Soldo in seamless return to Port after trade request

Ruckman Ivan Soldo's return to Port Adelaide has been seamless with teammates dismissing any suggestion of carrying a grudge for his failed trade request.

Soldo wanted a trade to Victoria after his first season at the South Australian club, but a deal couldn't be struck.

The 28-year-old is back at Alberton for pre-season training without any awkwardness, Power forward Mitch Georgiades says.

"No, not at all, it happens every year, there's people come and go," Georgiades told reporters on Monday.

"I don't think there's any grudges or anything like that can be held, so nice to have him back.

"It hasn't been addressed at all - nothing. He has slotted back in nicely which is good."

Georgiades is relishing being in the midst of his first full pre-season since being selected by Port in the 2019 national draft.

"It's probably my first actual proper pre-season where I've haven't had to have surgery, I haven't had to sit on the sidelines," he said.

"It's nice to be back now and feeling good."

Georgiades underwent a knee reconstruction in April 2023 and played just two AFL games that year.

Last season, the West Australian-born forward returned and played 20 games and kicked a career-high 44 goals.

"I took a big step forward in my career last year," he said.

"So for me to keep building on the park, off the park, by having a strong off-season, that's going to put me in good stead."

The strong-marking forward is embracing expectations of being the centrepiece in a revamped Power attack without retired veteran Charlie Dixon.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to be the man," Georgiades said.

Port traded in Jack Lukosius from Gold Coast and small forward Joe Richards from Collingwood while also drafting tall attacker Jack Whitlock and highly-rated goalsneak Joe Berry.

Pressure forward Sam Powell-Pepper will also return to action next year after just three games last season before requiring a knee reconstruction.

"We haven't talked too much about the actual ins and outs of the way the forward line will work," Georgiades said.

"It's obviously going to be slightly different with no Charlie and we're pretty mobile up there, so I think the way we might move the ball is going to be very fast.

"Each session we have, we're learning about each other better which is great.

"We've got a lot of different parts there now ... we've got a lot of different pieces up there.

"As we get into a bit more match play throughout the pre-season we'll figure out a bit more what that looks like but I think the strength of our forward group is there's a lot of versatility."

Meanwhile, Port's home-town rivals Adelaide have already suffered an injury blow with back-up ruckman Kieran Strachan sidelined for four months because of a foot injury.

Strachan, the understudy to first-choice ruck Reilly O'Brien, has had surgery on a stress fracture in his right foot.