Port cuts list by three
Port Adelaide has cut its list by three to accommodate for the picks it has in the '06 'super draft', with Matthew Bishop, James Ezard and Elijah Ware being tol
Port Adelaide has cut its list by three to accommodate for the picks it has in the '06 'super draft', with Matthew Bishop, James Ezard and Elijah Ware being told their services are no longer required.Port has made no secret that they will rely on their vast wealth of youth to help it climb back up the AFL ladder, and 31-year-old Bishop - who has played 150 games (132 with Port and 16 in '06) - was no doubt a casualty of this line of thinking.The former Melbourne player was a member of Port's 2004 premiership team, and coach Mark Williams paid credit to the defender."Bish has been a great club man from the moment he arrived back in 1999. He has been 100 per cent committed to the Port Adelaide Football Club and has really added to our group on and off the field," said Williams, who will relish the club having picks 5, 23, 39, and 55 in this year's draft."He is liked by all and has been a consistent footballer over the journey. We're obviously thrilled with what he has given our club since we got him from Melbourne when he was very much a fringe player."We'll always remember him as being a big part of our first AFL premiership team. His run from defence in the Grand Final that set up a goal and helped spark our run of goals, will never be forgotten."Ezard and Ware always struggled to find a regular spot in the Power's senior line-up, and managed four and two games respectively in their two seasons at the club.Meanwhile, Power football manager Peter Rohde said that despite having some interest shown by other clubs during the trade period, the coveted early picks were considered more important to the club's future than any possible new recruit."We're very happy with the picks we've got and we're very happy to go into the draft," Rohde told
portadelaidefc.comau."We've made a few changes to our list already and we're going to back our young players in and add to the group through the draft."Rohde revealed the Power tried to deal with Carlton to secure highly-rated teenager Jordan Russell - who is out of contract at Carlton - but an agreement could not be reached.