The Port Adelaide Football Club confirms it will not select Liam Jurrah via the 2012/13 pre-season or rookie drafts, but will put in place a support structure it believes will maximise his opportunity to resume a successful AFL career.

Port Adelaide general manager football Peter Rohde said the 24-year-old had undoubted talent and had performed well over the past fortnight while training with the Power, but the club believes it is in neither Liam nor the club’s best interests to recruit him to its AFL list at this stage.

“Port Adelaide is committed to doing everything it can to assist Liam Jurrah to get back to the top level,” Rohde said.

“However, we think that injury-related fitness concerns together with off-field issues he is dealing with, means it is not yet the right time to fully integrate him back into the AFL system and all that it demands.

“We have given an enormous amount of careful thought to this decision and have weighed up a lot of factors, none more so that what we believe is the best thing for Liam and his long-term ability to continue what is a unique football journey.

“Liam wants to return to AFL football and he has demonstrated that to a significant degree by the way he has applied himself to training in the last couple of weeks.

“We also think Port Adelaide has demonstrated its intent to help him achieve that goal when we think he has the best chance of doing it.”

While it will not select Jurrah at tomorrow’s pre-season or rookie drafts, Port Adelaide has committed to ongoing support effective immediately:

• Port Adelaide plans to recruit Jurrah to play in its SANFL team during 2013
• Port Adelaide, the AFL and the AFL Players’ Association will work together to provide additional support to assist Jurrah as he confronts off-field issues, including his court case in the Northern Territory
• Jurrah will be given the opportunity to work with Power Community Ltd, the community development arm of the Port Adelaide Football Club
• Port Adelaide will provide all possible assistance to help Jurrah’s rehabilitation from injury
• Port Adelaide is committed to again assessing Jurrah’s suitability for selection ahead of the 2014 AFL season

“We believe these measures will enable Liam to have the best possible opportunity to find his way back into the AFL system in great physical condition, with proven form at SANFL level and with those non-football matters fully dealt with,” Rohde said.

“All going well, that could be through any club in the AFL, but we would love it to be with Port Adelaide if everything works out.

“We think we have fantastic resources at our club, including our football and administrative personnel together with our community programs to really help Liam’s return to the highest level.

“We are sure he will continue to demonstrate his own commitment to making the most of the support he will be provided by Port Adelaide along with the AFL and the Players’ Association.”

AFL community engagement manager Jason Mifsud commended Port Adelaide’s approach to assisting Jurrah’s return.

“Liam Jurrah has the talent to play at AFL level, as he shown already in his career, and can also be a strong example for many players from remote communities that it is possible to play at the highest level, no matter what part of Australia you hail from,” Mifsud said.

“Liam is currently dealing with very serious off-field issues and these matters need to be resolved as the key priority in his life at this time.

“He has expressed the desire to return to play at AFL level and we are appreciative of Port Adelaide’s moves to support him in that goal.”