PORT Adelaide recruit Josh Carr says a return to his former club has already rekindled his desire to play.

On Tuesday morning, Carr – who spent the last four years at Fremantle – was officially welcomed back to Alberton with the No. 2 selection in the NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft.

Carr, 28, sought a trade to his native Western Australia following the Power's premiership success of 2004, but realised he needed another change when he lost interest in the game this year.

"I've always played football because I've wanted to play and I suppose that's a reason why I didn’t play the football I probably should have last year," Carr said on Tuesday.

"I think after being in the game 10 years, everything kind of happens and goes over the same way. For different reasons, you have other things enter your mind and that’s just the way it was.

"I really want to get that [interest] back and the last eight weeks have probably been the most enjoyable eight weeks of a pre-season I’ve had in my career so far, so it’s good to get that back."

Port Adelaide was unwilling to trade for the out-of-contract Carr, who left Fremantle as a free agent ahead of the national and pre-season drafts.

He was immediately invited to train with the club and, on Tuesday, said he was relieved to officially be back in the Power's colours.

"I’m very happy to be picked up and for the last eight weeks, I’ve been looking forward to this day," Carr said.

"I’ll never regret it (going to Fremantle). I wanted to play football with my brother. It was always a goal of mine and I did that. But I think it showed me when I walked back into this club just how much I did miss it."

Carr identified coach Mark Williams as another motivator behind his Alberton homecoming. And Williams was equally pleased to have the tough nut back.

"We had experience in drafting Damien Hardwick a few years ago at the same sort of age, and Josh adds that experience and toughness to the side and will really add to our midfield," Williams told PTV.

"We think he runs better [than when he left] and he kicks more goals, so that’s a bonus. The ability to win clearances is still there, he still provides a bit of antagonistic stuff around the stoppages and gets in the face of the opposition. He is really tough and a great leader for us.

"He doesn’t owe Port Adelaide anything. He played terrifically well for us. We’ve still got the photos up of him and Jonathan Brown facing up to each other with clenched fists (from the 2004 grand final). Everyone remembers that with a bit of a smile but right now he has to make his way again and get back in the side."

Carr, who will finalise his contract over the next few days, was confident he still had plenty to offer despite a below-par performance in 2008.

"I thought I had three out of four pretty good years there [at Fremantle]," he said.

"I think after one bad year everyone starts to write you off and say that you’re getting too old and all that sort of stuff. But I think towards the end of last season I started to put a few good games together again and showed that I’ve still got a bit left in me."