PORT ADELAIDE football boss Chris Davies has revealed the club won’t be as active at the draft or trade table as it has been in recent years.

Port traded away its 2020 first round draft pick at last year’s draft in a deal which landed the club talented forward Mitch Georgiades.

After topping up with top end talent in the last two years, Davies said the club is well placed for the future.

Seven players have landed at Port in the last two years from inside the draft’s top 25 picks including the well-documented drafting of Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma in 2018, as well as Miles Bergman, Georgiades, Dylan Williams and Jackson Mead last year.

General Manager – Football, Davies said it meant the club could afford to be quieter and plan to be busier next year.

“Our current level of draft capital would suggest that we won’t be massive players in either the draft or the trade period.

“We probably have had our eye on next year’s draft for a bit longer than we have this year’s.

“Right now, we’ve got a group of players who we picked this time last year who haven’t had much of an opportunity to play but who we’ve got significant faith in.

“You saw a bit of Mitch Georgiades this year but there are also three other top-line talents that we brought into the club last year… who I think are all going to be AFL players and significant contributors to us next year.

“Jackson Mead is a player who can slot straight into the midfield. He’s played senior footy at SANFL level already and we think he’s got some positive traits that are going to be good for us.

“I think there’s growth from those guys definitely.”

Davies revealed the club would target a couple of players in the off-season but there was no specific “missing piece of the puzzle” despite the side falling short of making the Grand Final in 2020.

“I reckon what you saw this year from this footy club is that talented individuals are far less important than what talent your team has in gelling together,” Davies explained.

“That’s going to continue to be our challenge. Of course, you want talent but the most important thing is how well your team gels together.

“We were able to do that this year. We weren’t able to do it well enough to be in the Grand Final, and that’s something we’re absolutely shattered about but it’s an area we’ll continue to invest.”

Port Adelaide has first option for father-son Taj Schofield as well as NGA prospect Lachie Jones, who played in Sunday’s SANFL premiership with Woodville-West Torrens.

Jones is highly regarded as a big bodied teenager who has shown he is ready for AFL football with his performances against men.

Davies said he was confident Port would be able to match any bid from other clubs and land him at the draft.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt right now, if you’ve seen any SANFL footy this year – and for our recruiting guys there hasn’t been much else to watch – that they think he’s a top talent,” Davies said of Jones.

“His coach at SANFL level, Jade Sheedy… has said that he thinks he’s a highly talented player but we all know that talent only gets so far.

“He’ll get an opportunity to be on an AFL list but he needs to work hard.

“We’re fortunate to have seen him train with us last year and he’s got some traits that I think will add some real grunt.

“I think he’ll end up on our list but I can’t categorically say it. If there’s a bid at pick one, then we’ll have a decision to make.”