Season 2023 continues to get better for Port Adelaide, announcing on Friday that three players have re-signed with the club. As the Power gear up for a tilt at a premiership, they have also moved to shore up their playing squad given they have a number of players out of contract.
Following an ordinary month, which saw the Power lose four games in a row, the club bounced back with a thumping win over GWS by 51 points last weekend, with the good news continuing into this week.
All three of Dylan Williams, Kane Farrell and Jase Burgoyne have re-signed until the end of 2025. The trio have either cemented themselves or shown AFL quality over the past season or two and solidified the Power's depth at a time when player movement is more frequent than ever.
Medium defender Williams was perhaps the most intriguing, following an impressive 2023 campaign for the Power. It marks a change in fortunes for Williams. After being taken at Pick 23 in the 2019 draft, he was delisted and then re-drafted via the rookie draft in 2022, having made just one senior appearance in three years.
Making the most of his second chance, Williams has grabbed it with both hands, working his way into the senior side in Round 4 of this season and keeping his spot for the next 18 games.
Beginning his career as a forward, his ability to read the play has been repurposed, seeing him become a reliable creator for the Power out of defence. Season 2023 has seen him average 15.5 disposals, 4.7 marks and 4.8 rebound 50s per game, becoming integral to the Power's backline.
Fellow defender Farrell's recommitment is another boost to Port Adelaide's depth and future. Known for his long kicking from outside the 50 metre arc, 24-year-old Farrell has cemented himself in recent seasons as a regular in the Port Adelaide lineup.
Taken at Pick 51 in the 2017 National Draft, Farrell has played 67 games for the Power, largely as a forward, improving year after year. Following a switch to the backline, season 2023 has undoubtedly been his best after he returned from an ACL rupture in 2022.
Despite such a grave injury, Farrell has played 18 games and averaged 16 disposals, 3.4 marks, 2.1 tackles and 3.9 rebound 50s per game in 2023, underscoring his consistency in one of the most miserly backlines in the competition.
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The son of Power legend Peter, Burgoyne was taken by Port Adelaide at Pick 60 as a father-son prospect in the 2021 National Draft and is the third generation of Burgoyne to represent the Power.
Following the same path as his grandfather, Peter Burgoyne senior, father Peter, uncle Sean and brother Trent, Jase adds yet another layer to the rich history between the Burgoynes and Port Adelaide. Having played 13 games in his first two seasons, he has shown enough promise to earn another contract and will continue to develop.
Power List Manager Jason Cripps spoke of the trio being part of a young core that would help drive the club forward in the coming years.
"Dylan has shown remarkable resilience and a desire to improve over the past 12 months and has been rewarded for his hard work and persistence with his contract extension" he said.
"Kane, likewise, has made the shift into the backline where he is important to the way we transition out of defence. He adds a lot of class to our ball movement but has also improved his defensive craft and is becoming a reliable defender.
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"Jase is a natural footballer who plays with calmness and pose. The exciting thing for our people is that he still has a lot of development and improvement to come."
As Port Adelaide remain well and truly in the hunt for a top two spot, and a home final, the signings have provided yet another boost following the retaining of coach Ken Hinkley and assistant Josh Carr resisting the lure of senior coaching roles at other clubs.
