Ruckman Peter Ladhams and key forward Todd Marshall locked away with long-term deals at Port
There is further reason for Port Adelaide fans to have hope for the future with promising young talls Peter Ladhams and Todd Marshall signing long-term deals to stay at Alberton.
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PORT Adelaide’s good news week has continued with the club locking key big men Peter Ladhams and Todd Marshall away to long-term deals.
Just four days after staying in the AFL finals hunt by upsetting Essendon by 59 points at Marvel Stadium, the Power has re-signed ruckman Ladhams and forward Marshall until the end of 2022.
Ladhams, who was falling out of contract at the end of the season and was being sought by most rivals, has signed a three-year deal.
The 2016 rookie list draftee from Norwood, who is 21, has played three AFL games this year and starred against the Bombers with 18 disposals and 22 hit outs.
Marshall, 20, had another year to run on his contract but has added two more years to his deal.
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The No. 16 pick at the 2016 national draft has played 17 games and kicked 18 goals, including three in Saturday’s win against Essendon.
Port Adelaide’s general manager of football, Chris Davies, said the club was please the pair had chosen to commit to new deals at the club.
“Peter has shown great progress in 2019, dominating games at SANFL level. We’ve been really impressed with his ability in the ruck but also with his work around the ground which is a significant asset for someone who stands at close to 205cm tall,” Davies said.
“Todd is a young, developing forward who continues to show that he has real football smarts. There’s no doubt that the impact he has on our group will continue to increase as he physically matures and becomes comfortable at AFL level.
“At 21 and 20 years of age respectively, both have bright futures in the AFL. We see them as important players for the club in the long term.”
Ruck coach Dean Brogan said 16 other clubs had been “sniffing around’’ Ladhams.
The pair’s show of faith, which has left veteran 2017 All-Australian ruckman Paddy Ryder’s future in jeopardy, has beefed up Port’s tall stocks for the long haul.
Lead ruckman Scott Lycett — a West Coast premiership player last year — is contracted to the end of 2023 and exciting tall Sam Hayes is locked away until the end of 2021.
Last year’s first-round draft picks and rookie sensations Connor Rozee, Xavier Duursma and Zak Butters have already signed two-year contract extensions tying them to the club until the end of 2022.
Standout key defender Tom Clurey has re-signed until 2023 and defender turned ace midfielder Dan Houston is contracted until 2022.
Backman Darcy Byrne-Jones, who is enjoying a career year, is signed until the end of next season and is understood to already be in talks with Port over extending his deal.
This leaves coach Ken Hinkley with a host of key building blocks that the Power — still right in the running for a finals spot this year — can bank its future on.
“Something that I am really, really strong on is that we believe in this football team and this footy club,’’ coach Ken Hinkley said after Saturday’s upset 59-point win against Essendon at Marvel Stadium.
“It’s a young team still, it’s still getting better, it has a pretty bright future.’’
Former Hawk Ryan Burton, who was the key trade piece for disgruntled Chad Wingard last year, tough midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper, improving defender/wingman Riley Bonner, utility Dougal Howard, backman Joel Garner, midfielders Willem Drew and Joe Atley and clever goalsneak Kane Farrell also are no older than 23.
“The energy we’ve got here now is really good,’’ said Ladhams, 21, when committing his long-term future to the club.
“We’ve got a good balance of good young players and older players, which is nice.’’
Marshall, who was Port’s first-round draft pick in 2016, is in his third year of senior football but is just 20.
While inconsistent, which is due partly to having a young list, the Power’s best football is so eye-catching that St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt has labelled it as the “most exciting’’ team in the league.
“They play the best looking footy, the most attractive style,’’ he said.
“They are a team you wouldn’t want to play in the finals.’’