PORT Adelaide has reached new deals with two more young players, with Nick Salter and Jason Davenport recommitting to the club.
Key forward Salter, 22, played five games and kicked nine goals in the second half of the 2009 season, adding to the two matches he played in his 2008 rookie year.
Hard running midfielder/half-forward Davenport, 24, played 10 games in his debut AFL season, after being recruited by the Power from Geelong with pick 78 in last year’s NAB AFL National Draft.
Power Football Operations Manager Peter Rohde says the club is pleased to have signed new deals with the uncontracted pair, who each provide different qualities.
“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 says.
“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 had displayed what a valuable player he could be in his three-vote Brownlow performance against West Coast in round 16.
“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 averaged 17 disposals and more than four tackles in his 10 games for the Power in 2009, after winning the Geelong Cats VFL best-and-fairest award last year.
Salter and Davenport take to 12 the number of un-contracted players re-signed by the club 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.
Please note that the Port Adelaide Football Club has a policy not to reveal specific details of player contract extensions (e.g. length).