Port Adelaide re-signs young guns Riley Bonner, Dougal Howard and Dan Houston

PORT Adelaide has locked in three key planks for the future by re-signing Riley Bonner, Dougal Howard and Dan Houston amid uncertainty over whether free agents Jackson Trengove and Jasper Pittard will be there beyond this year.

Riley Bonner (right) has signed a two-year contract extension at Port Adelaide along with Dougal Howard. Picture: Sarah Reed

• Hinkley must wait on contract
• Power’s plan for a top-four finish

PORT Adelaide has locked in three key planks for the future by re-signing Riley Bonner, Dougal Howard and Dan Houston amid uncertainty over whether free agents Jackson Trengove and Jasper Pittard will be there beyond this year.

Trengove and Pittard have given no indication they want to leave but may be forced to make a tough decision if lucrative offers roll in at the end of the season that the Power may be unwilling to match.

In the meantime Port Adelaide has signed running half-back Bonner, key position player Howard and defender Houston to new two-year deals.

Howard is nearing his first AFL game for the season just over a year since he injured his knee and had a reconstruction.

Fresh from signing a new two-year deal at Port, Dougal Howard is pushing to play his first AFL game in over 12 months after recovering from a knee reconstruction. Picture: Sarah Reed.

“I’m very happy at the club and pretty keen to re-sign as soon as possible,” he said.

“I didn’t even really look (elsewhere), I’m happy at Port and hopefully can stay here for a long time.

“I’m happy with how the whole rehab process went and it’s now about trying to get back to my best footy, it will come, and hopefully whether it’s getting back into the AFL or playing strong SANFL footy through the finals it would be a great finish to the year.”

Local product Bonner was taken with Pick No.37 in the 2015 national draft but has played just the one AFL game in Round 23 last year.

But he isn’t getting frustrated by having to wait so long to get back there despite showing some good SANFL form.

“We’re in a good space at the moment and as you can tell we’re hoping to lock down a top-four spot, and hopefully I can string together some good games at the Maggies and force my way into the side,” Bonner said.

“I’m pretty happy with where I sit at the club and want to build on what I’m producing at the moment.

“Ken wants me to keep working on my weaknesses and showing my strengths so that’s pretty black and white and eventually I’ll get my turn.

“I’ve had to address my defensive game, coming to Port I wasn’t as defensive as I am now and I think I’ve come a long way.

“Then my offence comes naturally to me, so I’ve got to be defensive minded then use my weapons which is my kick.”

Bonner says he has taken heart from watching Houston’s rapid rise from the rookie list to a permanent fixture in Port’s backline this season, even though he was drafted to the club as a forward.

“I played a couple of games on the wing earlier in the year to show I’m not just a defender, I can play higher on the ground and kick deep inside 50s,” Bonner said.

“It (Houston’s rise) shows you anything can happen, you’re not locked down to that one role and you never know come pre-season things could change, but I’m happy where I’m playing and I think my best footy is still to come.”

[e-mail]

Originally published as Port Adelaide re-signs young guns Riley Bonner, Dougal Howard and Dan Houston