PORT Adelaide CEO Keith Thomas is frustrated and annoyed at the AFL for failing to include the Power in discussions about top-up players to replace those affected by Essendon's ASADA saga.
Of the players on the Bombers list in 2012, 25 had agreed to sit out the NAB Challenge to protect the anonymity of the 18 or so who are provisionally suspended.
Since then, five players from the 2012 squad have been named to play in the NAB Challenge alongside top-up players from Essendon's VFL team and former AFL-listed players.
The Power's Angus Monfries and Patrick Ryder were on Essendon's 2012 list, along with now Western Bulldogs forward Stewart Crameri, yet Thomas said the League had only addressed Essendon about its ability to replace the players.
He said there was no doubt the Power and Bulldogs should have been part of the discussion, and he promised to bring up the issue with the AFL.
"I feel like we've been largely ignored in that decision," Thomas said.
"Clearly Essendon have a bigger and more pressing problem and we probably wouldn't have taken it up anyway because we've got more than enough cover on our list.
"But as a principle Port Adelaide and the Bulldogs should have been in that conversation and we weren't – I'll certainly be making that known to the AFL.
"There are more clubs involved than Essendon and we need to be duly informed and notified and involved."
Thomas addressed media in Adelaide on Wednesday morning after the renegotiated financial deal at Adelaide Oval was officially completed.
The new deal will see the Power and Adelaide share an extra estimated $3.1 million this year and $4.1 million in 2016 and 2017.
Port's move from AAMI Stadium to Adelaide Oval had proven "transformational", Thomas said, and combined with record membership had the club on track towards a bright future.
Injured stars Chad Wingard, Jackson Trengove and Hamish Hartlett will play vital roles in the club's immediate future and all trained on Wednesday.
Hartlett injured his groin in last Sunday's win over West Coast but jogged laps at Alberton, while Wingard (knee) completed run-throughs and Trengove (shoulder) joined full training in a red vest.
Running defender Matthew Broadbent said the progress of all three was encouraging.
"[Wingard and Trengove] have been really upbeat … they tend to recover a bit quicker with that sort of attitude," Broadbent said.
"Hopefully it's sooner rather than later.
"The fact that [Hartlett's] moving around is a pretty positive sign and hopefully it's nothing too major."
