POWER vice-captain Brendon Lade says the club’s promisingfuture is one of the main reasons behind what was, in the end, an easy decisionto stay at Port Adelaide until the end of 2009.

The All-Australian ruckman dispelled rumours he would belured to Carlton by signing a new two-year contract that’s likely to see him finishhis career at Alberton.

“I’m a very happy man to be staying at Port Adelaide,probably until the end of my career now, because I’ll be 33 by the end of thiscontract,” Lade said.

“It [2009] will be the end of your career,” a jovial MarkWilliams interjected.

The relaxed pairing of Lade and Williams fronted the mediaon Monday in the lead-up to the Power’s seventh finals campaign in nine years.

Having finished 12th last year, Port Adelaide has alreadyexceeded expectations this season, and both men relished in what Williamsdescribed as the “bonus” of playing finals.

Lade said the playing group was one of the most excitinghe’d ever been involved with and that there was a genuine belief the Powercould climb to even greater heights this year.

“It’s very exciting to be around the club this year,” hesaid.

“Obviously, I’ve just turned 31 and to have some of theyoung guys coming through, it’s just very exciting.”

With nearly a third of the Port Adelaide team gearing upto play their first final, the Power’s more experienced campaigners have takenthe lead.

“Obviously they [the younger players] will be very excitedto be playing in a final. In saying that, two of our last three games [againstHawthorn and Geelong] have probably been finals-like games, so all we’ve beensaying to them is that it’s no different to those two games,” Lade said.

“They’ve had experience; some played well and some know whatthey need to improve on and I’m sure that will come Friday night.”

Lade was looking forward to Friday night’s rematch with WestCoast big man, Dean Cox.

“Cox has been All-Australian the past two years and it’ll bea good test for Broges [Dean Brogan] and myself to come up against the best,”he said.

“That’s what our team’s about, competing against the bestand seeing where we’re at.”