PORT Adelaide expects to know next week whether it will be allowed to start the 2016 season with the same number of players as its opposition.

The Power are allowed to upgrade two rookies to cover suspended pair Angus Monfries and Patrick Ryder but are, at this stage, unable to replace the two rookies.

In terms of sheer numbers, the scenario would leave the club short of most of their rivals, including Essendon, come round one.

Earlier this month, the Court of Arbitration for Sport imposed a season-long ban on 34 past and present Essendon players, including Ryder and Monfries.

Essendon lost 12 listed players, and the AFL announced the Dons could sign up to 10 temporary primary list players on short-term contracts.

Port has applied to the League for approval to recruit two top-up rookies and chairman David Koch said an answer was anticipated soon.

"That's under consideration at the moment, they've assured us that we'll get an announcement next week," Koch said.

"They're discussing it internally and also with some of the other clubs as well.

"The ideal response is that we're not two players short of every other club going into the 2016 season.

"As the numbers turn out, we're one player short of Essendon - we'll have 42 players, Essendon will have 43, everyone else will have 44, including rookies, and we think that's unfair."

The Western Bulldogs and St Kilda have also publically stated they would like to top up their rookie lists and Koch said he was "heartened" that "all of the clubs affected are aligned on this".

Bulldogs forward Stewart Crameri and St Kilda backman Jake Carlisle have been banned for the season, along with Melbourne recruit Jake Melksham.

Koch spoke on Friday afternoon to announce a new three-year partnership with Bank SA, which sees the bank join the Power as a premier partner – a level down from Renault and Energy Australia.



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