PORT Adelaide veterans Hamish Hartlett and Matthew Lobbe can return to their best form despite unsuccessfully being put on the trade table, Power chief executive Keith Thomas says.
It's understood Hartlett, who is contracted to the Power until 2021, spoke to four clubs during a trip to Melbourne, while ruckman Lobbe, with three years to run on his deal, didn't attract much interest.
Thomas expected both players would be able to put those issues behind them when the new season gets underway.
"They're professionals," Thomas told reporters on Thursday.
"I reckon the way you overcome that is through honesty and transparency.
"I've spoken to Hamish and Matthew and all of the players through the summer and they understand it for what it is.
"You have to have those honest conversations, they've been had, now we approach the season with vigour and real optimism."
The Power had no luck off-loading any players during the NAB AFL Trade Period after up to a dozen were made available to rival clubs.
"We went into the trade period with the players fully understanding that we had an open mind on this," Thomas said.
"If there are ways in which we could improve our list going into the trade period, we would be open to that.
"When you don't deliver as a club, you have to pivot and reassess where you're at, and we did that.
"As it turned out, those trades didn't present themselves to a level we were prepared to take.
"We are expecting a really significant response."
Thomas said the Power would have greater flexibility with players who are off-contract at the end of next year.
The Power's only move resulted in them exchanging draft picks with the Sydney Swans.
They will have the 14th, 17th, 30th, and 31st selections at the draft.
"What it says is we have absolute faith in the group that we have," Thomas said.
"There is significant upside in our group … we can get a lot more out of our established stars.
"We believe we are a under-performing list that's going to absolutely respond in 2017."
