Port Adelaide have inked a long-term deal for promising defender Dougal Howard, keeping him at Alberton until at least the end of 2022.
Howard was taken at pick 56 in the 2014 AFL National Draft, initially drafted as a forward, but since remodelled into a mobile and aggressive key defender.
He holds the all-time record for spoils, smothers and shepherds in a single game, after having 22 one-percenters in an elimination final against West Coast in 2017.
In 2018, Howard played the most consistent season of his career, missing only two games due to a broken hand.
โI have loved being in Adelaide and have some really good friends here so I see it as home,โ Howard toldย portadelaidefc.com.au.
โIโve got some good friends who have also signed on at the club for an extended amount of years and I think the club is heading in the right direction.
โWeโve got the personnel and weโre bringing in some new guys this year to do some really good things, and I feel really positive about us having some real success this year and going forward.
โThe length of my contract means I donโt need to worry about it for a while now and I can just focus on improving myself as a player and ensuring I am playing good footy.โ
