PORT Adelaide has secured the signatures of four important young players on the eve of the 2013 premiership season.

Key defenders Alipate Carlile and Jackson Trengove have inked new deals along with emerging midfielder Andrew Moore and promising key forward John Butcher.

25-year-old Carlile, who would have been eligible for free agency at season’s end, signed a four-year contract extension committing him to Port Adelaide until the end of 2017. 22-year-old Trengove and 21-year-olds Moore and Butcher have committed to two-year contract extensions, keeping them at Alberton to at least the end of 2015.

Port Adelaide senior coach Ken Hinkley says re-signing the four Victorians provides a great foundation for long-term stability at the club.

“With all four of these talented young players committing to the club together, it’s just a great show of faith in what we’re trying to do and where we’re heading,” said Hinkley.

“We want stability in this club and along with our skipper Travis Boak re-committing last year we’re actually building a club where players want to be a part of what we’re doing because they see a bright future.”

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Beyond their talent on the field, Hinkley praised the characters of Carlile, Trengove, Moore and Butcher and expressed his delight at their long-term commitment to the future of the club.

“You want these types of players at your football club. They are all outstanding characters,” said Hinkley.

“Each one of them in their own way brings something special to the group. Jacko (Trengove) is a strong voice and a really solid person, Bobby (Carlile) loves to help people as is evidenced by the multicultural work he does outside the club, and Moorey (Moore) and Butch (Butcher) are just great people to have around the footy club.

“Moorey and Butch are reasonably quiet, but everyone around the club loves the way they go about their work and they are extremely popular for that reason.”

From an on-field perspective Hinkley is delighted to have locked away his two key defensive posts – through Carlile and Trengove - for the long-term future.

“Key defenders are really hard to find in AFL football and you need to make sure you keep the strong ones that you’ve got,” Hinkley said.

“We’ve got two outstanding key defenders and Bobby is the most senior of those two boys and we were keen to make sure we secured his future here at Port Adelaide. He’s had a great pre-season, embraced every challenge we’ve thrown at him and is in great shape to enter the next period of his career.

“Similarly, Jacko is a really positive signing for the club and it’s a great show of strength from a player who is part of our young leadership team.

“We’re really happy for him to consolidate his future with us and lock into being a big part of our renewal.”

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Likewise, Hinkley says the club is buoyed with retaining Moore and Butcher and is confident that the first round draftees are on the verge of something special after overcoming injury-plagued seasons.

“I’m really happy with Moorey’s pre-season and you can see he just needs some consistent game time,” Hinkley said.

“He’s going to be a quality player for us in the future and that’s why we’re excited to get him signed up for a couple of more years.

“Butch, like Moorey is a first round pick, and we need to make sure we get the best out of him.

“As a key position forward he is going to be vital to our team structure and success and it’s very exciting for us that he’s continuing on here at Port Adelaide.”

Carlile, who has played 111 games for the Power since debuting in 2006, says he’s delighted to continue his career at Alberton.

“I owe this club everything,” Carlile said.

“They’ve supported me since day one and I just want to be able to repay that over the next four years.

“They say loyalty is dead in the AFL but I don’t believe that for one second. I love this club and I’ve never had any intention of going anywhere. Being a one-club player is something that is very important to me.”

Carlile thanked the coaches for supporting him through a challenging but highly productive pre-season.

“On-field, Kenny (Hinkley) has been great for me. He’s shown me some direction, set me goals to achieve and he’s really pushed me hard which I’ve enjoyed,” Carlile said.

“Having Richo (director of coaching Alan Richardson) and Burgo (high performance manager Darren Burgess) to support me through it as well has been great. Matty Nicks (defence coach) has played a big part as well helping me with the little things which will hopefully pay off in the long run.”

Trengove, the joint winner of the 2011 John Cahill Medal, says it’s ideal to get the contract signed early in the season so he can concentrate on playing his role for the team.

“I’m very excited to get the deal sorted early in the season and I’m pumped to be staying here at Port Adelaide in this exciting time and I desperately want to be a part of our rise up the ladder,” Trengove said.

“Everything that Kenny’s brought to the club has been extremely positive and the way he’s attacked the pre-season with his uncomplicated manner has really grabbed me and I love the way he really pushes the players and won’t accept mediocrity.

“We’ve got a list that will be able to challenge the competition over the next couple of years but we have to gain the respect again of the competition first.”

Moore had no hesitation in staying at Port Adelaide, not just for the exciting direction in which the club is heading, but for the way it has embraced him and his family since being recruited from Victoria at the end of 2009.

“Ever since I arrived at Port Adelaide the club has been fantastic to me. They really embrace all the interstate recruits and you feel at home immediately,” Moore said.

“The club has made my family back in Melbourne feel very welcome and a part of the Port Adelaide family and culture so that was a massive part of my decision to remain here at Port Adelaide.

“I’m very excited because we know where we are heading as a club. Kenny and Richo have been absolutely fantastic and they’ve made it clear where they want this club to go.

“It’s been a great pre-season. We’ve ticked off some areas that we had to improve on and we’re looking forward to a huge challenge against Melbourne this Sunday at the MCG.”

Butcher, who has kicked 22 goals in 12 games since debuting for the Power in 2011, says he is thrilled to re-sign for Port Adelaide at such an exciting time and is now desperate to repay the faith the club has shown in him.

“It’s probably been said a thousand times over this pre-season how fantastic Ken, Richo and Burgo have been for the group and the boys just can’t wait to start the season this Sunday against Melbourne,” Butcher said.

“The direction of the club off the field has been great as well. Having Kochie (David Koch) on board as chairman leading our club with our CEO Keith Thomas has been exciting and the boys are pumped that Renault and V.I.P. are both on board as major partners.”

Butcher says the four re-signings are a great show of confidence in the work that is happening both on and off the field at Alberton.

“It’s brilliant that Jacko, Bobby and Moorey have also re-signed with the club, after Travis re-committed at the end of last season,” Butcher said.

“Our players want to be a part of our club’s climb back up the ladder. We’ve been through the hard times over the last couple of years and although we’ve still got a lot of hard work in front of us, we’re starting to see some small rewards for our efforts.

“With players re-signing and jumping on board it’s really created a positive vibe around the football club and it shows that we want to do this together and return the football club to where it should be.”