PORT Adelaide has re-signed rookie midfielder Sam Gray on a new two-year deal following the 23-year-old's excellent finish to the year.
And teammate Nathan Krakouer has agreed to a one-year contract extension as a rookie.
Gray grasped the opportunity handed to him by coach Ken Hinkley late in the season, playing the final six games to take his overall tally to 17.
His average of 23 disposals a game in rounds 18-20 rose to an astonishing 35 a match in rounds 21-23.
Gray played 10 AFL games this season, ruling him out of SANFL finals contention.
Gray was upgraded to replace the injured Jared Polec midway through the year while Krakouer was twice put on the senior list - in place of the injured Billy Frampton and then later as the Power’s ‘nominated rookie’ in round 12.
Gray has signed a two-year deal, which includes an upgrade to the senior list from 2016.
“They’re both great stories for the footy club,” Power senior coach Ken Hinkley told portadelaidefc.com.au.
The news is expected to be worse for fellow rookie Johann Wagner, who made headlines last year by winning season one of reality football show The Recruit.
The Power will delay holding exit interviews for players involved with the Magpies' finals campaign, but it's highly unlikely Wagner will be retained.
He's shown glimpses of his running strength throughout the year but has failed to land himself in the best players in 13 SANFL games.
Those not eligible to play for the Magpies have already had their end-of-year interviews, but the club said it would wait until its SANFL season was over before announcing any de-listings.
"Our football club will have exit interviews for players who won't be playing Magpies early this week, and anyone who is going to get any difficult news would get that then," Hinkley said after Port's round 23 win over Fremantle.
"Those who are still playing will have those conversations when they're finished and rightly so - our footy club's still playing, we're still competing, we're going out to win the SANFL.
"We're going out with the Magpies to try and be premiers this year."
