PORT ADELAIDE midfielder David Rodan has undergone radical surgery on his left knee in a bid to play in 2010.
The 26-year-old ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during a training drill on Wednesday.
In a statement the club said Rodan underwent 'successful' LARS surgery on Thursday night.
The surgery involves inserting a synthetic ligament to replace the torn ligament.
It's the same procedure that was performed on hard-running Sydney defender Nick Malceski who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the 2008 pre-season and played just three months later.
A conventional knee reconstruction will usually keep a player sidelined for 12 months.
Rodan, who has played 131 games since making his AFL debut with Richmond in 2002, underwent a traditional reconstruction of his right knee during the 2005 pre-season.
PORT ADELAIDE midfielder David Rodan is likely to miss all of the 2010 season after suffering a serious knee injury at training on Wednesday morning.
The 26-year-old had scans on his left knee this afternoon which confirmed he has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament.
Power football operations manager Peter Rohde said that Rodan will undergo a knee reconstruction, the details of which will be finalised in the next week.
"The whole club is extremely disappointed for David and his family," Rohde said.
"He’s proven to be a key player in our midfield since joining the club in 2007, with the ability to consistently break lines and carry the football.
"All we are concerned about at the moment is getting David’s knee successfully reconstructed and putting a rehabilitation program in place to assist in his recovery."
In 2005 Rodan injured his right knee while playing for Richmond and underwent a reconstruction.
Rodan, who played 19 matches in 2009, led the club in clearances and was third in handballs and hardball gets.
He made his AFL debut in 2002 and played 65 games in five seasons with the Tigers before joining Port Adelaide where he has managed 66 appearances.
PORT ADELAIDE will play in a predominantly black jumper next season.
The jumper which features a teal and white 'V' is heavily based on the design worn by the Power in rounds 16 and 17 this year. That jumper was created by seven-year-old Lucy Burford, who won the club's 'Planet Teal' guernsey design competition for South Australian primary school students.
The club expects to wear the black jumper in at least 18 games next season while a white design with a black and teal 'V' and black side panels will be the Port Adelaide's clash jumper.
Power chief executive Mark Haysman said the club had received 'universal support' for the new strip.
"There is something instinctively Port Adelaide about this jumper," Haysman said.
"Some people have also observed the guernsey resembles the SA State jumper in Port Adelaide colours. Given the iconic place of our club in the history and fabric of SA football it's a very nice co-incidence."
Haysman said Port had no plans to change the design of their guernsey in the future.
"It's very much a long-term play and we don't anticipate changing our guernsey again for many, many, manys years - if ever," he said.
"We think in time that this will become one of the strongest and most popular guernseys in the AFL."
The Power's previous main jumper - which the club wore when they won the 2004 premiership - will be used on special occasions such as rivalry round.
Meanwhile, Lucy has been named as Port Adelaide's number one Junior (Planet Teal) ticketholder while her family will be lifetime Platinum Members of club.
FORMER Geelong champion Garry Hocking has joined Port Adelaide's coaching panel.
The 41-year-old, who was named the 2009 coach of the year in the TAC Cup competition for his work with the Geelong Falcons, will work alongside Darren Trevena in player development at the Power.
Hocking has coached the Falcons for the past four years and has seen 15 of his players drafted to AFL lists during that period.
Port football operations manager Peter Rohde said Hocking's record of developing young players was 'exceptional'.
"We anticipate he will be very good for our younger players, which is certainly where we are putting our focus," Rohde said.
"The Falcons staff and players speak very highly of Garry, including Travis Boak, who Garry coached in 2006."
"Garry is also a very experienced football person who along with Dean Laidley will really add to our coaching group."
Hocking played 274 games for the Cats between 1987 and 2001, captained the club, was a four-time club best-and-fairest winner and earnt All-Australian honours on four occasions.
PORT ADELAIDE has signed former US College basketballer Daniel Bass on a rookie contract.
Bass was born and raised in Melbourne but has spent the past four years playing basketball for Metro State University in Denver, Colorado.
The fact that the 22-year-old had not been registered with any football league for more than three years meant he could be selected by the Power without going through the draft system.
Despite having a limited football background, the 198cm, 100kg athlete impressed in a mid-season try-out with the club.
Bass is the second former basketballer the club has taken a punt on - 2004 premiership ruckman Dean Brogan - who won an NBL Championship with the Adelaide 36ers in 1998 - was recruited to Alberton with pick 26 in the 1999 rookie draft before being promoted to the club's senior list in 2001.
Power football operations manager Peter Rohde said Bass was 'familiar with footy' but the club didn't expect too much from him early on.
