Port Adelaide vice-captain Brendon Lade has signed a new two-year contract with the club.

It means the 31-year-old ruckman will play on until the end of 2009, which will be Lade’s 13th season at Port Adelaide.

As one of only four inaugural squad members remaining at the club, Lade has blossomed late in his career winning the best-and-fairest in 2006, along with All-Australian honours.

His 2007 season has again been outstanding, playing every game of the minor round for the second consecutive season.

“It’s great, I’ll finish my career here now,” Lade said, “I’ll be 33 when this contract’s up, a young 33 mind you!

“It’s great to play your whole career at one club and such a great club as Port Adelaide.

“I’m really looking forward to helping develop the next crop of youngsters coming through and hopefully we can get our next premiership along the way.”

Power coach Mark Williams said Lade fully deserved the two-year deal.

“He’s a leader, one of the smartest players in the game, he is playing some of his best and most consistent football and I’m sure our supporters, like us, are very pleased we’ve got two more years of that to look forward to,” Williams said.

Lade has played 192 AFL games, behind only Warren Tredrea and Peter Burgoyne in games played for Port Adelaide despite missing the 2000 and 2001 seasons with consecutive broken legs.