AFTER spending a year in the wilderness, suspended duo Paddy Ryder and Angus Monfries have been welcomed back with open arms by Port Adelaide on the opening day of pre-season training.
Former Bombers Ryder and Monfries, who were dealt 12-month anti-doping bans, joined the Power's first-to-fourth-year players at Grange Oval on Monday morning.
Power midfielder Ollie Wines said it was awesome to have the pair back with the squad.
"It's added an extra step to all of the boys," Wines said.
"Just not for the last 10 months, it's been for the last three years they have had to have that hanging over their heads.
"They've probably had their struggles throughout the year being away from the boys.
"They're really important to our setup and we're just over the moon to have them back."
Ryder will compete with Matthew Lobbe as the Power's starting ruckman next season, while small forward Monfries last week put pen to paper on a one-year deal for 2017.
Experienced backman Jackson Trengove joined Ryder and Monfries in training with the Power's young players, while Hamish Hartlett and captain Travis Boak were expected to arrive later on in the day.
Hartlett spoke with several Melbourne-based clubs during the NAB AFL Trade Period before deciding to remain with the Power.
"We were over in America and there were a few tweets coming out that Hamish Hartlett, the boys were unhappy with him, and we were sitting around a table all together just laughing it off," Wines said.
"They (Hartlett and Lobbe) were probably the only names that came out in the media, but I think everyone's name was up in the air, we didn't really know what was going on.
"To have those guys back is brilliant.
"We back them to the moon as a playing group, we know what Harts and Lobbes are capable of at their best and they're looking to get to their best this year."
The Power are aiming to return to the finals after missing the top eight the past two seasons.
"We're as hungry as ever," Wines said.
"From the previous two years, fair enough we don't have any external expectations on us to do any well.
"There's a few little technical things that let us down. We've got the next five months to work on that and fix that going into round one."
Wines was one of six players who trained away from the main group on restricted programs.
The others were Billy Frampton, Will Snelling, Riley Bonner, Logan Austin and Dougal Howard.
Austin sustained an ankle fracture in the round 23 win over Gold Coast, while Howard is recovering from a torn ACL.
Howard is the only one who will miss the start of the season.
The remainder of Port Adelaide's squad returns to training on November 21.
