Lade, Burgoyne retire

PORT Adelaide will farewell two of its favourite sons this weekend when Brendon Lade and Peter Burgoyne both hang up their boots following the team’s round 22 match against North Melbourne.

Both have been key members of the club since Port Adelaide joined the AFL in 1997.

The two stars were also part of the Power’s memorable premiership win in 2004, and were considered integral parts of Port Adelaide’s success earlier in the decade.

Burgoyne, 31 and the older brother of midfielder Shaun, is second on the club’s all-time games list and will retire with 240 AFL matches to his name. Lade, 33, is third (he will reach 234 games on Saturday night). They trail only Warren Tredrea (249 games on Saturday night).

The pair also sit second and fourth on the Power’s all-time AFL goalkicking list, with Burgoyne having booted 193 goals – despite playing much of the latter part of his career in defence – and the long-kicking Lade 181 goals.

Burgoyne has played 14 matches this year, but has suffered problems with injury and form.

A ball magnet, he formed a lethal combination at times with the likes of Shaun, Kane Cornes and ruckman Lade.

Later in his career, he shifted to defence where he accumulated some massive numbers, including 36 touches for the All-Stars in the 2008 Hall of Fame Tribute match.

Lade, 33, won the club’s best and fairest award in 2006 and was a two-time All-Australian – in 2006 and 2007.

During this period he, along with Dean Cox, was considered among the top couple of ruckmen in the AFL. At his peak, his outstanding tap work in the ruck went unmatched.

He has played every match this year.

While time has caught up with Burgoyne and Lade, their exits perhaps signal a change in direction for Mark Williams and his team.

After making the grand final in 2007, Port Adelaide seems set to miss the finals for the second straight year.

Following last week’s loss to the Brisbane Lions – in which the Power booted 10 goals in the opening quarter only to give up a 47-point lead – Williams suggested his club needed some “new players”.