Port Adelaide’s top draft picks Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma in line for new two-year deals at Alberton

Port Adelaide has opened contract talks with top draftees Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma who are all in line for two-year extensions to be signed within weeks.

Hot young Power prospect Zak Butters. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

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Port Adelaide has opened contract talks with top draftees Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma who are all in line for two-year extensions to be signed within weeks.

The top-20 draft picks who debuted together in Round 1 and have played all five games in a stunning start to their AFL careers are not out of contract until 2020, but are poised to put pen to paper early.

Xavier Duursma, Connor Rozee and Zak Butters celebrate a Port Adelaide goal together in Friday night’s win over West Coast. Picture: Daniel Carson (Getty)

While Rozee is South Australian, Butters and Duursma are both from Victoria but are not tempted by any quick return home and new contracts are expected to be finalised by mid-year.

It comes after the AFL’s No.1 draft pick Sam Walsh last week extended his contract with Carlton until 2022 and Gold Coast started talking with the managers of its top SA picks Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine almost immediately after they were drafted last year.

Rozee was named the AFL’s rising star in Round 3 after booting five goals against Brisbane at the Gabba while Duursma and Butters have impressed with their pace, creativity, courage and flair.

Midfielder Willem Drew, who also debuted in Round 1 and has improved every week, signed a two-year contract extension last season after overcoming a string of injuries.

Pick 5 Rozee has kicked eight goals in five games as a dangerous forward while Pick 12 Butters and Pick 18 Duursma have almost identical stats with three goals and each averaging 17 disposals per game.

Rozee has kicked eight goals in his first five AFL games for the Power. Picture: Paul Kane (Getty).

Combined with the form of Hawthorn recruit Ryan Burton and West Coast premiership ruckman Scott Lycett in the first five weeks, it is an encouraging sign for Port Adelaide’s list management but also the extensive work the team put into strengthening relationships in the pre-season.

The team’s ‘connection’ was a major focus of the pre-season training camp in Noosa in the hope it would fast track their bond on the field given the significant list turnover at Alberton in recent years.

“I think how well they’ve joined in with the group and the group have joined in with them,” senior coach Ken Hinkley said of his three emerging stars on the weekend.

“It’s a really interesting mix at the moment because they’re all from different places, and you put Scotty and Ryan into that, there’s a fair bit of different about us and you wouldn’t know that.

“I’d say it’s a massively big tick for the connection of the group.”

Duursma kicked two goals in Port’s win over West Coast. Picture: Will Russell (Getty)

Assistant coach Brett Montgomery said the team’s young players had all stood up when it was their turn to go and even coaches had been caught up in the energy they were bringing to the club.

“They’ve found their challenges as they will for the next 20 or 30 games as they’re trying to find their way,” Montgomery said.

“It just so happened (against West Coast) that they all clicked together which does bring others along for the ride — even the coaches to be honest. It’s an exciting time.”

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