“We see Daniel as a medium-term ruck project for us - we certainly don’t have high expectations for the coming season, but we think it could be a two-to-three year development process instead of a four-to-five year one," Rohde said.
Bass will commence training with the Port Adelaide's second to four year players on Monday.
PORT ADELAIDE has delisted two senior players and two rookies.
Nick Lower and Jonathan Giles and rookies Matthew Martin and Jesse Laurie have been cut.
Lower was taken with pick 30 in the 2005 national draft and played 20 games for the Power including five this season.
Giles was recruited from Central District with selection 50 in the 2005 national draft but failed to play a game for the club.
Meanwhile, ruckman Daniel Stewart has been promoted to Port's senior list.
Power football operations manager Peter Rohde said Stewart had earned his chance at AFL level.
"Daniel has come on in leaps and bounds over the course of the season and the reward is this spot on the senior list," Rohde said.
"We see him as a developing key forward and ruck option for us."
PORT ADELAIDE forward Warren Tredrea has won his fourth John Cahill Medal as the Power's best-and-fairest.
Tredrea polled 103 votes to claim the top honour ahead of dual best-and-fairest winner Kane Cornes (100).
Defender Troy Chaplin finished third in the count with 92 votes while Jacob Surjan and Robbie Gray were equal fourth with 91 votes.
The former Port skipper, who enjoyed an injury free season for the first time in many years, won his previous three Power John Cahill Medal's in 2001, 2004 and 2005.
Tredrea led the club's goal kicking this year with 51 goals - the eighth time he has led Port Adelaide in that category but the first time since 2005.
He recently re-signed with the club and will become the first Power player to reach 250 games.
In other awards, captain Domenic Cassisi won a second successive Fos Williams Medal as the player’s choice for the club’s best team man, Travis Boak collected the Gavin Wanganeen Medal for the best player aged under 21, the most improved award went to Robbie Gray while Hamish Hartlett was named best first-year player.
John Cahill Medal Top 10
1st - Warren Tredrea (103 votes)
2nd - Kane Cornes (100 votes)
3rd - Troy Chaplin (92 votes)
4th - Robbie Gray (91 votes)
4th - Jacob Surjan (91 votes)
6th - Travis Boak (81 votes)
7th - Domenic Cassisi (78 votes)
8th - Alipate Carlile (73 votes)
8th - Danyle Pearce (73 votes)
10th - David Rodan (70 votes)
Other award winners:
Fos Williams Medal: Domenic Cassisi
Gavin Wanganeen Medal: Travis Boak
Most improved award: Robbie Gray
Best first-year player: Hamish Hartlett
PORT ADELAIDE forward Nick Salter and midfielder Jason Davenport have signed new deals with the Power but the lengths of their contracts have not been revealed.
Salter, 22, played five games and kicked nine goals in the second half of this season, adding to the two matches he played in his 2008 rookie year.
Davenport, 24, was recruited by the Power from Geelong with pick 78 in last year's national draft and made 10 appearances in his debut season.
Port football operations manager Peter Rohde said Salter has the potential to be a permanent key forward.
"Nick Salter is a young key forward who has improved tremendously in his two years with us and is already a bit of a crowd favourite," Rohde said.
"He missed a lot of football with a knee injury early in the season, but it's a tribute to his improved work rate and professionalism that he was able to work his way back and demand AFL selection after some terrific performances in the SANFL."
"With another pre-season under his belt we see Nick can provide a permanent forward option for us."
Rohde said Davenport showed what a valuable player he could be in his performance against West Coast in round 16 which earned him three Brownlow medal votes.
"Jason has shown he has what it takes to play at the AFL level," Rohde said.
"He has great pace and a terrific attitude, as well as a keen goal sense. We think Jason can become an important part of our developing midfield."
Davenport, who won the Geelong VFL best-and-fairest award last year, averaged 17 disposals and more than four tackles in his 10 games for the Power in 2009.
Salter and Davenport take to 12 the number of un-contracted players re-signed by Port Adelaide in the last few months. They join Chad Cornes, Troy Chaplin, Alipate Carlile, David Rodan, Jacob Surjan, Warren Tredrea, Danyle Pearce, Michael Pettigrew, Tom Logan and Matthew Lobbe.
September 19th 2009 00:42
PORT ADELAIDE has re-signed five players, including former skipper Warren Tredrea and speedy wingman Danyle Pearce.
Defender Michael Pettigrew, hard-nut Tom Logan and young ruckman Matthew Lobbe were the other players to put pen to paper.
Tredrea, who signed a one-year deal, needs to play just two matches to become the first Power player to reach the 250-game milestone.
Port football operations mananger Peter Rohde said Tredrea still has plenty to offer.
"Warren is an absolute champion of our club," Rohde said.
