PORT Adelaide hopes inside midfielder Willem Drew can build on a career-best season after signing a contract extension with the AFL premiership fancy.
The Hampden league export, who played in three senior flags for Koroit before he was drafted at 18, will remain at Alberton Oval until the end of 2024.
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Drew, now 23, added a further two seasons to his current deal.
He featured in all 24 matches last season as the Power worked its way to a preliminary final.
It followed four injury-interrupted seasons where he managed just 10 senior games.
"I'm extremely grateful to the club. I'm looking forward to the future ahead and I've worked really hard on my body to get up to standard. I'm feeling confident and keen," Drew said.
"It means a lot and it gives me confidence going forward. I'm going into my sixth season and there's no place I'd rather be. I love Adelaide and love living here."
Port Adelaide list manager Jason Cripps said Drew, who has overcome serious foot injuries, deserved security after establishing himself as a reliable ball winner.
"Willem has had a fair bit of bad luck with injury since we drafted him back in 2016 but he has shown resilience and a strong work ethic to come back and play an important defensive role in our midfield since making his AFL debut in 2019," he said.
"With further opportunities through our midfield, he will continue to improve as the offensive part of his game evolves."
Drew, who played as a wingman at Koroit, collected career-high 32 disposals on two occasions in 2021, against Brisbane and Collingwood.
He averaged 17.7 possessions a game for the Ken Hinkley-coached side.
Port Adelaide has re-signed seven players, including high draft pick Josh Sinn to a long-term deals, in recent days.
Others to recommit were defensive trio Dan Houston, Tom Clurey and Ryan Burton, draftee Dante Visentini and emerging forward Ollie Lord.
The Power, under the tutelage former Camperdown mentor Ken Hinkley, starts its 2022 campaign against fellow premiership contender Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday, March 19.
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