player can do what teammate Travis Boak did and undergo a renaissance later on in their career.

He has also had two shoulder reconstructions in the past two-years.

But for the Power, Wines and Hinkley, signing up the vice-captain for a long-term stay at Alberton does have two extremely positive outcomes for the club’s pursuit of a premiership.

It ends the constant speculation about whether Wines wants to move back to Victoria.

This was inflamed by his management approaching rival clubs in the trade period last year, with Wines himself only truly knowing if he would have returned to his home state.

What we do know is that Melbourne-clubs have chased after Wines, with Hinkley recently saying Essendon have asked about his midfield bull “for eight years”.

Wines staying is a tick of approval for Port Adelaide’s culture. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Wines might not be a player that makes an All-Australian team, but he is obviously one that other clubs would be more than happy to have in their sides.

Boak (32) and Tom Rockliff (30) are also due to finish their careers in the coming years, and Wines’ big body will be required to go with Connor Rozee and Zak Butters’ speed when they get more midfield minutes.

It also further enhances Port Adelaide’s reputation as a club that keeps its talented interstate players from going home.

As debate rages around whether cross-town rival Adelaide takes a South Australian or interstater with its top pick at next month’s draft, rightly or wrongly, because of the ‘go home’ factor, Port football boss Chris Davies said Wines’ long-term stay at Alberton was significant.

“You can’t underestimate when you have high-quality players who interstate who want to commit to your footy club,” he said.

“Make no mistake, that is a reflection of the culture of your club and the strength of your group.

“We’ve been fortunate that we’ve had those sorts of players who want to commit. Ollie is one of those and I’d expect there are going to be more into the future.”

And unlike other highly scrutinised long-term contracts around the league, Wines’ deal won’t be on huge money like Brodie Grundy and Stephen Coniglio.

In fact, Davies all but confirmed to get the long-term deal, Wines would have given up some salary, saying, “to get a deal like this you have to give something up, and to give a deal like this you have to give something up”.

If by 2026 the Power do as Hinkley boldly said and win a premiership “more than once”, the club will be quite pleased at what it gave up for Wines’ new contract.

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