"With his body free of injury for the first time in a few years, Warren showed everyone he still has the ability to turn a game."
Tredrea said he was looking forward to preparing for next season.
"I'm very excited to be going around for another year, which will be my fourteenth here at Port Adelaide," Tredrea said.
"From a personal point of view I was satisfied with my form and fitness this year and I can't wait to start pre-season and build towards 2010."
"I'm also looking forward to helping with the development our young players, who really are the core of our playing group now."
Pearce was out of contract and the subject of trade speculation in the media but will remain with the Power for at least another three seasons.
The 2006 NAB Rising Star winner said recommitting to the club was a pretty easy decision in the end.
"My family and I feel that remaining here at a great club like Port Adelaide will enable me to get the best out of myself and take my game to another level," Pearce said.
"We're in a rebuilding phase at the moment and I'm excited to be apart of that as this new group strives to get the club back to playing consistent finals football."
"When I first came to the club I said I wanted to be a one-club player at Port Adelaide and if I can keep playing consistent football, one day I'll be able to look back at the end of my career and be proud that I achieved that."
Rohde said Port was delighted to have re-signed Pearce.
"Danyle is a very damaging player who is well respected by every other team, given that he is heavily tagged every week. He’s played 93 games and we think he’s entering a period of his career where he’ll become a dominant player,” Rohde said.
"Danyle has faced his share of criticism this year but internally we rated his season very highly. He's a player that leads our inside 50s and score assists and he has the ability to carry the ball and dispose it very well."
Pettigrew has played 90 games since debuting in 2004 while Logan has played 54 games, 51 of those with the Power since being recruited from Brisbane in 2006.
Lobbe, who was taken with pick 16 in the 2007 national draft, is yet to debut but is viewed as a long-term ruck option.
Meanwhile, assistant coach Jason Cripps will stay at Alberton after signing a two-year contract.
September 15th 2009 07:01
PORT ADELAIDE hasn't given up hope of retaining star midfielder Shaun Burgoyne.
Burgoyne informed the club on Monday of his desire to be traded to a Melbourne-based club but Power football operations manager Peter Rohde said recent history between other players and clubs shows the issue is 'far from decided'.
“This time last year (Sydney Swan) Ryan O’Keefe was going to move and the year before (Carlton’s) Bret Thornton was going to move. O’Keefe won the Swan’s best and fairest this year, so we consider it far from decided," Rohde said.
Rohde also said Port hadn't ruled out playing hardball as they did in 2003 when Nick Stevens wanted to be traded to Collingwood. Stevens was forced into the pre-season draft after the Power felt it hadn't been offered adequate compensation.
“We’d have to wait and see what happens… but there’s no doubt the Port Adelaide Football Club is keen to stand by its principles," he said.
Meanwhile, Port assistant coach Matthew Primus has signed a new two-year deal with the club.
The Power is also confident Jason Cripps will also stay while former North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley is expected to make a decision soon on whether he will join the coaching panel at Alberton.
September 14th 2009 11:36
PORT ADELAIDE star Shaun Burgoyne has requested to be traded to an unspecified Melbourne-based club.
The Power was informed of the out-of-contract midfielder's desire to move to Victoria on Monday morning.
Port football operations manager Peter Rohde said the club wouldn't let go of Burgoyne easily.
"Our position is that Shaun is a required player and that he will only be traded if a favourable trade for the Port Adelaide Football Club is forthcoming," Rohde said.
Burgoyne, who made his AFL debut in 2002, has played 157 games for Port Adelaide and was a member of the Power's 2004 premiership side.
The 26-year-old finished second in the club's best-and-fairest count in 2006 and also earned All-Australian honours in the same year.
PORT ADELAIDE defender Jacob Surjan has signed a contract extension with the Power but the length of the new deal has not been disclosed.
Surjan, who was taken with pick 10 in the 2004 national draft, has played 87 matches for Port.
The 24-year-old said he was excited about the club's future.
"I'm very happy to be staying at Port Adelaide," Surjan said.
"I'm always working on areas of my game, and with the recent retirements of experienced players, I'm looking forward to taking the next step in my development and becoming a leader here at the club."
"I look at our playing group and see a great, up-and-coming list that is determined to succeed. With such an exciting young list I'm very confident that the club is heading in the right direction."
"The decision to stay here at Port Adelaide was a pretty easy one in the end."
Power football operations manager Peter Rohde said Surjan was a consistent performer this season and that he has the potential to be a leader.
"He has set a great example this season through his intensity and defensive work. While he still has improvements to make, we believe he's got leadership potential and with 87 games under his belt we think he's about to enter the best stage of his career," Rohde said.
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