KANE Mitchell’s longstanding dream of securing a senior spot on an AFL list has been realised.

Faced with the decision of elevating the 24-year-old Mitchell to its primary list or cutting him after two years as a rookie list player, Port Adelaide will officially upgrade the midfield running machine at its next list lodgement on October 31.

“We think he deserves a chance to be on our primary list,’’ Power list manager Jason Cripps said.

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“With the games he’s played in the past two years he has certainly added to our side with his ability as an elite runner.

“He’s got speed, he suits Kenny’s (coach Ken Hinkley) game style, he has a fantastic attitude, is very professional and he’s one of the hardest workers that we’ve got on our list.’’

media_camera Kane Mitchell has played 23 games so far for Port Adelaide. Picture: Calum Robertson

Mitchell won the 2012 Sandover Medal as the best and fairest player in the WAFL. But after years of knocking on the door, he wasn’t given an AFL opportunity until Port took a punt on him with pick five at the 2013 rookie draft.

He played 13 games in 2013 and 10 this year. He has improved his kicking, which was the biggest knock on him having to wait so long for an AFL chance.

While upgrading Mitchell to its senior list, Port has offered second-year rookie positions to classy small forward/midfielder Sam Gray, who played seven AFL games this year, and Sam Russell, who is yet to debut.

The Power has delisted three players from its 2014 squad — retired former captain Dom Cassisi, defender Campbell Heath and small forward Cameron Hitchcock.

Ruckman Brent Renouf lost his spot on the rookie list.

Port is poised to make at least one, and possibly two, more list changes before the November 27 draft.

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Former Essendon star ruckman Paddy Ryder joins Mitchell in moving onto the senior list.

Under AFL rules, Port must take at least three players at the draft but the third of these can be Mitchell, who it could nab at pick 93.

Its first draft picks are at numbers 57 and 75 after it traded selections 17 and 37 to the Bombers for the inspired capture of Ryder, who could prove to be the missing link to a first premiership since 2004.

The Power had a list management meeting last Friday — the day after the trade and free agency period concluded — and will make further decisions on the make up of its list when Hinkley returns from holidays.

“We’ll talk with Kenny, take stock of what our list looks like and work through our draft strategies from that,’’ Cripps said.

“We’d like to have three picks in the national draft and two rookie picks but we need to work out how we want those spots to look and weigh up the balance of how many of them will be filled by new under-18 talent and whether we need to bring in any mature-age players.”